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A World Between Shadow and Light: A Review of HIM’s Tears on Tape

by JD Phillips:

“It’s the sort of album I wish more musicians of today would bother to make –- fresh and interesting and, at times, slightly messy.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from HIM’s newest album Tears on Tape.

In the weeks before its release I had heard a lot of things said, and many comparisons made, but if one thing is certain about the music of HIM, it’s that its style has never been easy to define.

I went into my first listen with an open mind — and found myself taken on a journey through everything familiar and beautiful about HIM albums of the past: The wistful, eerie tones of Greatest Lovesongs, the sharp in-your-face energy of Razorblade Romance, the smooth choruses of Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights, combined with killer riffs and the band’s trademark poetic lyrics. In composite offerings Kiss the Void and Unleash the Red, I recognized the richly-layered ambiance and quirky experimentation found in the band’s controversial and highly emotional album, Screamworks. All of it skillfully intertwined and kicked up a notch to the next level for TOT, making it a perfect album for fans old and new.

HIM-Tears-On-Tape-2013

Make no mistake, although still faithful to their Love Metal roots, Tears on Tape is a dramatic attempt by the band to move forward, and succeeds in being just that. At its heart, the album is a sophisticated effort in combining musical genres that succeeds in showcasing the band’s evolution and growing range. Musicians will appreciate the variety of style, technical skill, and channeled emotion in an age where its rare to find all three combined (well) on a single album.  The band’s eccentric influences have never been more visible: fans of Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks) will respond to the eerie fragment melodies and 80s-style synth, while long-time Himsters will appreciate that the latter doesn’t take away from the band’s trademark hard-rock influences. Coupled with Valo’s unmistakable preternatural range and sheer vocal power, the result is an musical experience both unapologetic and slightly trippy, dark and light, new while still being familiar. It’s the sort of organic album I wish more musicians of today would bother to make – fresh and interesting and, at times, slightly messy.

Tears on Tape is an album meant to be heard straight through from start to finish — from the first beat to the last, felt rather than dissected or examined too closely. While listening to the album, I was struck by its unevenness, which some critics of the album have deemed a flaw. I disagree. From start to finish, Tears on Tape is an evolving, writhing work of art, and — as Valo himself preaches — you can’t have light without the darkness, and sometimes a bit of shadow is exactly what’s needed to brighten up your day.

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