Former HIM frontman Ville Valo recently opened up about the troubling recording period of the band’s sixth studio album ‘Venus Doom.’ He explained how Slayer’s Kerry King disrupted his recovery process, as reported by Louder Sound.
Valo described the album as a particularly dark period in his life. He compared it to Black Sabbath’s influential fourth album and detailed his struggles with depression and substance abuse.
“Venus Doom was our Vol. 4. After Dark Light, I found that we were listening to a lot of doomy music on the bus. I was really worn out and I’d just split from my girlfriend who I’d been with for a long time,” Valo said.
The musician explained how his emotional state influenced the band’s musical direction during that time.
“I remember feeling worn out and miserable. As you know, there’s nothing better when you’re depressed than listening to doom. That’s how it all started. I got back to listening to My Dying Bride, and Gas is a huge fan of Candlemass,” he continued.
Valo then detailed his attempts at recovery and how an encounter with Slayer’s Kerry King derailed his progress.
“After we recorded, we went to LA to mix it where I tried to detox myself, but ended up retoxing and having to go to rehab. I got better for a moment, then went out with Kerry King and everything got worse. So blame Slayer,” he said.
The frontman also shared an amusing anecdote about his time in rehabilitation. He revealed his unconventional approach to the recovery process.
“When I went to rehab, they forced me to do the serenity prayer with a bunch of people. I didn’t want to say, ‘God, grant me the serenity.’ So I told them I’d say, ‘Ozzy grant me the serenity…’ and it took a while but they actually liked it. Religion always rang hollow to me, but Ozzy always rang true,” Valo concluded.
The troubled recording period that Valo described ultimately produced one of HIM’s most commercially successful albums. This marked a significant milestone in the band’s career trajectory.
Wikipedia documented that Venus Doom was released on September 14, 2007. The album achieved remarkable commercial success by peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, representing HIM’s highest U.S. chart position. This achievement came as a follow-up to their previous album Dark Light, which had already established the band’s international presence.
The success of Venus Doom built upon the foundation laid by Dark Light. HIM Wiki noted that Dark Light was HIM’s fifth studio album released on September 23, 2005, in Germany and Finland through Helsinki Music Company and WEA International. The album had been instrumental in propelling the band toward transatlantic stardom, setting the stage for the darker themes that would emerge in Venus Doom.
HIM’s journey to international recognition began much earlier. Last.fm confirmed that the band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo and bassist Mikko “Mige” Paananen. This long history provided the foundation for the band’s evolution through various musical phases, ultimately leading to the challenging period that produced Venus Doom.
The contrast between Valo’s personal struggles during the Venus Doom recording period and the album’s commercial success highlights the complex relationship between artistic expression and personal turmoil that often characterizes rock music’s most memorable works.
