The Diary of a Hobbyist

SCORE: 75/100 It's an album full of gothic melancholy mixed with Western movie soundtrack-esque production, and it's a stunning display of artistry through a deeply, truly unique project. It's a cinematic record, and it's a highly unique hidden gem of an album that pushes the boundaries of its genre - making something more out of the labels it is provided with. 'Teenage Snuff Film' has the dark edge of a goth album while blending in elements of post-rock/punk, blues, punk, singer-songwriter, and country - adding a new, dimly lit flair to the respective genres, a flair that is dark and gloomy, with an almost hollow - yet light and digestible format. The sound is without a doubt unique, but it isn't quite as captivating as it could be due to slow progressions and a sound that doesn't use many varied points in its sound. When the tracks build and swell into something bigger, they really leave a lasting impression. Rowland's voice is perfect for his body...

SCORE: 100/100 After 2007's heavier 'Venus Doom', HIM went back to a more accessible and melodic project full of their distinctive catchy choruses, this time with Ville Valo having a muse for the project. 'Screamworks' is light and accessible like 'Dark Light' and 'Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights', but in a way that provides even more clarity than both of those albums. It's incredibly impressive that they released an album this good so far into their career together as a band, and some of their most beautiful tracks are within the 13 "chapters" of this album. I had heard a few tracks from 'Screamworks' prior to my sit-down listen, but I had held off (which was SO hard to do) on listening to the whole album so I could listen to the band's previous works first. There's something absolutely awe-striking about this album, and some of the band's most overlooked material resides here. 'In Venere Veritas' is e...

SCORE: 100/100 'Venus Doom' is very clearly HIM's heaviest record from the very moment it starts, and I was honestly somewhat unsure as to how I would feel about this one - that is until it started and I was immediately completely immersed in the melodically heavy sound of this album. I was instantaneously captivated by this record - and the opening shows that you're in for a wild ride, but it's one where there's a method to the madness.  The guitar in particular on this album sticks out by tenfold. The instrumental work on this album is unlike anything HIM has ever done before, and yet you can still sense their style throughout. Ville's vocals take on a slightly different tone than on the band's previous works, but this new tinge in his vocal performances allows for this album to REALLY feel like a fresh breath into the band's discography. It's wildly different than anything else they have put out - and this uniqueness is something that truly sh...

SCORE: 98/100 HIM's fifth studio album falls back into the more accessible, people-pleasing side that was showcased on 'Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights', with a sound that has been described as more polished for the band. It continues the same form as 'Love Metal' while mixing in a softer edge and more melodic tracks with less heavy instrumentals, letting a lighter side back into the bands' discography that works better the second time around. 'Dark Light' was the first HIM album to see a worldwide release under Sire records, a label that the band had signed with a year prior to the albums' eventual release. The sound of 'Dark Light' helps to give the band a sound that can appeal more to a general crowd, with pleasing melodies and some very catchy tracks being scattered throughout the album, it works as a breather into their catalogue to squeeze in a more "clean" album for the band; showcasing their softer side to appeal to a ...

SCORE: 100/100 'Love Metal' feels like HIM's return to form after the more pop-influenced nature of their previous project. The songs are heavier with the bands' signature catchiness in full swing, and the sound of this album feels more orientated to fans rather than seeking a mainstream appeal like the band did on their previous work. The album has less restraint than their previous - their harder edge coming through alongside tender sweet tracks that feel like the bands' roots seeping back into the compositions of this album. The instrumentation and compositions throughout 'Love Metal' are worth spending the time to marvel at, and it's another clear triumph for the Finnish band.  Tensions were less high with this album, the ideas coming naturally after a point in time that nearly broke the band up. Touring so extensively for their previous album had taken its toll on the band, leading to conflicts amongst them that were soon resolved as 'Love Metal...

SCORE: 70/100 'Hot Like Wow' is an album that I had been semi-meaning to get to before my friend (@sexoo) recommended it to me, and I was immediately blown away by the production qualities of the title track. Space Cowboy's producorial talents are in full swing on Nadia Oh's hidden gem of a debut album, and it's clear that she had some massive star potential. Unfortunately, 'Hot Like Wow' is an extremely top-heavy album, the production takes the front seat in a more drastic manner than it realistically should, making Nadia's vocal performances seem especially lackluster when put up against such a flourishing backdrop. It's a project that is only made worthwhile by its producers - and Nadia had the potential solely due to her producer. Without the striking, spunky production that this album has, it would be just another run-of-the-mill pop project by an artist who doesn't have the right voice for their work. Nadia's vocals drag the album down ...

