“A lot of people have the propensity to give H.I.M. unnecessary doses of grief simply because of the band’s friendship and professional allegiance to pro skater Bam Margera. What’s unfortunate about this is that H.I.M. actually produces dramatic metal of high sonic quality, and once again Love Metal further reinforces that notion.” ~view full review by Rob Theakston
“Third album from the Finnish band that has redefined Goth Rock since its inception in 1996. Their sound is the same vein as Sisters of Mercy and the Mission (UK). Lead singer Ville Valo writes spiritual songs about friendship, trust and love. They are songs of longing – but they are delivered with attitude. For every moment of sorrow there’s always a mischievous smile, and a killer left hook to knock you out cold. That’s probably why the album is called “Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights” – a photography term used to describe those old black and whites of the likes of Greta Garbo. The album, too, is heavy on sharp contrasts. You can’t help but notice that the ‘love metal’ of HIM’s first two albums has turned into something significantly deeper, a scorching yin and yang concoction the band likes to refer to as ‘Scandinavian blues’. Ville hates the Beatles and Red Meat, but loves Gene Simmons and Edgar Allan Poe… those choices speak volumes.” – from Amazon.com
“In truth, the number of bands that’ve combined extreme Metal music with Gothic and Pop overtones are countless, yet few have dared to open their souls and say it like it is. Yes, HIM is certainly egocentric in the sense they’ve dared to call the number of Dark Metal crossovers on the premise that love indeed lurks beneath the gruff exterior, that they may maintain culpability with their cult fans, however, for all of HIM’s talk about girl meets boy, there’s an undeniable fierceness in delivery that’s pure fire.” – read complete review by Vinnie Apicella
“You ever listen to a CD that made you dance around the apartment air-guitaring, even though you knew that though two of your roommates had gone away for the weekend, your third one was in his room with his girlfriend, early in the morning, having made some moaning sounds with her when you first started listening to the CD, and if they came out and spotted you, you’d merely hand them the album and say to them both, “You’ve gotta hear this!”
“The album starts hard with “Your Sweet Six Six Six” that calms down briefly for the verse lines, yet gets very doomy with the chorus. Though the title and chorus might make it seem sinister, it’s more like both a celebration and cry against that damnable masochistic love that one can’t help but feel for an abusive, manipulative fiend.” – read indepth review by Mr. Huh?
“Sluggish guitar riff that sets into motion as a keyboard layers the melody. The drums pulses with a feel and the band unites in a Rock and Roll we’ve not heard in over a decade or ever for that matter. A absolute born rock singer lights his cigarette and then so elegantly lets you know about what love does to us all in some way. I noticed HIM’s symbol of the “heartagram” and listened carefully to the words and the way they pummel a listener with a truth in between lines. Its as though the lyrics see love as a great evil, because it can be all you want so greatly that it can and will drive you mad. Like a fierce drug that holds us all in its absolute power. ~ review by Michael J. Harper
“You wouldn’t expect a lot from a band whose debut album is entitled Greatest Lovesongs, Vol. 666, but H.I.M. surprises in a very positive way. H.I.M.’s stigma of so-called “love metal” is actually undeserved and relates only to Ville Valo’s love-oriented lyrics; the music itself combines metal with ’80s rock and some goth influences, and the album as a whole has a very diverse sound.” – view full review
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