Catherine Konold
Music 1010 Analysis Presentation
About HIM
• Developed in Helsinki, Finland during the mid1990’s
• Wide range of influences; Black Sabbath, Roy
Orbison, Led Zeppelin, Iggy and the Stooges,
Deep Purple, Neil Young and Cat Stevens
• Some referential lyrics inspired by H.P.
Lovecraft, Charles Baudelaire and Maya
Angelou
Production Output
• 8 studio albums; 5 of which are RIAA certified
platinum or double platinum in Finland
• Under the management of Seppo Seppanen
• Have sold over 8 million records to-date
• 29 singles have been released
• There are two Greatest Hits compilations:
– And Love Said No (2004)
– XX: Two Decades of Love Metal (2012)
The only Finnish composer whose
album certified Gold by the RIAA in
the US
Controversial due to use of satanic
references
Member Timeline
Ville Valo, 1991Present
Vox, guitar,
bass,
percussion
“Linde” Mikko
Lindstrom,
1991-Present
Guitar, bass
“Mige” Mikko
Paananen, ‘91’93/’95-Present
Bass
“Gas Lipstick”
Mika Karrpinen,
1999-2015
Drums
“Emerson
Burton” Jaane
Puurtinen, 2001Present
Keyboard
synthesizer
Love Metal
• A unique genre type that the band came up
with to describe their sound
• “We are like a very miserable version of the
Backstreet Boys”, said Ville Valo (Haydn)
• Every song is a referential composition and
draws inspiration from love, friendship, and
the loss of both
Sub-Genres
•
•
•
•
Goth and Metal
Characterized by gloomy
synthesizer motifs and
powerful guitar solos
A distorted, ‘industrial’
sound created by talk boxes
and studio effects
Closely related to slow,
heavy ‘doom’ music
Use of organs is common
•
•
•
•
•
Traditional Rock
Rhythmic guitar phrases
Acoustic compositions
Syncopation, and
accentuation from snare
drum
Simple timing
Traditional rock band setup
– vox, bass, guitar, drums
and keyboard
Gone With The Sin O. D. Version
• Gone With The Sin was
originally composed for the
band’s 1998 demo album
Slippery When Dead.
• A single by the same name
was released in Germany,
2000
• Razorblade Romance is the
studio album containing the
composition
• The O.D. Version appears on
Uneasy Listening Volume 1
Gone with the Sin O.D. Version
Background
• Instruments: cello, violin,
viola, voice
• Run time of 5:00
• This version was produced by
Hiili Hiilesmaa and John Fryer
at Rockfield and Strongroom
studios
• Strings performed by John
Fryer
• Mixed by T.T. Oskala at Crystal
Sound
Evolution of Gone with the Sin
• First release ('98 Demo)
• Razorblade Romance (1999)
• O.D. Version
Introduction
0:00 to 0:40
• Violin and cello start playing the introduction.
The first phrase is in minor mode and the cello
dynamic is staccato.
• At 0:11, the cello has a solo transition
• By 0:13, the violin and cello are playing theme 1 –
the cello dynamic changes to pizzicato until 0:19,
when the bow is again drawn across the strings
• The composition is in 4/4 time
• At 0:34, the strings of the violin are slapped
A
0:40 to 1:22
• Verse A begins with
very simple
accompaniment. The
strings play
homophonically.
• A 1:17, the rhythm
changes and the
instrumentation plays at
a faster tempo,
foreshadowing the
transition to chorus
• I love your skin, oh so
white
• I love your touch, cold
as ice
• And I love every single
tear you cry
• I just love the way
you’re losing your life
B
1:22 to 2:02
• The cello establishes the
rhythm and the violin and
voice play the exact same
phrase.
• 1st phrase of movement B
is repeated at 1:32 and
1:43.
• At 1:52, only the second
half of the first phrase is
repeated
• Movement B ends with
the strings playing
ascending chords
• Whoa, my baby, how
beautiful you are
• And whoa, my baby,
completely torn apart
• You’re gone with the sin
my baby and beautiful
you are
• So gone with the sin my
darling
A’
2:02 to 2:43
• The cello plays pizzicato
rhythm
• The violin plays a
consonant, simple
harmony. It is repeated at
2:13.
