VV's 'Neon Noir' - Album Review

I think it is fair to say that no-one has ever aped the Finnish band HIM when it comes to creating gothic-infused rock music with hints of metal and pop. The five-piece were emo before emo was a thing, and mixed genuine metal influences with accessible, hooky song structures to create a body of work that stood apart. For those around the same age as me who listen to heavier music, flirting with HIM was likely a right of passage - even if they were soon discarded for tougher sounds. I never discarded the band, though, and they were a big part of my musical development - as hearing the band's tough riffs mixed with poppy synths and irresistible vocal hooks made a big impression. Whilst HIM were a tight band, the focus of the media was always on the enigmatic Ville Valo - the band's frontman and principal songwriter. He was very much a gothic pin-up throughout the 2000s, and much of HIM's success can be laid at his feet. This is not to take anything away from the rest of the band, particularly guitarist Mikko Lindström, but Valo very much made the band tick. He wrote the vast majority of the band's catalogue alone, and his impressive vocal range and sultry stage presence are what people think of when they picture the band in their head. It was a sad day, then, when the band called it a day in 2017. I think Valo felt that the band had run its course and wanted to go out on a high, so the band folded at the end of 2017 following a very successful farewell tour. The band had not released an album since 2013, when Tears on Tape (which I reviewed here) came out, and I got the impression that Valo had perhaps lost enthusiasm for the grind somewhat. Tears on Tape is a fun album, but it is far from HIM's best work - and looking back it was probably wise for the band to call it day before stagnating significantly. Since 2017, then, Valo has largely been quiet. The odd interview with him surfaced where he said that he would put out some new music at some point - and this came true in 2020 when he quietly released the three-track EP Gothica Fennica, Vol. 1 (which I briefly discussed here) under the VV moniker. The EP was instantly-recognisable as Valo's work, and the three songs could have all come from any of the more recent HIM albums. Valo gave no clues as to what was to follow, though, and I assumed that he would release more EPs given the name of his 2020 release - but last year he announced his comeback proper, and revealed that his debut solo album Neon Noir would be released in 2023. It ended up being my first new release of the year, chronologically anyway, and I have been enjoying it a lot over the last couple of weeks. The three songs from the EP appear here alongside nine others, and the album basically picks up where HIM left off. There is little to distinguish HIM and VV, although Neon Noir is very much a true solo album as Valo played all of the instruments throughout. It is perhaps not as heavy as some of HIM's toughest work, but the melodies, lyrical themes, and overall atmosphere showcases the Valo that we all know and love.

There is a lot of strong material to be found here, but the album opens with perhaps its best cut. Echolocate Your Love is the perfect way to open the album, as the sounds throughout are instantly familiar - and the chorus is one of the album's hookiest. The opening synth melody, which resurfaces throughout the rest of the song, is extremely memorable, sticking in the brain from the off, whilst the guitar rhythms are just crunchy enough to create a strong atmosphere. Given that this is very much Valo's album, the focus is always on his voice. There is little musical showboating here, although there is a short instrumental break based around a doomy riff and a scratchy solo, with the focus being on Valo's soaring vocal hooks. His voice sounds as good as ever here, and it is like nothing has changed since 2013. The melodies are still sweet, and the lyrics are still packed with strange metaphors, juxtapositions, and a darkly romantic bent - ensuring that the album can sit side-by-side with any of HIM's older albums with ease. Echolocate Your Love could have been a HIM song, so as a mainstream reintroduction of Valo to a larger audience it works really well. Run Away from the Sun follows, and it is the first of the three songs that were released back in 2020. I thought that the EP perfectly showcased the three main sides of Valo's writing - with Run Away from the Sun representing the floating, whimsical, ballad-esque side. There is little heavy guitar here, although it does surface during the chorus, but in general the song really chimes throughout with synth textures and gentle guitar melodies - which allows Valo to croon atop this sonic tapestry with his sultry, slightly high-pitched vocals. I tend to prefer Valo when he is operating in slightly heavier territories, but these more whimsical pieces are a  big part of his identity, and the slower-burning track, despite its strong hooks, allows the pace to slow somewhat following the poppy album opener. The album's title track then returns to a sound more akin to the opening cut, although it ups both the heaviness and the overall organic nature of the sound. The guitar riffing throughout is more pronounced, so much so that certain sections of the track are relatively heavy, whilst the verses feel more grounded thanks to liberal use of acoustic guitar to add warmth. There is less of a focus on synths here, although they add a melodic halo to the heavier chorus, and it is great to see much more made of the guitar. The riffing is not as doomy as the heaviest pieces of HIM's past, but there is a darkness created by the crunchy guitars - and the acoustic guitar, which at times sounds quite distant, is a great contrast.

