Love Metal
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| metaluk.com | [2] |
Love Metal is the fourth studio album by Finnish band, HIM, released on April 14, 2003. A two disc remastered edition was released on December 15, 2014 via The End Records.
Overview
 | The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (December 2014) |
The digipak edition of the album includes the bonus track "Love's Requiem", originally intended for release on the standard version of the album, but it made the album's duration longer than one hour, so Valo decided to put it on the Digipak version of the album. On 1 February 2005 the regular edition of this album was released in the United States under Universal Records licensed by Jimmy Franks Recording Company. In 2005, the album peaked at number one on the Top Heatseekers chart and 117 on the Billboard 200.[3]
Sounds and themes
The album has been described as "…return[ing] to their metallic roots[…] the band's heaviest offering since its full-length debut[…]amidst the turbocharged reinvigoration, the group retains a flair for disarmingly beautiful sounds, with flowing piano work and a mandolin accompaniment. [Their] formula could have been stagnant, but through passionate performances and a desire to push their own boundaries, HIM keep making beguiling, goth-flavored heavy rock"[4]
Rob Theakston of Allmusic said of the album "The songwriting is as strong as it has been in quite some time and a newly found sense of urgency keeps the record going at a well-tempered pace. For die-hard fans, this is the album H.I.M. has been struggling to make and realize for quite a while"[5]
The track "The Path" was written for the Finnish film 'Honey Baby'. [citation needed]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Ville Valo
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Buried Alive by Love" | 5:01 |
| 2. | "The Funeral of Hearts" | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Beyond Redemption" | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Sweet Pandemonium" | 5:45 |
| 5. | "Soul on Fire" | 4:02 |
| 6. | "The Sacrament" | 4:32 |
| 7. | "This Fortress of Tears" | 5:46 |
| 8. | "Circle of Fear" | 5:27 |
| 9. | "Endless Dark" | 5:35 |
| 10. | "The Path" | 7:44 |
| Total length: | 52:53 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Love's Requiem" | 8:36 |
| Total length: | 1:00:50 | |
Personnel
HIM
- Ville Hermanni Valo – lead vocals
- Mikko Viljami "Linde" Lindström – lead guitar
- Mikko Henrik Julius "Migé" Paananen – bass guitar
- Janne Johannes "Emerson Burton" Puurtinen – keyboards, backing vocals
- Mika Kristian "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen – drums