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Reviews

VINCE’S ONE-LISTEN REVIEW OF H.I.M.’S SCREAMWORKS

 Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 9:30am by

H.I.M. have been on musical cruise-control for a few albums now. Asking H.I.M. to take risks and expand their sound is kind of akin to expecting a rollercoaster to be different each time you ride it; it’s not ever gonna be quite as exciting as the first time but it’s still gonna be a really fun ride. H.I.M. haven’t really varied the formula much over the years but they really don’t need to. They’re so good at sculpting terribly melancholy love metal ditties that there isn’t really any need for change. If you like H.I.M. then you’ll like Screamworks, but don’t expect any curveballs… or changes in the tracks, as it were.

As such:


(three out of five horns)

-VN

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  • http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com Jimmy

    I came to the same conclusion in my review of it. It’s nothing special, but it’s certainly catchy at times.

  • http://vague-news.blogspot.com Clarky Cat

    I’m a fan and I love it. Go figure.

    Your review is accurate my son!

  • http://thenumberoftheblog.com/ groverXIII

    What a fun coincidence… I’m not a fan and I thought it was crap!

    • http://vague-news.blogspot.com Clarky Cat

      It’s not a coincidence my dear Grover; it’s logic.

      • LukeD

        Terrible band.

  • Bicro

    At least one of the dudes in this band is in To Separate the Flesh From the Bones, which is as close to latter-day Carcass as we’re ever gonna get. (Seriously! Jeff Walker even does additional lead vocals on most of the tracks on Utopia Sadistica!)

    • Bicro

      Actually, it might be a *was* in the band. Dunno where Mika is now.

  • Shinaain

    I’m not a long-time fan and I’m hearing their music with fresh ears. As such, I came to a different conclusion about this album and am sorely disappointed you’re plainly underwhelmed by it. In fact, I feel strongly enough that I’ll have a rebuttal for you later (later, as in when I’m not being a scheister on company time). I really hope I can convince you – and maybe any other HIM fans who were expecting something else – to listen again and hopefully hear what you didn’t hear before.

    I’ll say this much for now: I already knew this album wasn’t going to be big and, thus far, that prediction seems to be playing out. It won’t be because the album isn’t awesome; rather, it will be because people won’t get it. *sigh* Buying public, please prove me wrong.

  • Zap Branigan

    The album art hurts my eyes.

  • TallNerdGuy

    True, they pretty much can always be expected to put out an album of morose, moody tunes with lyrics that deal so much with matters of the heart they’d make a romance novelist jealous. But of the 5 HIM albums I’ve listened to, each one has its own edge or personality that differentiates it from its brethren. For instance, Screamworks is very rapid-fire in delivering its hooks and choruses in under 4 minutes, whereas Venus Doom took its fair share of chances, featuring songs with heavily doom-influenced outros and sizable track lengths.

  • TallNerdGuy

    True, they pretty much can always be expected to put out an album of morose, moody tunes with lyrics that deal so much with matters of the heart they’d make a romance novelist jealous. But of the 5 HIM albums I’ve listened to, each one has its own edge or personality that differentiates it from its brethren. For instance, Screamworks is very rapid-fire in delivering its hooks and choruses in under 4 minutes, whereas Venus Doom took its fair share of chances, featuring songs with heavily doom-influenced outros and sizable track lengths.

    • MIke

      I agree with this, although the basic approach to songwriting doesn’t change, each HIM album sounds different in it’s own special way.

    • MIke

      I agree with this, although the basic approach to songwriting does change, each HIM album sounds different in it’s own special way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Dustin-Haning/503693183 Dustin Haning

    Ouch, you had to listen to a H.I.M. album? I’m sorry.

  • d00shc00gr

    My ex is obsessed with all things HIM. As such, I was forced to listen to most of their songs during our relationship. Venus Doom is the only HIM album I thought was worth hearing and it’s only worth hearing once or twice.

  • Kye

    Album was alright. Has some decent tracks, with the first being the best in my opinion.

    Overall it’s probably the first HIM album I won’t be buying.

  • Coby

    but…HIM were never good?