I bought it yesterday, and I never listen to an album until I can hear the whole thing end-to-end.
So, I just finished it. Let's Get Started.

I'm going to discuss the different aspects of the album as a whole, and forget using number systems. I can't really put numbers on this kind of thing.

First: Lyrics.

This album wasn't a big departure for Valo's lyrical styling.  I didn't expect it to be. So, if you like the typical heartbroken, gloomy, death-is-love-is-suffering songs, then you will like it. I was hoping that this album might make a slight change of course, but once again, didn't expect it.  The lyrics are well written, and just as darkly poetic as I'd expect.  But It's not much of anything new.  I liked Face of God from Dark Light and The Sacrament and Circle of Fear from Love Metal because they had a more positive message.  (Circle of Fear talked about saving yourself before you could save others, The Sacrament speaks of love as a good thing, same for Face of God, but maybe that's just my opinion.)  the song 'Venus Doom' does have some more positive aspects, so it might grow on me still. 

I suppose H.I.M. has a certain niche sound.  I'd like to see them explore that niche some more, though I doubt it could happen without angering fans.  But Screw Fans, this is art.  Just look at Gundam Seed (I'm not even a gundam fan, and I can tell it is bad) to see what happens when fanboys control the material.

Moving On, Music/Vocals:

Just as Catchy as Ever.  I've always liked Linde and Migé on the Guitar/Bass.  There is this real growl to the guitar/bass combo that gives a real sense of depth.  Also, it makes me think of some kind of terrifying giant horsefly of death coming to tear you apart.  Possibly a stone horsefly.    But I digress.  Also, Gas doesn't disappoint on the drums.  HIM has always had excellent drums, with varied beats textures, with every part of the kit used in good taste.  That really helps your sound.  Listen to Reign in Blood by Slayer to hear what a mediocre set of beats will do; each song sounds similar because the same 'speed beat' is used whenever they need to play faster.  Burton adds spook on keyboards, providing a range of backgrounds for everything else. 

Oh, and the song 'Song or Suicide' is acoustic.  It's just a little number, hardly over a minute, though. I thought that was a really good touch. 

So, to sum the instruments: very catchy, a progression from the previous album, but not all that new at the same time.  If you liked Dark Light then you will like Venus Doom.

Vocally, Valo is deeper and richer.  I don't think I have heard him sing so low before, at least not this much.  It suits the lyrics and the album well.

Overall and Random Thoughts:

Once again, not a huge departure from typical HIM, but it is done gracefully.  This album doesn't have as many catches lyrically for me as Dark Light did, but at least the title song is on par or better than the other songs on the album.  (This was not the case with Dark Light, where the title song was the only song I didn't like on the whole album.) 

Venus Doom, The Kiss of Dawn, and Cyanide Sun are all worth Radio Play.  I might play Song or Suicide, but the shortness makes it tricky to decide.

Speaking of Song or Suicide, it really was a good touch on this album.  It is placed right after some of the darker songs of the album, and makes a good transition.  It almost feels like a Concept Album, a story of a lover as he falls in love, only to find lust and brokeness.  At the end, resolve.  Maybe I'm looking too much into it. 

Love in Cold Blood, Passion's Killing Floor, and Sleepwalking Past Hope all give me the creeps, and not in the good way.  That's a third of the songs on this album.
 
The Cover art of Venus Doom is creepy.  It stares at you like a broken heart, mouth half parted, eyes weak and half closed.  Having been through a horrendously rough breakup in my past, it gives me an idea of what I must have looked like. 

Sooooo...
It's a good album, but it doesn't feel like much of anything new to me.  I hope the next(?) album will carry some new lyrical content, because I was a little disappointed in this album.  I know Valo has it in him, i just want to see it.  I've seen these guys live, and he has quite a swagger of charisma.  While it might hurt their popularity, I would say to abandon the Hot Topic crowd and explore what they can really do with their lineup.  I wouldn't say that I'm all that satisfied with Venus Doom, but I'm not crushed with disappointment either.  I guess it's average, and that was a little less than I expected, though it isn't a bad thing on its own.  Granted, I'm not in the stage of my life where I can really find association with a lot of the lyrics anymore.  The niche is a limited area, and as long as you stick inside of the niche, your creativity begins to stagnate, and your material becomes repetitive.  I like HIM, but I want to see something more developed than this, because I can only listen to this for so long.

An afterthought:
If you are just getting into HIM, this would be an excellent addition to your collection.  It's not a bad record by any means, I just was hoping for something else.  Plus, my irritable mood on that particular day didn't help with reviewing it.