Lead single Loveletting reins the heaviness back again, but the acoustic guitars are retained - with the subtle verses backed by some melancholic picking, before the hooky chorus is fleshed out by full-bodied strumming. As such, the acoustic guitar seems to dominate - but the keyboards also return to play a big part. They chime throughout the chorus, adding more melodies, whilst the atmospheric verses take on an edge thanks to some cold-sounding synth patches. Given that the song was released as a single, it is one of the simplest pieces here. It is a decent song, but for me there are stronger pieces on the album - but its hooks are easy on the ear and it really showcases Valo's voice, so it worked perfectly to reintroduce him. The Foreverlost is a much darker sounding piece, and the pace overall is upped too - creating a much more urgent atmosphere. Many of the songs here are quite laid back, and do not tend to race towards their conclusion, but The Foreverlost is faster. This means that there are moments of heaviness here, too, and the occasional big riff helps to give the album a kick up the backside following the simplistic single, but in general the grooves and drums propel everything forward - with more acoustic guitar filling in the blanks. Due to the pace, and the emphasis on strong grooves, there are moments of the song which feel quite danceable. There is a strong bass presence throughout, and I can see the song going down well live as a result. There is a driving energy throughout which is made for the stage, and the moments that do feature bigger, heavier riffs are sure to really burst with energy live. As much as I like the album's overall vibe, this moment of pace is welcome - and it helps to create a dynamic feel throughout. Baby Lacrimarium strips all of the pace away, though, as the song returns to a ballad-esque territory akin to Run Away from the Sun. Run Away from the Sun is a strong effort, but for me Baby Lacrimarium is the best example of Valo's ballad writing on the album. Big acoustic guitar chords dominate the song, and the vocal melodies throughout are some of Valo's most piercing on the album. There is little else in the mix to compete with him, and as such the song is a real showcase of his enduring vocal talents. I think it helps that there is a strong pop edge to everything about the song. It is not as floating as Run Away from the Sun, with more emphasis on hooks than creating a big atmosphere. Poppy ballads are what Valo really excels at in my opinion - and the song is a winner thanks to the melodies throughout.

Salute the Sanguine then ups the pace somewhat, and the older EP track acts as a good mid-album injection of energy. The song is a snappy harder rock piece, with crunching guitar rhythms throughout and a catchy keyboard hook that boosts the chorus - making it a real earworm. In many ways, the song might be the most HIM-like piece here. In truth, every song here is HIM-like - but the arrangement is much more typical in the way guitars and keyboards are balanced. As such, it is likely to be another winner live, with its big chorus and classic interplay between the crunchy riffing and the chiming keyboards. It is another song on the simpler side of things, but it ticks all of the right boxes for me - and it really harks back to Valo's past in a big way. In Trenodia is another ballad-esque piece, but this time the format is approached from a much darker place. The final third of the album is generally quite dark sounding, and In Trenodia is a good introduction to that sound. There is not as much riffing here as is to come, but the chorus is certainly quite weighty - which contrasts nicely with the synths and piano that tend to dominate elsewhere. Some busy drum loops also contrast with the slower melodies that sit atop them, and it is these contrasts that make the song interesting. Overall, the pace is slow and the track is a ballad, but those loops and the occasional riffy backing just add enough of a point of difference to create a unique sound. Heartful of Ghosts continues the descent into darkness - and the piece is another slower track, but this time it is packed full of true gothic drama. The drums and percussion are slow, and the atmosphere is boosted by swells of keyboard and the pulsing bass presence. The pace never really picks up at all, and Valo sings in a distant, whimsical manner that sometimes dips into the lower end of his register - his voice sometimes not fully cutting through the mix of synths, bass, and acoustic guitar. This mixing choice works well, though, as it helps the strange, gothic vibe of the piece to become solidified - and the moments where his voice is very much placed at the front of the mix feel much bigger as a result.

The final of the three EP songs, Saturnine Saturnalia, then continues the gothic vibes of Heartful of Ghosts - but this time approaches the sound from a much doomier place. Whilst HIM were generally quite poppy, they could be heavy at times - and the slow, doomy main riff of Saturnine Saturnalia very much showcases a strong Black Sabbath influence - and the song lumbers along as a result. Acoustic guitars and keyboards once again flesh out the verses, but a big riff injection is never too far away - and every time one crashes in it makes the song sound huge. My favourite HIM album is 2007's Venus Doom due to how riffy it is, and this song could have sat on that album quite comfortably in my opinion. I wish there were more songs on this album that showcased the heavier side of Valo's songwriting, but Saturnine Saturnalia is certainly a good example of it - and the heartfelt, mournful chorus is another real earworm for me. The ending section is great, too, with a barrelling riff that morphs into an atmospheric keyboard fade-out. The short, organic-sounding Zener Solitaire, which essentially acts as an intro to the album's closing number, is the penultimate song here. It starts out as a gentle, piano-led piece - but it builds up as it moves along, with stronger keyboard textures adding melodic layers whilst acoustic guitars add warmth. Valo's wordless vocals can be heard throughout, but it is essentially an instrumental piece - which nicely segues into the closing Vertigo Eyes, another personal highlight. It opens with a soaring melodic hook, but the song on the whole is quite downbeat - despite a big overall sound. It has a similar vibe to Saturnine Saturnalia, but without the big riffing (until the end) and with more pop hooks. The mournful chorus really hits hard for me, and Valo's gorgeous vocal hooks are perhaps some of his best vocal moments on the album. There is real emotion in his delivery, and it perfectly suits the bed of acoustic guitar and piano that sits beneath him - whilst subtle, crunching guitars add depth. A tortured solo allows for a brief moment of musical indulgence, but generally the song is a showcase of Valo's vocal and writing talents - and its mournful nature and heavier ending, which sees the return of some Sabbath-esque riffing, makes it the perfect way to close out the album. Neon Noir is then, on the whole, a great reintroduction to Valo - and a great first statement as a solo artist. Whilst it is very close in style to HIM, I think that just shows that Valo was HIM - and I doubt that anyone will be complaining too much considering how HIM have been missed by their large fanbase. It is great to have the master of love metal back in business, and I can see this album being well-received by all who enjoy gothic and melancholic music.

The album was released on 13th January 2023 via Heartagram Records. Below is Valo's promotional video for Loveletting.