SCORE: /100 Gnarkill's second album is the exact kind of insanity you would expect from the band, and it has a heavier edge to their previous work - adding a genuinely impressive layer of instrumentals to what is supposed to be an ironic work, it's full of instrumentals that feel like they belong on a bona fide metal album. This album easily has some of the bands' best material, and despite some obvious inconsistencies and highly crude lyrics - if you know what you're in for, you'll have a good time. Their first album works best as an introduction to the band - but if you're a fan of them or any of the guys in it, you'll like this album.  I'm genuinely surprised by the instrumental quality of this album. There are some weaker tracks, but the heavier songs of the bunch make for so much fun. There's a genuine sense of musical knowledge within the album, and fans of the band won't be disappointed by the more harsh sound of this album. Sonically, thi...

SCORE: 79/100 'The Mollusk' manages to be even wackier than 'Chocolate and Cheese', with elements of sea shanties and psychedelia coming to the forefront of the album; the album that feels more like a loose blend of tracks than a structured project still manages to work, and it manages to show off the bands' style to a wonderful level. The album starts off weak with 'I'm Dancing In the Show Tonight', which is probably one of the bands' weakest tracks in my opinion. The experimental nature of the album leads to some things that don't work as well as they realistically could, but the overall sound of the album is an interesting one. The high moments are they - and when they do arise, they are exceptional highs. It contains some of their strongest material, but it also contains a fair amount of songs that I would not return to. Some sounds come across much better than others, but the sporadic nature of the album helps to keep it incredibly interesti...

SCORE: 85/100 Sexy, funky, bubbly, and light, 'Sexplosion!' is a post-industrial album that any fans of the genre simply can not miss out on. There's something instantaneously charming about the funky industrial sound of 'Sexplosion!', from the sultry vocals to the carefree, sexy nature of the record - it's a wild ride full of stunning synths and layered production elements that bring the album up to new levels within the industrial genre. It's a deeply underrated and somewhat niche album, with a small following to support the spunky project coming through in the small amount of (very positive) ratings that the album has received on AOTY in particular. It's a striking project that feels gorgeously suited to a very specific, sexy underground club scene; and it's the kind of album that you can dance to like no one is watching. The album has the looping traits of a house album while blending industrial-esque vocal work and groovy, funk-filled instrument...

SCORE: 89/100 'Da Rua pra Rua' follows an unexpected style when compared to what I was expecting from it, and I'm left pleasantly surprised by the Brazilian hip-hop/rock sound of the album crafted delightfully by Asfixia Social. The band feels almost like Sublime with a sharper, harder edge - mixing elements of ska, hip-hop, and rock into one delightfully blended package. The songs have a delightful amount of variety and are enjoyable to listen to overall. The instrumentation of the album leads to some very impressive arrangements and soundscapes through layered instrumental work and various different unique elements coming together into a dashing and bold album. The album itself is a huge hidden gem, and I'm thankful to have had my friend introduce me to it/this band through this album recommendation. 'Da Rua pra Rua' mixes sounds like no other album, with elements of punk, various rock subgenres, and hip-hop all coming through into one incredible project. It...

SCORE: 86/100 This album is one of a few that my friend has given me to listen to (she doesn't have an AOTY account), and it's refreshing to find yet another niche punk band to listen to. Songs like 'Clubfoot by Kasabian' and 'Swords' showcase the rough, explosive nature of 'BLKLSTRS', a quality of the album that drags you in and keeps your attention as full as it can be through each rough riff of a guitar, beat of a drum, and jolt of vocal performances - each element coming together into one album that's enough to make a head spin. It's loud, it's unapologetic, and it's wonderfully unique. The album has qualities that others do not, it's wildly potent and energetic from the moment it kicks off, and there's something so raw and murky about the album; making it something you won't want to put down once you've picked it up. It's a hard album to resist, each track bringing something new to the table while showcasing the e...

SCORE: 91/100 'Cruelty and the Beast' is best described as unapologetic in its sheer brutality, there's something so strikingly dark and intense about this album, something that sets it apart from other metal albums in terms of both quality and style. Cradle Of Filth is a band that I'm somewhat surprised about liking as much as I do - I have never been a fan of metal music that is made up of only/all screams, not until recently. My discovery of Cradle Of Filth led me to find joy in something highly unexpected for my standards, and this album sticks out a lot due to its artwork alone. It's a gorgeous showcase of the talent that the band has while establishing their style and creating a metal album with a striking atmosphere from the moment it starts. The album makes itself known through harsh melodies, symphonic soundscapes, and guttural singing that is enough to make anyone's head spin. It's a highly intense album, with long songs that ride out and tell a na...