• At 2:15, the viola enters
and harmonizes with the
violin by playing one halfstep higher.
• At 2:27
• I adore the despair in
your eyes
• I worship your lips, once
red as wine
• And I crave the ascent
sending shivers down my
spine
• And I just love the way
you’re running out of life
B’
2:43 to 3:24
• The violin phrases are 2
octaves higher and
identical to the vocal
melody.
• All the instruments
repeat again at 3:05.
• Whoa, my baby, how
beautiful you are
• Whoa, my baby,
completely torn apart
• You’re gone with the
sin, my baby, and
beautiful you are
• So gone with the sin,
my darling
C
3:24 to 4:00
• The violin starts with the melody. It is identical
to the voice melody, with the exception of
diving into lower notes at 3:40
• Cello is played pizzicato from 3:24 to 3:35;
temple doubles from this point to 3:46. The
tempo slows again at 3:46
• At 4:00, D begins
D
4:00 to 5:00
• The final repetition of B is
performed one key higher
than before. It brings a
sense of resolution to the
song.
• In B”, the violin and cello
have a different dynamic.
Their phrases interact
which produces a
consonant harmony.
• A quick coda follows from
4:53 to 5:00
• Whoa, my baby, how
beautiful you are
• Whoa, my baby,
completely torn apart
• You’re gone with the sin,
my baby, and beautiful
you are
• So gone with the sin, my
darling
• And so beautiful you are (scat)
Sleepwalking Past Hope
• From the album Venus
Doom, released in the
United States on
9/14/2007 by Sire
Records
• Venus Doom sold over
500,000 copies in
Germany and Finland
(Gold)
Sleepwalking Past Hope
•
•
•
•
•
•
Album Version
Live at Orpheum Theater, 2007
Run time of 10:03
Produced by Hiili Hiilesma and Tim Palmer
Fifth track on the album
Instruments used: vox, electric guitar, electric
bass guitar, drums, keyboard synthesizer,
rattles, sitar, wooden percussion frog
Introduction
0:00 to 0:57
• 0:00-0:22 Intro by piano solo, in the form of
an arch. The composition is almost entirely in
the minor mode
• 0:22-0:40 Guitar slide followed by first motive
• Drums and bass follow to solidify the rhythm
at 4/4 time from 0:40 to 0:57
A
0:57 to 1:32
• 0:57 drum pickup and entrance of
vox and synthesizer
• 0:57 – 1:02 ascending synth
phrase (Theme A begins)
• 1:05 to 1:11 descending
repetition of synth phrase
• 1:11 percussion emphasis of
transition to 1:15
• 1:15 to 1:26 repetition of theme
A
• 1:26 to 1:33 transition to chorus
• I had they keys to lock love’s
heart
• To hold you in my sweetest pain
and suffering
• Everything’s unfair in our lust and
war
• Redemption beyond right and
wrong
B
1:32 to 2:16
•
•
•
•
•
Chorus begins in duple-simple time
Phrase A of the chorus introduces a
new synth motive – with an
ascending pattern and resolving key
change at 1:46
Phrase A repeats again at 1:46
The first chorus ends at 2:02
following a synthesizer coda and
resolution due to the change in
timing. The emphasis is on the 3rd
beat
The key resolves to the relative
dominant key in decrescendo
•
In our hearts, love keeps sweet
talking to despair and moves on,
•
Sleepwalking past hope.
•
All is lost, in this war, all we can do is
wail and weep to the saddest song,
•
Sleepwalking past hope.
A’
2:16 to 2:52
• 2:13 – after bass solo,
full band returns to
playing.
