SCREAMWORKS: LOVE IN THEORY AND PRACTICE is HIM's seventh studio album and the follow-up to 2007's Venus Doom, which debuted at No. 12 in the U.S. This limited edition features 2 CD's in a 6 panel digipak with 8 page bookl... more »et. Disc 2 features bonus acoustic tracks recorded by Ville.
After conquering the rest of the world with chart-topping albums and sold-out tours, Finland's HIM won over the States with its 2005 U.S. debut, the Top 20 Dark Light. In 2007, Venus Doom elevated the band's summer-of-love-gone-goth to even harder and heavier heights.« less
SCREAMWORKS: LOVE IN THEORY AND PRACTICE is HIM's seventh studio album and the follow-up to 2007's Venus Doom, which debuted at No. 12 in the U.S. This limited edition features 2 CD's in a 6 panel digipak with 8 page booklet. Disc 2 features bonus acoustic tracks recorded by Ville.
After conquering the rest of the world with chart-topping albums and sold-out tours, Finland's HIM won over the States with its 2005 U.S. debut, the Top 20 Dark Light. In 2007, Venus Doom elevated the band's summer-of-love-gone-goth to even harder and heavier heights.
"I have noticed alot of the older HIM fans like myself, are not enjoying the tracks, and I will admit to being taken off Guard. BUT I LOVED IT!! and for the ones saying its not him, ville sounds different and so on, he is! He sobered up, and put his self out there in this album alot more that the others, and i give him major credit for it. It is painful to be so raw and to expose yourself like that. To the people who are criticizing the direction the band has taken: have you never made a change in your life? Have you ever shown a side of your personality that people usually dont see? I bet you have. I adore this album, and I cant wait to see them live in april! "
In all fairness, give HIM some credit
sevrenx | Boulder, CO USA | 02/26/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"For as much criticism as HIM have been receiving on their latest effort, I think it's important to remain objective. I have always taken HIM at face value. I don't delve too much into their lyrics nor sound stylings. I think of them as a purely escapist-melody driven rock band. They are not goth- like Bauhaus or Sisters of Mercy. They're not industrial-like Skinny Puppy or Frontline Assembly. And they're certainly not Depeche Mode or New Order. I think they're heavily influenced by the eighties and assimilate different elements from all genres of that decade and moreover; the seventies hard rock like: Sabath, Zepplin, and Neil Diamond. They're a weird amalgamation of several of Ville's influences. With that being said, it would be unfair to compare them to one particular artist or genre.
Yes, some of Ville's lyrics are cheesy and repetitive (if I had a nickel for every time Ville says "love" or "death"). I think they are a thoroughly enjoyable and great band if you listen to them on their own merits, not what other people say they are suppose to be or sound like. Ville often pokes fun of himself for the cheesiness of some of his songs..and that's what I like! Why isn't okay to have a guilty pleasure? Why does everyone take HIM so seriously!
I don't mind that their albums are different from one to the next. They can't recreate Love Metal or Razorblade over and over again, that would be boring. Venus Doom and Screamworks are totally different and that's good...but they have always been kind of cheesy bubble gum pop, especially when you consider that they are labeled Goth...they were never goth and they are never going to be. To call them goth would be to compare them to likes of Mortiis or any other true scandinavian darkwave band. Their old stuff was truly never that heavy, nor goth, nor metal. They have never really departed from what made them HIM. You can find what made HIM, "HIM", in all their albums and they haven't really diverged to a truly unique and awe-inspiring sound; but then again never has Radiohead or Coldplay done that for all their ridiculous hype and posturing.
I think you have to truly accept these guys as being just an entertaining retro metal band, with several different influences crafting their work, to truly appreciate their music."
Mixed feelings
Crystal | NY | 02/14/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a huge HIM fan for years, so much i have the heartagram tattood on me to show my devotion. i have everything from the begginning demos until now. so like many people who love the old HIM sound like myself, i can see why no one is really digging this album.
im surprised no one has mentioned the song "in the arms of rain" that is deffinatly the best track off the album in my opinion, lots of synth and pretty sounds as simple as i can put it. that song has been on repeat. and the last track on the cd i think is great too, very melodic. "like st valentine" is a catchy track that is also one of my favorites off the album. i dont think the album is terrible, yes it does get a little boring after a while cause most the songs sound the same. but i do prefur this over dark light, theres only 2 songs that i enjoyed off dark light. but im sure screamworks will grow on me overtime. but of course, nothing can compare to the early him, its crazy to hear how different their sound is from greatest love songs till now. but all bands go through a phase of changing their sounds, and usually when people are not happy with it, they come back with an amazing album next time."
They have come a long way...
Richard K. Kostoff | columbus, oh | 02/19/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This record is like fine red wine. It needs to breathe awhile, and then all of its notes unfold. It took about 10 listens before I could write an honest review. Not as hard as Venus Doom or commercially appealing as Dark Light, its more of an exploration of the pain of love. HIM always implys these themes, yet this time they have taken it all the way. My best way to describe it is a big, dark, scary fortress with a 1000 rooms of horrors. These horrors are something we love to watch, like an old gothic flick on late night TV.
Each track is driving. Electronic beats finally make an appearance. Rich production values deliver that classic HIM sound. The songs have familiar camp, yet serious lyrics abound. Love is painful, yet its rewards are worth it. Katherine Wheel stands out as a big concert anthem rocker. The rest of the album drives us to a happy ending-well sort of. The Forboding Sense of Impending Happiness shimmers and leaves us with promise that the dark canyons of human emotion are worth exploring. Indeed, for those lovelorn goths, this album becons them to enter the vast fortress and get lost in it."
Different good and evolving sound of HIM
Justin Ingle | CO, USA | 02/18/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First off buy the 2 disc version over the mp3s or single disc, the 2nd disc is Valo doing acoustic for every song, great listening, especially if u like Uneasy Listening Vol. 1. HIM's newest album isn't Venus Doom with heavy metal overtures and it isn't dark. Its a peaceful and inspiring piece of art. Even picasso had a blue period. Things change. Lives change. This is the first time I think HIM could appear on your mom and dad's radio station. Its amazing and crafted in Love, not the hate of love. I enjoy all of HIM's albums. The theme seems to be to me, love is a gift, cherish it while you have it.....and cherish this album."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
