Earlier this year, Ville Valo released his solo debut album, “Neon Noir,” which serves as a statement of intent for what his solo career is all about, while doubling as a “bridge between the past and the future,” as the artist stated in multiple interviews. However, in 2003 his now former band, HIM, released an altogether different statement of intent with “Love Metal,” which cemented the band’s status on the metal scene, becoming a classic in its own right. Now, 20 years later, we endearingly look back on it. The album was released on April 11th, 2003, via BMG.
Ranked as one of the best rock and metal albums of the 21st century by Loudwire, “Love Metal” was a career-defining moment for Finnish love metallers HIM. Intentionally crafted so as to show the world (and also to themselves) who they were and what they had to offer, with a fitting title to boot, this album was – and for all intents and purposes still is – the very definition of what had widely became known as their own genre. The backstory is simple: “Love Metal” was pretty much the band’s reaction to their previous effort, “Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights” (2001), where many people were involved in its production, resulting in an uneven though fairly successful record. For their fourth album, Ville Valo and company took charge of most everything production-wise and the end result speaks for itself – the songs are better structured, the lyrics are more poetic, the melodies are stronger, and the overall vibe is that of a band confident in their sound and their ability to put out great material.
Adorned by a yellow/golden heartagram on an ornate black backdrop, the cover artwork is as simple as it gets, but with a powerful message behind it. Once you press play and step into their world, things are distinctly more powerful, yet subtly nuanced. Spearheaded by three major singles – “Buried Alive by Love,” “The Funeral of Hearts,” and “The Sacrament” – the album was a commercial and critical success, charting in eleven countries while also entering the UK charts, a first for the band. These singles, alongside “Soul on Fire,” went on to become not just fan favorites but also live staples. However, it is the deep cuts like “Fortress of Tears,” “The Path,” “Circle of Fear,” and digipack bonus track “Love’s Requiem” that made the band’s panache for sentimentality, drama, and Gothic romanticism their undeniable strength. This, in turn, made the title, “Love Metal,” a very fitting one, as this record is indeed a collection of love tunes with a solid metal edge to them.
From the urgency of opener “Buried Alive by Love” through the melancholy vibe of “The Funeral of Hearts,” the cinematic beauty of “The Sacrament” and the rawness of “Soul on Fire,” all the way to the hopeful feel of “The Path” and the drama of “Love’s Requiem,” the high and consistent quality of these songs is indisputable. It is not just Ville Valo’s voice that carries the emotions, it is also Burton’s piano/keys, Linde’s soulful guitar moments, and Mige’s bass that add texture and nuance to the tracks. Take, for instance, the piano melody that opens “The Sacrament,” the recurring riff in “Sweet Pandemonium,” the acoustic guitar in “Circle of Fear,” the backing keys in “Beyond Redemption,” or the bass throughout “Love Requiem” as evidence of their songwriting prowess and excellent musicianship both as individual musicians as well as a tight-knit band.
Nonetheless, this wouldn’t be half as good if not for the lyrical content. Valo has always had a knack for writing dark, poetic lyrics but somehow he outdid himself with the words for this record (and I’d argue in favor of “Venus Doom” as well). Such lines as “Just hold your breath on your way down” from “Fortress of Tears,” or “It’s when heaven turns to black and hell to white” from “Beyond Redemption” that show not just the haunting quality of these lyrics but also his storytelling and world-building skills. Valo stated in many interviews that he wrote the lyrics and melodies for “Love Metal” while having a high fever, which may account for some of their quirkiness. On a personal note, I remember being an impressionable teen when “The Funeral of Hearts” came out in 2003 and I was mesmerized by the verses and the vibe of the video. Needless to say, I learned those lyrics by heart in no time and I am sure I am not the only one that knew them inside out.
A trademark album as well as a fan favorite, “Love Metal” encapsulated everything that the band stood for – catchy melodies and metal with a popish feel to it, all wrapped up in a beautiful Gothic aura that helped them define their own sonic universe. In a world where most bands chased trends or tried to find their place within a given genre, HIM forged their own path with confidence and charisma. This album was not just a career-defining moment but also a turning point in their history, as they started to get more recognition, especially from the one place they wanted it the most: the United Kingdom. They pulled out all the stops and the end result would imprint both the term love metal in the hearts and minds of millions across the globe and the heartagram on the skin of even more.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- Buried Alive by Love
- The Funeral of Hearts
- Beyond Redemption
- Sweet Pandemonium
- Soul on Fire
- The Sacrament
- Fortress of Tears
- Circle of Fear
- Endless Dark
- The Path
- Love’s Requiem
Lineup
- Ville Valo − lead and backing vocals, artwork
- Mikko “Linde” Lindström − guitars
- Mikko “Mige” Paananen − bass
- Janne “Burton” Puurtinen − keyboards
- Mika “Gas Lipstick” Karppinen – drums
Label
BMG
