Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. The material sits within the band’s canon well enough to please longtime fans, and listeners looking for some kind of middle ground between Evanescence, late-period Queensrÿche and Fall Out Boy will more than likely find a few wicked gems to hang their heads to.
  2. 60
    Old-school romantic Ville Valo croons as often as he screams, so that even when aiming for the stylistic median, a bit of local weirdness oozes forth to make Screamworks more interesting than it's designed to be.
  3. Q Magazine
    40
    While his lyrics are lascivious to a point, songs such as "Love," "The Hardest Way" and "Heartkiller" are strictly soft-focus, with any semblance of attitude--or actual sex--air-brushed into radio-friendly oblivion. [Mar 2010, p.102]
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 144 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 18 out of 144
  1. Dec 10, 2010
    4
    There is one saving grace to this album- The forboding Sense of Impending Happiness
    The rest is over filtered, over processed garbage. Again,
    There is one saving grace to this album- The forboding Sense of Impending Happiness
    The rest is over filtered, over processed garbage. Again, Im a HIM fan, but this is the first album I've refused to buy. I bought the one good track on ITunes... I guess it can be credited to their new producer? The album feels like the band is trying to become 'Americanised', and at points you can hear Ville forcing an american accent ("heart-killER") emphasizing certain parts of words that he normally dosent, and it really bothers me. Coming after an album as strong as 'Venus Doom' this is a complete letdown. If your a fan of their deep and dark music (and by deep, I dont mean the lyrics lol) then this album will leave you feeling..jipped.
    Full Review »
  2. May 20, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Screanwork love in theory album of him

    To me it sound very new Him ville valos going into Gothic tinged alt rock popular dark Finnish roots thid album seems to become something totally new from the sound and music that he make for 19 years band Screanwork is ultimately successful in its blending of melody
    So far his lyrics are lascivious to a point, song such as "Love", The Hardest Way"Heartkiller"are strictly soft focus radio friendly I think him is going mainstream with this album I love it
    Full Review »
  3. Aug 12, 2016
    8
    Although is not a bad album, I think H.I.M. tried to go a little bit more mainstream with this album.
    Something that will attract new
    Although is not a bad album, I think H.I.M. tried to go a little bit more mainstream with this album.
    Something that will attract new listeners. Some kind of pop-rock choruses but other than that it still feels like H.I.M.
    Nice to see the band trying something a little different.
    Full Review »