''Dark Blood'' is the fourth

extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...

(EP) by South Korean boy group

Enhypen Enhypen (; ; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy band formed by Belift Lab. Formerly a joint venture between CJ ENM and Hybe Corporation, the group was formed through the 2020 survival competition show '' I-Land''. The group consists ...

. It was released on May 22, 2023, through Belift Lab. The album consists of six tracks, including the

lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...

"Bite Me". The theme of the EP is heavily influenced by the group's fantasy webtoon series '' Dark Moon: The Blood Altar'', which features vampire characters based on the seven group members.

Background and release

On April 24, 2023, Belift Lab announced that Enhypen would be releasing their fourth extended play, ''Dark Blood'', on May 22. This comes ten months after their the release of their third EP, '' Manifesto: Day 1'' and three months after the wrap-up of their first international tour. The track list was later revealed on May 16 and an album preview was released on May 18. On the day of the release, the group held a media showcase for the album in Seoul. Described by group member Heeseung as having an "unconventional" sound, the album has a vampire theme, in line with their webtoon series, ''Dark Moon: The Blood Altar''. Referencing the series, group member Jake commented that "with many connections between the webtoon and our album, paying attention to these aspects will definitely make the listening experience more fun".

Critical reception

The album received generally positive reviews from critics. Neil Z. Yeung from ''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

'' gave the album 3.5 out of five stars, writing that Enhypen "slow it down, boost the low end, and amplify the menace". Tássia Assis from ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' gave the album four out of five stars, writing that "musically, this might be Enhypen's most cohesive work so far." ''

Paste Paste is a term for any very thick viscous fluid. It may refer to: Science and technology * Adhesive or paste ** Wallpaper paste ** Wheatpaste, a liquid adhesive made from vegetable starch and water * Paste (rheology), a substance that behaves as ...

'' ranked it number 13 in their list of The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2023, calling it a "hypnotic, story-driven effort that sinks its teeth in with exactly the kind of addictive refrain that the group's become best known for". They named "Bite Me" the "glittery centerpiece, a monstrous mix of teen vampire lore and late nineties/early noughties boy-band appeal."

Commercial performance

On South Korea's Hanteo Chart, ''Dark Blood'' sold more than 1.1 million copies on its first day alone, surpassing the sales of their previous EP. Despite the two-week shipment delay in the US, ''Dark Blood'' became Enhypen's fifth top 10 entry on the ''Billboard''

Top Album Sales The Top Album Sales is a music chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine listing each week's top-selling albums in the United States. The chart has been published since December 13, 2014, although the magazine also retrospectively recognize ...

chart, and their first ever top five entry on the ''Billboard'' 200. According to the

International Federation of the Phonographic Industry The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...

(IFPI)'s Global Music Report for 2023, ''Dark Blood'' was the sixteenth best-selling album worldwide, having sold 1.7 million units.

Track listing

Accolades

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Notes

References

{{Authority control 2023 EPs Enhypen EPs Genie Music EPs Korean-language EPs Hybe Corporation EPs