During the Listening Session of Screamworks we got the feeling that, as Ville likes to say himself, the new album is not as « gloomy and doomy » as Venus Doom. But still the latest creation of the Love Metal band from Finland is not the album of a happy and beaming with joy musician.

The Darkness and Blackness is not far from the surface and ready to burst out at any moment.

We talked with Him’s singer about the insidious sources of inspirations of the album, namely Happiness and Love .

Orkus : with your previous album, you ‘ve been compared a lot to Black Sabbath. Did this please you ?

Ville : Basically this band exists because of Black Sabbath, so yes we are very pleased.

Black Sabbath are from a poor suburb of in Birmingham and spread right at the beginning that sense of hopelessness of an outsider.

We are from the same tradition, that’s how I am seeing our band since the beginning, we are natives of a small country, that is not necessarily known for a lot of « mega sellers » like in the US for instance.

These Underdogs encouraged us a lot at the start of our career.

Orkus : Compared to Venus Doom the « working on » phase of Screamworks must have been at least a bit more hopeful ?

Ville : an album always reflects the state in which you are while writing the songs. When Venus Doom was made, my life was totally fucked up and on top of that all of us (in the band) were having a « Doom trip » by listening to bands like My Dying Bride, Cathedral or even Kyuss.

For Screamworks we deliberately wanted to do things with another point of view. Besides I already had some short and dynamic songs in mind , that go straight forward to the point.

A bit like with songs of Depeche Mode or The Cult : the songs are still melancholic but you can also dance to them.

Orkus : Did you have a replacement for the musical Doom preference ?

Ville : When I am feeling really down I take all of my darkest Doom albums out of the cupboard and I give myself over to My Dying Bride and others alike. Last summer I did not feel that bad and listened to quite a lot of Interpol and to Paul Banks solo project Julian Plenti. This was my soundtrack during the making of the Album in LA. And while I was travelling in/to (?) Santa Monica, I heard a lot of House or Aphex Twin. It’s rather difficult to get to hear Gorgoroth in such an environment.

Orkus : Even without the Doom as a dominant element, Screamworks is hardly a joyful and poppy album. The darkness and doubt are showing up in a more subtle manner …

Ville : Exactly. The new album is like a dance on the edge of extreme emotions. It’s much more tragic to see the light at the end of the tunnel , and not being able to reach for it than to be in the total darkness. The one that lost all hope has nothing left to lose . To be « tormented » by a faint light and trying everything to reach it, that ‘s much more interesting for me. Though in the end this light is nothing more than the one of the train coming full speed on to you. This sense of hope, this exaltation to crawl out the dark hole is the basis of Screamworks and I don’t mean it from a sexual point of view …

Orkus : are you happy at the moment ?

Ville : Happy ? No ! I have a lot of doubts and insecurities that I try to process with my music. There are too many things that I should have done (to be happy) , and I didn’t do them.

It is precisely this aspiration for happiness that has a very inspiring and rewarding effect on me, more than having found happiness. I fear that one becomes bored when you’ve achieved everything you wanted to. « Still haven’t found what I am looking for » , so to speak. Bono has some real good lyrics for that matter. Searching for something is the most elementary and fascinating aspect of us humans. We are always looking for new horizons, and we are never satisfied with what we have already achieved.

Orkus : if we consider the 2nd part of the title, « Love In Theory And Practice », this album deals mainly with the search for the most important Theme in music history …

Ville : ….more like the most important theme in human history, don’t you think ? Love is one of the last magical thing that we still have . This is also the background to the title, which is based on Aleister Crowley’s Magick in Theory and Practice, and is at the same time a paradox : Real love is neither practice nor theory. You can’t explain love. It’s pure magic. I chose this title because he is bound to fail, like the search for real love often does. Love should be classified as paranormal, same as UFOs.

Love is neither biological nor scientific and is resisting to all our laws of nature.

Orkus : For most of us love is the most important thing, though beside the most beautiful moments, it can also bring a lot of pain in your life.

Ville :  this is exactly the reason for Screamworks, you could say « Screamworks=Love ».

It is a display for the screams produced by love : screams of birth, of pain, of pleasure.

It is fascinating that the noise of human laugher is very similar to the noise of weeping and sobs.

These contradictions, paradoxes and ideas are part of what the album is.

Orkus : then it’s now coincidence that you often sing with screams full of pain on this album ?

Ville : yes it was a coincidence. It makes me laugh since I have noticed it .

These screams are rather of cathartic origin, it has more to do with the fact that I gave up alcohol for good and my brain is clear again, when I am making music. I don’t need anymore that smoke screen between my emotions and myself.

Orkus : Since the whole album is about Love, are you in love at this very moment ?

VV : Eskimos use /have many different words for (describing) snow. Can you please tell me why we have only one lousy word to describe Love ? Let’s put it this way : Love is knocking at my door, but I am « usually » afraid to open it.

NB : « for good » is the word used in German as far the alcohol part is concerned. Since the interview was probably done in English and then transcribed in German I wonder what word Ville really used for it.

The last page wasn't translated. The comments for each song are very similar to the ones we read in Dec. and the first part is describing the listening session, they all give positive critics and the conclusion is that Him has delivered an awesome and impressive album and are more than worthy of being on the Love Metal Throne ….. 

Thank you to astoria_froggy from Live Journal for the translation.