Niki N. Phaser

              HIM premiered their new video, Heartkiller, on MySpace this Friday, where it quickly became the most watched video for the day. This is the Love-Metallers first single off of their highly anticipated new album, Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, which will be released next month. Embracing a more poppy sound, Heartkiller might just do the trick Ville Valo has hoped for every first single in the past: it gives a taste of the new direction, while still comforting worried fans. A definite departure from the ‘dirty’ sound of Venus Doom, this new material features a resurrection of the more synthy nuances of Dark Light and Razorblade Romance, as Valo himself admits.

The James Copeman (Razorlight, Mystery Jets) directed video features the band in a dark setting, with some flashes of their taxidermied power animals overlapping from time to time. Of course, this is also a chance for Valo to ‘premiere’ his new tattoos, of Maya Deren and Klaus Kinski. Overall, Heartkiller is a decent song, not more, but it does the job: it states that HIM are up and running once again.

HEARTKILLER

HIM are taking the first steps into the promo frenzy of their next album, Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice. So far, the tracklisting has been revealed and with titles like Love, the Hardest Way, Heartkiller, Ode to Solitude or The Foreboding Sense Of Impending Happiness, fans of the Finnish idols shouldn’t have a lot to worry about, but plenty to be siked about. As previously reported, the release date (for US) will be around Valentine’s Day, February 9, to be more exact. Then, we will witness the practice of HIM’s Screamworks. Still, fans will get a taste of the new material this year, a single being expected in mid December.

Early reports and interviews hint at a more accessible, hit-friendly album. Metal Hammer’s exclusive first review of the album suggests that the Matt Squire produced effort is a considerable departure from 2007′s Venus Doom, which was Ville Valo’s intention in the first place. Lyrically, it seems that this time around, in the old ecuation of love and death, the pulsating variable of sex plays a major role. Check the band’s official site for Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice artwork.

Finnish love-metal gurus, HIM, announced through their official heartagram site, that they intend to respect the New Year’s Eve tradition of playing at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki for the Helldone Festival. They’ve been doing it since the birth of the festival in 2005, but also before, the Finnish capital club being strongly connected to the band’s roots. Considering that HIM are done with recording their new album, Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, it is very likely that they would premiere some new material at the 28th-31st December festival. They will also be joined by friends The 69 Eyes and Anathema, which will offer concert-goers acoustic and unplugged sets. Helldone will also be a chance for a number of new Finnish acts to shine, bands like: Vanity Beach, Ghost Brigade, Major Label and others. More info, about line-up and tickets here:

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