Review: HIM — Love Metal (2003)
The twentieth anniversary of the album “Love Metal” by the band HIM
HIM began recording demos for this album in the spring of 2002 after an exhausting tour supporting their previous album, which had nearly led to the band's breakup. Love Metal became the band's first album to feature their logo—the heartagram—on the cover, and the album's title had been coined back in the mid-nineties as a description of HIM's musical genre.
The album received positive reviews from critics and entered the charts of eleven countries, reaching number one on the national charts in Finland and Germany, and later achieving platinum and gold status respectively.
The band's vocalist, Ville Valo, described the sound of Love Metal as more organic and dynamic compared to some of HIM's previous works, while noting that the album simultaneously incorporated elements from all of their earlier releases. He also added that during the production of their previous record, Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights, the band had faced pressure from all sides, which they later decided to break free from.
The album received positive reviews from critics and entered the charts of eleven countries, reaching number one on the national charts in Finland and Germany, and later achieving platinum and gold status respectively.
The band's vocalist, Ville Valo, described the sound of Love Metal as more organic and dynamic compared to some of HIM's previous works, while noting that the album simultaneously incorporated elements from all of their earlier releases. He also added that during the production of their previous record, Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights, the band had faced pressure from all sides, which they later decided to break free from.
Valo explained that they had wanted to be a band where they themselves controlled everything they did, while everyone else could just leave them alone.
The song “Buried Alive By Love” was one of the first tracks written for the album. Its opening riff was recorded under the inspiration of the song “Search and Destroy” by The Stooges. According to Valo, the song was deliberately chosen as the opening track of the album to demonstrate that youthful, animal energy that had been lacking in some of the band's previous works.
Initially, it was assumed that the song “The Funeral of Hearts” would not be included in Love Metal, as it had not yet been finished at the time they were working on the album. The song was added at the last minute after bassist Mikko “Mige” Paananen heard the chorus and demanded that the track be included in the album. The lyrics of “The Funeral of Hearts” talk about the need to appreciate what you have, even if everything might come to an end. Valo described this song as the most accessible and straightforward track on Love Metal.
This HIM album became famous not only because of the songs but also due to the music videos, which received numerous awards both in Finland and abroad. Love Metal is considered to be one of the band's most breakthrough albums.
The song “Buried Alive By Love” was one of the first tracks written for the album. Its opening riff was recorded under the inspiration of the song “Search and Destroy” by The Stooges. According to Valo, the song was deliberately chosen as the opening track of the album to demonstrate that youthful, animal energy that had been lacking in some of the band's previous works.
Initially, it was assumed that the song “The Funeral of Hearts” would not be included in Love Metal, as it had not yet been finished at the time they were working on the album. The song was added at the last minute after bassist Mikko “Mige” Paananen heard the chorus and demanded that the track be included in the album. The lyrics of “The Funeral of Hearts” talk about the need to appreciate what you have, even if everything might come to an end. Valo described this song as the most accessible and straightforward track on Love Metal.
This HIM album became famous not only because of the songs but also due to the music videos, which received numerous awards both in Finland and abroad. Love Metal is considered to be one of the band's most breakthrough albums.
Rating: 10/10
- Tuuli TalvinenFounder & Editor-in-ChiefInterviewer