Metal Hammer
/24.11.2009/

HIM’s Ville Valo Speaks About ‘Autobiographical’ New Album

The debonair HIM frontman explains how he felt like a ‘naked invisible man’ whilst making the band’s new album, ‘Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice’.

We sat down for a natter with HIM frontman Ville Valo and after already revealing that the album is their most sexual album to date, we took the time to discuss his lyrical approach to the band’s new album. Check out our track-by-track album review of ‘Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice’.

In what way is this album the story of what’s happened to you since the last album?
Ville Valo: “Actually this one is probably the most direct, diary-esque, in the sense that maybe through me fucking up a lot of my long term relationships in the past through excessive partying and just being a slob that I kind of lost faith when I stopped drinking, and I felt that there was no chance for a guy like me to find equilibrium or be at peace, or balance between those things. While starting to write for this album, I was on the verge of falling head over heels for a person. So I captured that moment on the album. Unfortunately I’m bad at saying it. I never really had the chance of telling her that. So she’ll hear the album a bit later and know how I felt then. It’s one way of doing it.”

I think people like very autobiographical music, like Nine Inch Nails. It feels like a genuine insight into that person or band.
Ville: “I’ve never been a big fan of Nine Inch Nails but Trent Reznor was very direct… you can’t diss him because if he feels like that it’s his right to feel like that. As opposed to writing about something a bit more obscure or… historical things. I just try – in pseudo-poetry – to… there are really direct autobiographical things in there in people, places and times. I like it, because it makes me like a naked invisible man. In the middle of the street…”

…with a butcher wearing nothing but wellies…
Ville: “People can always see the wellies, ‘Oh no! the Welly Man!’ ha ha. Welly Wallo! Ha ha.”

HIM have now revealed their new album’s artwork and that the new album will be released on February 8th.

terrybezer