SCORE: 97/100 An attempt to follow suit after the success of 'Razorblade Romance', HIM's third album is more polished and has more pop-orientated elements than any of their previous works. With buildups and catchy hooks, 'Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights' takes the band into a new, "cleaned up" direction that mixes commercial appeal with songs catered to fans of the band. This album received more mixed opinions than their previous bodies of work - with the more commercial sound of the album being a cause for controversy surrounding the album. It feels "safer" than their other projects, but it still comes off as very nicely defined and polished in a way that sets it apart from the rest of the bands' albums at this point into their careers. The change in their overall sound and image (to some degree, with the sound being what changed most) was something that the band needed to keep their discography feeling fresh, and this album did just t...

SCORE: 98/100 It's always interesting to see the early forms of songs by various bands, demos for huge tracks like 'Razorblade Kiss' and 'Join Me In Death' reside on the 'Slippery When Dead' demo collection, and HIM manages to make even the earliest, choppiest stages of their songs sound like pure, otherworldly bliss. The demo versions of the songs are drastically different from the album versions - making this an absolute must for any fans of HIM/fans of the main album ('Razorblade Romance). Each demo is just as gorgeously crafted as the main, polished tracks, and despite some poor audio quality due to the tracks being demos - 'Slippery When Dead' is just as good as their finished efforts in the end. 'Slippery When Dead' is both highly interesting and deeply entertaining. There's something truly captivating about the demo versions of what would become 'Razorblade Romance', and some of the instrumental choices on these unfinis...

SCORE: 97/100 Slayer's third album is the real start of their creative reign, with forcefully heavy tracks and guitar riffs that will leave you in a consistent, near 30-minute daze, 'Reign in Blood' is everything that an 80s metal album needed to be and more, all at the same time. Being able to do so much in such a little amount of time shows that Slayer deserve their props to a very huge extent. Being able to make a short metal album that packs this much of a punch is a deeply impressive feat - and from someone who doesn't normally love 80s-era metal all too much in some cases, this is an incredible metal album. Slayer are a band I never really listened to before now, and it's safe to say that I'll be coming back to them in the very near future due to the sheer power and force of this album alone. The songs are fast and unapologetically rough, the sound of the album is immediately in your face and the band gives you no time to breath as the album carries on qui...

SCORE: 90/100 Turbonegro's third LP is exactly what you would want from a punk record - it's fast, it's loud, it's all over the place, the tracks are short and fast-paced, and the energy is turned up to 100. The overall structure of 'Ass Cobra' showcases the exact blueprint that all punk bands should strive to follow, with short tracks and a large number of them, the album whizzes past you with extreme force in all of the best, most crude ways possible. This album is a bit of a hidden gem, with general acclaim from the niche amount of ratings it has received, the album is incredibly well put together and deeply entertaining to listen to. The songs are full of an absolutely infectious album that will leave you hooked and wanting to listen to even more of the bands' works. Each instrumental is fun and deeply enjoyable to listen to, with the vocals following suit on every track. The overall sound and structure of the album are both completely stellar, and it...

SCORE: 69/100 Jessica's country side shows some promise, but there is substance to be desired with her newest project. Jessica Simpson's latest EP is something I was excited for, but I was met by an unexpectedly harsh country sound that I don't feel suits her as well as some of her sweeter pop works that she has done through her career. Her "country girl" image is in full swing on this EP in particular, and her vocals are quite strong alongside the loud production. There are immediately some clear mixing issues - with the instrumentals being way too loud and causing the overall soundscape to be murky. 'Nashville Canyon' isn't Jessica's best work by any means, but it's a solid return for the star. Her sound is appealing and palatable, with some aspects feeling like they leave room for more content - the EP leaves room for the eventual second issuing of the EP (and hopeful album in the near future) to lead stronger than this one does. It's ap...

SCORE: 72/100 SELUGI's second solo effort continues in her consistency, showcasing her abilities as a soloist very well through catchy and fun K-Pop tracks that mix in elements of R&B to give the project more flair as it goes along. The songs are mostly what you would expect; it lacks the same experimentation that her debut had - but the EP still shows promise for the Red Velvet alum. The project dips slightly with 'Rollin' (With My Homies)', a particularly regrettable song when compared to the generally strong previous tracks. The content of the track is cringeworthy and the production is some of the more choppy content you can get out of K-Pop from time to time, and it takes away from what is otherwise a mainly consistent project by quite a bit. There isn't a whole lot to take from 'Accidentally On Purpose', but it's solid for what it is. It's a nice, refreshing little K-Pop EP to settle into the earlier months of the year with, and it's on...

