Catherine KonoldMusic 1010 Analysis Presentation

About HIM

• Developed in Helsinki, Finland during the mid-1990’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

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, 1991-Present 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, 2001-Present 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 half-step 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

Introduction0:00 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

A0:57 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

B1:32 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.

E5:32 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

F6:21 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

Coda7:52 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:– http://him.wikia.com/wi

ki/Venus_Doom_(album)– Uneasy Listening Vol. 1 -

HIM Wiki

• HIM's Wikipedia Page– Venus Doom– Uneasy Listening Vol. 1

• GRTEP Website for dynamic names and general guidance

• HIM His Infernal Majesty by Reinhardt Haydn, Plexus Publishing, London 2007