Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
70
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective![]()
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick![]()
82
Beach House![]()
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine![]()
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet![]()
82
Ben Frost![]()
82
Fucked Up![]()
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg![]()
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop![]()
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard![]()
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston![]()
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound![]()
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle![]()
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes![]()
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack![]()
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers![]()
80
Phantogram
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
77
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining![]()
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
65
The Watson Twins
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Dark Light

Mixed or average reviews
Based on 10 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 83 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Sire
Release Date: 27 September 2005
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
This is the first U.S. release for the popular Finnish goth-rock band (the initials stand for His Infernal Majesty) fronted by Ville Hermani Vallo.
Also By This Artist: Venus Doom
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The New York Times
The songs are sturdier than ever, and they possess a sneaky sort of power. [10 Oct 2005]
Q Magazine
A collection of irresistible pop-rock anthems. [Nov 2005, p.125]
Blender
It's refreshing to hear a band approach the form's familiar imagery from a place of romance, not cynicism. [Oct 2005, p.138]
New Musical Express
The truth is that metal fans used to have a word for music like this, and that word is wimpy. [1 Oct 2005, p.45]
Uncut
Sisters Of Mercy fans will remain defiantly nonplussed. [Nov 2005, p.103]
Stylus Magazine
While the drop in adrenaline has left room for some good ideas, they’re not fleshed out well enough, and with the lack of a single flat-out rocker, there’s nothing to get excited or exhilarated over.
Read Full Review >Spin
Listening to this disc sorta gives new meaning to the phrase virgin sacrifice. [Oct 2005, p.142]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.7 (out of 10) based on 83 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Venus Doom gave it a10:
This album blew me away!
joey B gave it an8:
this is a really great album....and the best thing about it is that it doesn't sound like all the other stuff thats out there....oh and for kicker tom...this music isn't emo....its goth rock!
ola b. gave it a10:
perfect! popish' yeah... but for what it is.. it's perfect
MY GUITAR gave it an8:
This is overall a good, solid album with no “dead zones” on it, which has really become pretty common in the music scene today. The music kind of just flows from one song into another and it makes the album very enjoyable. At the first listen it becomes obvious that this was meant to be an album that needs to be listened as a whole and not a frantic mix of wannabe radio hits that leaves the listener confused and skipping to the good tracks. I am pleasantly surprised by the lyrics, these guys are much better writers than most of the bands their age out there, especially when you consider that they are Finnish and speak English as their second language while many English speaking bands like… say Nickelback, can’t write two good lines on an album . I can’t really pinpoint HIM’s genre, they sound “euro” which sets them apart right away, even though they slightly remind me of some newer AFI and Lacuna Coil. It is definitely not EMO, like suggested by one of the reviews. I’d consider these guys far more original than most bands affiliated with that genre. Their sound has lightened up since their debut but its overall still the same. In my mind that’s a good thing because many other bands spell out their own demise by changing their sound. HIM know what they’re good at and they’re sticking to it, much to the delight of their fans. Just as they say it themselves, this is love metal. It really is, and at it’s finest at that.
Tony B gave it a9:
This album is amazing!! Great vocals, heavy music, its romantic and violent all in one...HIM are the greatest rock band ever@!!!
Kicker Tom gave it a1:
I gave them a 1 b/c I feel sorry for them. Emo crap.
namesare overrated gave it a9:
The only thing keeping me from giving Dark Light a ten is because people glorify "Wings of a Butterfly" to high heavens and beyond. Seriously, I can't see how anybody can say it's the best song on the CD, because I'd go so far as to say "Under the Rose" is the greatest song ever writtern. Anyone want to challenge me? You're welcome to it, but don't expect a response. On the other hand, the only thing keeping me from dropping it lower to an eight is the fact that it doesn't feature Villie Valo on the cover. Those covers kind of disturb me... Still, my favorite album from a favorite band. Long live His Infernal Majesty.
