Review Summary: Chapter IV - Soul on Fire
Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights was a mixed bag. Despite several top notch songs, the album suffered in many areas. But the biggest crime was that it didn't feel like HIM (for the most part). However two years later this problem was remedied in style, when the group released the Love Metal. Not only was it the first record to featured the name and symbol that are synonymous with HIM, it was the first album where the group finally sounded like a cohesive whole. To put it simply, they finally found their niche. Love Metal perfectly combined heartfelt sentimentality with aggression and heaviness. HIM had arrived.
From the opening moments of "Buried Alive by Love" and "The Funeral of Hearts" the band feels completely at peace with what they're doing. This vibe continues through out the album, from fierce rockers like "Soul on Fire" to more sentimental moments like "The Sacrament". The aforementioned "Soul on Fire" is the stand-out track on the album, as it's full of youthful energy that the band have yet to showcase. The same can be said for "Buried Alive by Love", which serves as a phenomenal opener.
For the two previous albums guitarist Linde Lindström had suffered, as his playing was put on the back burner as the band experimented. Thankfully he is once again put in the forefront, showcasing great Sabbath -esque riffing, as well as some fierce solos. This is not say the rest of the band are not given their moments to shine, far from it. Love Metal gives every member their moments in the spotlight, with drummer Gas Lipstick for example providing more killer fills than ever.
It would seem that Love Metal was the definitive HIM album. Well unfortunately there is one major drawback to the album: repetitiveness. Whereas previous albums had maybe a bit too much diversity, Love Metal doesn't have enough. Too many of the tracks blend together, without any defining characteristics. Tracks like "Beyond Redemption" and "Endless Dark" are all fine and good, but there is little to separates them from each other.
In short, Love Metal is great. It's the album where HIM finally found their sound. However with the bad experiences they had with Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights, it seems as though the band were too afraid to experiment this time around. As a result, too much of the album blends together. But this doesn't diminish the many stand-out moments the album contains.
Recommended tracks:
"Soul on Fire"
"The Funeral of Hearts"
"Buried Alive by Love"
"Circle of Fear"
