CFNN Rock Correspondant Dana Murray

HIM is one of my more recent discoveries in the world of metal. Over the summer, I was scrolling through Pinterest and stumbled across a picture of their lead singer, Ville Valo. I thought that he looked like a real-life Tim Burton character and got intrigued when I found out he was in a band. Upon listening to Razorblade Romance, I immediately became a fan. I loved the spooky vibes it gave off and the mix of synthesizers with the metal edge.

HIM reminds me of a more PG version of one of my favorite bands: Type O Negative. Both bands fall into the gothic metal category, which is best defined as metal with similar themes and musical motifs as the goth subgenre. Peter Steele and Ville Valo also share a similar tonality in their voices. The only real differences are that HIM is more palatable to the casual listener, uses more synthesizers, and they’re more suitable for school than Type O.

Note: There were two versions of this album released, the expanded and reordered U.S. version and the standard European version. This review is on the European version.

“I Love You (Prelude To Tragedy)” is an interesting song. The intro starts out with a spoken word version of the chorus before it turns into hard rock out of nowhere. The switch up between the soft and hard elements of this song mirrors Valo’s switch between his falsetto and deeper baritone parts of his voice. I also like the reliance on the synthisizer with the heavier guitars. It adds a bit of depth to the sound. The bass is prominent in this song, which adds to the dynamic instrumental. I find the lyrics to be a bit toxic; it seems that the more the woman draws away, the more interested he is. The relationship that this track describes is not healthy by any means, but I don’t really listen to HIM for their lyrics specifically.

My favorite song on this album is “Posion Girl,” even though the lyrics are dark. Like most of the songs on this album, it leans into the concepts of love itself dying or the death of someone that is in love. Despite the dark subject matter, this song is a great jam. It has an unrelenting groove that makes it unforgettable. As for the vocals, Valo is a tad pitchy on some notes, but it’s not unpleasant. I can’t quite put my finger on what I like most about this song; it’s just a vibe.

“Join Me In Death” has a beautiful piano feature throughout, which sounds like a broken music box. I love the combination of the delicate piano with the heavier elements. This track has lots of references to death, which seem to be par for the course. Interestingly, I don’t feel depressed after listening to it. The distortion on the guitar does more heavy lifting on this song instead of the bass. Valo’s falsetto on the chorus is angelic; it’s less pitchy than it was on “Poison Girl.” The harmonies that are laced throughout are incredible. It’s one of the top tracks on this album.

“Right Here In My Arms” reminds me of “Runaway” by Bon Jovi. It has a similar slide into the first verse and the structures heavily resemble each other. I find it cool that the riff in the beginning has a pop-punk edge, but the slide brings it into Bon Jovi territory. The sing-a-long style choru is what makes this song for me. It’s simple, you can catch it on one listen, and you’ll sing it for the rest of the day. I like the more subtle approach to the synth here. It lets the band shine more fully. The solo sounds a bit like if you hooked up a kazoo to an amplifier. It’s not bad, but it’s not my favorite. I love that the bridge showcases the band’s harmonies with the limited instrumental. I love when heavier bands show off their harmonies. It’s much more satisfying than when this is done in pop music.

While it’s a good song, “Gone With The Sin” doesn’t stand out to me. It’s incredibly slow with a more acoustic side to the guitar, which is perfect for MTV Unplugged, but it feels a little out of place with the songs before it. I feel like it would have been better with a heavier backing track. It just doesn’t have the same impact as the other songs on this album. The best thing about this song is the use of a stylophone. A Stylophone is a novelty handheld synthesizer that makes noise through a stylus touching different places on an electrified metal plate. It’s rare to see this instrument used in mainstream music, so it’s cool that HIM included it on this track.

“Razorblade Kiss” starts off with a heavy bass riff that has a similar tone to “Angry Itch” by Type O Negative. I love how HIM shows off their bass player at every available opportunity. This song gives me vampire vibes, but more in the style of Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice instead of Twilight. The harmonies throughout the song are a nice touch. I don’t like the way Valo pronounces “again” in the prechorus, but that’s more something that irks me personally than anything seriously wrong with this track. The chorus is more pop-punk than metal, but I enjoy it. It’s a solid track.

“Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart” is one of my favorite songs on this album. It’s a slower song, but it still has the heaviness of the previous. The guitar tone is reminiscent of Nu metal, specifically “Crawling” by Linkin Park. It also features my favorite lyrics that HIM has ever written: “All I ever wanted was you, my love.” I’m a sucker for a good love song, but the tragic ones like this are even better. I feel that this is the better of the two slower songs on this album; it has the band’s signature heavy sound, but slows it down in a way that is more authentic to the band.

“Heaven Tonight” has a funky bass line, which is the epitome of the 90s. I like that while this song is repetative, it’s not that annoying. The piano from “Join Me In Death” is featured throughout, which helps make everything sound more cohesive. This has to be my favorite vocal performance from Valo. The smoothness in his voice is phenonemal. The guitar tone on this song is more subdued than other songs on this album. It is the best song to introduce people to HIM with. It’s not too heavy, but it still gives you the band’s signature sound.

“Death Is In Love With Us”  is heavier than most of the other songs on this album. It’s a good song to dance to since it’s intense, but not overly so. The backing track is lushly produced, which makes it hard to have in the background. It commands your attention. I find it interesting Valo’s voice has a few moments where it sounds like David Lee Roth. It feels like all roads in music can lead back to Van Halen in one way or another. There is a creepy voice on the bridge that caught me off guard when I first heard it, but it’s pretty cool. This song holds the honor of being my favorite HIM deep cut.

“Resurrection” has a cinematic beginning. I like the crackly orchestral track in the background. It gives me some of the same vibes as Lana Del Rey. I love the gradual transition from the soft beginning to the band’s heavier signature sound. The little riff on the bridge is solid.The lyrics remind me of The Bride of Frankenstein or, for those who know more modern references, “Like Real People Do” by Hozier. I like that this song doesn’t reference death directly. Instead, it’s about bringing someone back from the dead. It’s a staple in my Halloween playlist, but it holds up outside of October as well.

The intro of “One Last Time” freaked me out on the first listen. The drums sound like a machine gun, which caught me off guard. It also feels kind of randomly tacked on compared to the rest of the song, which is much softer. The acoustic guitar here doesn’t feel as out of place like on “Gone With the Sin.” The piano ties all of the softer elements together, which helps with the cohesion. The harmonies on the chorus are absolutely incredible. I feel that the lyrics are a little less dark than the previous songs. It’s more about wanting your lover to stay and give your relationship another chance before calling it quits. This is such a beautiful closing track.

Razorblade Romance is one of those albums I have to be in a certain mood to listen to. It talks so much about death, lost love, and a lost love caused by death that it makes me feel a little morbid. It’s a bit dark, but it’s still highly enjoyable. There’s only one track that I don’t like much, but I still jam out to it when I listen to the album the whole way through. It’s an album for those of us who enjoy the beauty that can be found in the darker areas of life, which makes it the perfect October listen.