Guest Reviewer: Lord Konrad Chaos
Band: HIM
CD Title: Venus Doom
Year: 2007
Website: www.heartagram.com/
MySpace: myspace.com/heartagram
Label: Sire Records
Featured on: Loucifer Speaks Guest Reviewer Exclusive
Rating: 9 / 10
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I'm not a HIM expert, considering I haven't got any other of their albums, but I've heard a few and I'm more than familiar with their singles. And what I can say, is that Venus Doom is much heavier and darker than HIM's more recent stuff.

The album starts off well with the song ‘Venus Doom’, which doesn't fail to impress, Ville's voice seems much more controlled than say, songs from Dark Light. Nearer to the end of this particular song, it gets very dark and heavy, a far cry from the lighter ‘Wings Of A Butterfly’.

But it's not just the opening song, the entire album is consistent, and keeps you hooked. Songs like "Dead Lovers' Lane" and "The Kiss Of Dawn" just stick in your head, whereas ones like "Cyanide Sun" make you want to listen to them again, because Ville's voice is just more addictive than ever before. The song "Song or Suicide" is a nice acoustic break, and leads nicely into "Bleed Well", I think.

When you compare this album to released songs, this album beats them all, being more addictive, and the music itself is much better, the guitaring in some songs, "Venus Doom" and "Cyanide Sun" spring to mind, far surpasses those in HIM's earlier songs.

"Venus Doom" is a throwback to HIM's earlier days, darker, heavier, but no more meaningful and emotional than before. Truly the best HIM album I've heard.

Recommended Songs to Download:
The Kiss Of Dawn
Venus Doom
Passion's Killing Floor