SCORE: 98/100 I've seen Haggard three times now - twice on my own and once with company, and I can safely say that it's a movie best watched with other people. I found a new love for the movie when I watched it for my third time - not that I wasn't fond of it the first times, but there was something different about the last time I watched it that made me appreciate it even more. The film itself is a clear Bam Margera passion project - using his signature bright colouring, high-energy editing, and shots that just have his name written all over it. Every single person in the film is in their own element here - with each and every one of them doing the things they do best within the film. It has everything you would expect from a full-length Bam film, and it does it well. The soundtrack is a huge reflection of the style, different tones, and overall aesthetics of the film - it's packed full of bands that Bam has openly loved for years, with HIM taking the forefront of the ...

SCORE: 60/100 Rap albums like this are something I never really come to - and this album was something I knew I wasn't going to be huge on right off the bat. I tried to hear it out a bit but the slow, mumbly sound of the vocal performances stop the project from really going anywhere that isn't highly surface-level at its core. There isn't much for me to love about an album like this, but the production is nice and somewhat atmospheric for what it is.  The tracks are somewhat eerie in their compositions - giving the project an interesting and highly unique atmosphere despite being in a genre I'm not a fan of. Despite my grief with the overall elements of the album, the idea is there and it's done well enough to make the album interesting. It'll probably be one of the most interesting projects of 2025 that I have heard due to its clear oddity status, and the production does make it more worthwhile than it would be without it. Luckily enough for this album it knows...

RAZORBLADE ROMANCE + BONUS ALBUM: SCORE: 100/100 March 23, 2025 Both 'Razorblade Romance' and 'Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666' are two of my favorite albums - with 'Razorblade Romance' managing to be one of my all-time top favorites. Both albums are in constant and wildly consistent rotation for me, and having them both in one convenient package sounds like a HIM fans' dream come true. It was a very smart marketing move for the people selling the combined albums, and the overall quality of both is deeply consistent. The albums go together like puzzle pieces, with both feeling like essential rock albums despite being somewhat niche in a greater sense. These are two albums you simply cannot miss out on, and having them together is a gorgeous showcase of HIM's earliest polished projects on a larger scale. GREATEST LOVE SONGS VOL. 666 SCORE: 100/100 March 19, 2025 Recorded in just fifteen days in the summer of 1997 before being released in the winter, 'Gre...

SCORE: 95/100 'This Is Only the Beginning' feels more like a demo than a proper EP in a sense - but this early quality to the songs provides the band with even more grit. The songs are heavier and more intense than some of their more melodic work; with heavy guitars and dark thematic lyrics, this EP is an absolute essential for any fans of HIM.  The overall sound of this EP is somewhat different from the bands' other material - with more of a metal sound than what would become deemed "love metal" in their later projects, the murky sound of this EP provides a listening experience with some of the bands' weaker material packaged around one of their best songs. The poor sound mixing is one of the dimming elements of the EP - but it's easy to ignore when you realize the sheer amount of heat carried by each track. It's certainly an impressive start - and it shows that the band had their style down from the very roots of their career. It isn't quite as p...

SCORE: 83/100 REBECCA BLACK: SALVATION Released February 27, 2025. Electropop, Dance-Pop, Hyperpop, Electro House Personal descriptors: airy, bubbly, fresh, bassy, eclectic, energized, bright, summery, electrifying, dance-worthy, flip-floppy (shifts between genres, almost a little too much at times), sassy, spunky, club-orientated, colorful, surprising, carefree It's an unexpected truth to think about the fact that the infamous Rebecca Black self-released one of the most bold and impressive electropop albums to come out so far this year, but she's holding that honour up high. Rebecca's album is instantly captivating, her vocals mixed and the instrumentals feeling like ear candy from the very first thumps of 'Salvation'.  Black's album sounds similar to artists like Charli XCX while also sharing vocal similarities to singers like Katy Perry and Billie Eilish depending on what side of her range she is using. Her mixed vocal performances are enjoyable - but her voi...

  SCORE: 100/100 Recorded in just fifteen days in the summer of 1997 before being released in the winter, 'Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666' is a stunning debut album by a band that would go on to become hugely iconic. It isn't common that a band from a different country becomes so popular in the United States, but HIM was a different case entirely. This wouldn't be the album to help catapult them into a new audience, but it would be the one to start it all for the band.  Widely described as gothic rock, HIM's debut opened the doors for what would be classified as "love metal" by both the band themselves and fans of the band. HIM's electrifying, passionate, and dark style all crash into each other - leading to an almost undefinable mix of soundscapes littered throughout their impressive discography. It's a wildly impressive and awe-inspiring debut, a debut that makes a band instantly recognizable, leading them to praise and leading their second album i...