HIM: TEARS ON TAPE

SCORE: 98/100

'Tears On Tape' is a bittersweet moment for me, an album that drives in more of the synth-focused sounds of 'Screamworks' to phone in one last victory lap for the band. After a softer opening the album kicks off in a heavier direction than expected, and it brings in all of the elements that made HIM so great; one final time.

This album does things that their previous albums have not, with the introduction of instrumental tracks that help to break the album up into different segments; this helps to keep the energy of the project very much alive, and it still has the same spark as all of their previous works brought into one final crossroad for the band. The songs have a bittersweet tinge to them, but they are undoubtedly HIM in every sense of the world.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how consistent this project is for how (semi) recent it is. It keeps the charm of their previous works and brings in all of the elements that they used throughout their career as a band, meshing everything together into one cumulative project that feels perfectly catered to fans of the band.

After Mika Karppinen had to stop his role as drummer due to nerve damage from stress in his hands, Ville Valo filled in on drums until he could return to rehearse for the composition of this album. Due to HIM not being on a label while they were creating the album, it gave them the liberty to the rights and shipment processes of the album, making the release of this project that much more intriguing. 

It holds the same beauty as their other projects, and it was done with utmost grace. The tracks have a delightful amount of variety, and it shows that even though the band was no longer going to continue, they still had that same spark that kept them going through the rough for all of the years that they were together.

'Tears On Tape' is the best possible sendoff the band could've had, and they made this album sound just as good as their previous works - it feels like one last victory before their eventual disbandment, and they put their all into making an album that sounds like it was particularly catered to diehard fans of the band specifically.



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