• The third beat of each
measure is emphasized
• There is a drum and
guitar breakdown at
2:32, exactly half way
through the verse
• I unlit the light and
embraced the dark
• To be near, but not to
turn into you, my
darling
• Forever we’re lost in
our soul storm
• Reflections of each
other’s faults
B’
2:52 to 3:21
•
•
•
•
•
•
Musically identical to B
Chorus begins in duple-simple time
Phrase A of the chorus introduces a
new synth motive – with an
ascending pattern and resolving key
change at 1:46
Phrase A repeats again at 1:46
The first chorus ends at 2:02
following a synthesizer coda and
resolution due to the change in
timing. The emphasis is on the 3rd
beat
The key resolves to the relative
dominant key in decrescendo
•
In our hearts, love keeps sweet
talking to despair and moves on,
•
Sleepwalking past hope.
•
All is lost, in this war, all we can do is
wail and weep to the saddest song,
•
Sleepwalking past hope.
C
3:21 to 3:47
• From 3:28 to 4:45, the composition is a guitar solo
accompagnio.
• There is a clear musical dialogue between instruments;
at 3:37, the bass line clearly responds to guitar
statement. At 4:06, the bass line descends.
• At 4:16, the song somewhat resolves before
introducing the next guitar phrase
• The dynamic begins at mezzo-forte and alternates
between morcato (stressed) and calmando (calm)
• Bridge 1 ends when the guitar descends and dies out
D
3:47 to 5:32
• Bridge 2 begins in a
markedly slower time than
bridge 1
• Notice the new synth line;
the same 3 notes repeated
• Notice the different effects
added in mixing
• Lyrics start in vocal
accompagnio with marked
distortion
• At 4:47, 4 guitar notes let us
know that something is
about to happen
• I gave up long ago,
• Painting the world with
crimson flow,
• Ran out of blood and hope,
• So I paint you no more.
E
5:32 to 6:21
• After a quick dip, the bass
line begins to paint a
musical staircase by
ascending through 4/4
time. The motive is
comprised of one long
note followed by two
short ones
• The phrase repeats again
at 5:56
• The third beat of each
measure is receiving the
accent
• My Hell begins from the
tenth and descends to the
circle
• Six hundred, threescore
and six
• And from there I crawl
beneath Lucifer’s claws
just for one last kiss
F
6:21 to 6:59
• At 6:21, a one second rest occurs
• At 6:22, the guitar returns with a simple motif
to let us know that things are about to pick
back up
• Bass and percussion return at 6:27…
• A wild, forte improvisational guitar solo
accompagnio begins at 6:32 following a
drumroll. The solo is quite jazzy and concludes
at 6:44
B’
6:59 to 7:52
• In the last repetition of theme A, the key returns
to the relative dominant
• A very strong sense of resolution, and almost
happiness is reached here. This is a result of they
keyboards being in a higher key.
• The first synth motive repeats from 6:58 to 7:12
• The composition is still in minor mode at this
point
• The end of the last phrase A is a little different
because of different vox codas and bass line
Coda
7:52 to 8:20
• One of the most notable things is the very jazzy,
improvisational bassline beginning by 7:52
• The bassline ascends to the highest registers at
the same time as vox
• Coda begins in 4/4 time… at 8:11, the first major
deviation in timing is noticeable
• By 8:11, there is an entirely new, improvisational
synth line which deviates into the major mode
• By 8:20, the mastering echo effects are
noticeable and any vox input is scat only
Coda
8:20 to 8:56
• Continued ascension of vox motive
(improvised)
• At 8:35, the sitar begins to echo in the
background. There is no solid motive, but the
range begins to grow. At 8:42, heavy echoing
and improvisation are present
• At 8:35, the percussion is improvised
• The sitar enters higher registers at 8:56
Coda
8:56 to 10:03
• Beginning at 9:02, a new synth phrase enters.
It is very bright and almost cheerful sounding
• By 9:25, the mixing effects are heavily
distorting most of the music
• After a few more drumrolls, the decresendo
begins at 9:36
• 10:03 – the composition ends
References
• Album information:
• GRTEP Website for
dynamic names and
– http://him.wikia.com/wi
ki/Venus_Doom_(album)
general guidance
– Uneasy Listening Vol. 1 - • HIM His Infernal
HIM Wiki
Majesty by Reinhardt
• HIM's Wikipedia Page
Haydn, Plexus
– Venus Doom
Publishing, London
– Uneasy Listening Vol. 1
2007