HIM: Tears on Tape

Somehow I appear to have acquired quite a lot of HIM on my various generic music devices and yet a swift look over my collection makes me wonder whether I've actually paid their work any attention whilst their work has been in my possession. For instance I own at least four of their previous albums but couldn't with any certainty name a HIM song which begs the question as to whether Tears on Tape is going to grab my attention more than their earlier material.

The answer is probably a not too resounding…probably…go on then…yes. If you take away the utterly pointless intro and outro ("Unleash the Red" and "Kiss the Void") which add nothing to the album you're left with a pretty solid record. Radio-friendly choruses abound especially on the singles such as the title track, everything sounds massive and if nothing else HIM should arrest their apparent commercial decline.

Lead singer and main songwriter Ville Valo has discussed at length the cinematic nature of Tears on Tape yet to some degree I'd argue that this isn't quite as bombastic as earlier HIM. I suppose there comes a time in every band's career when they've already peaked and then they are making music mainly for themselves and for the converted. I'd say that HIM are now very much in that place.

Track Listing

1. Unleash the Red
2. All Lips Go Blue
3. Love Without Tears
4. I Will Be the End Of You
5. Tears on Tape
6. Into The Night
7. Hearts at War
8. Trapped in Autumn
9. No Love
10. Drawn & Quartered
11. Lucifer's Chorale
12. W.L.S.T.D.
13. Kiss the Void

Added: May 3rd 2013
Reviewer: Simon Bray
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 2015
Language: english

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