Razorblade Romance was the second album from HIM featuring a more sophisticated and refined sound than their debut offering.
1. I Love You (Prelude To Tragedy)
This foirst track bursts straight into the verse without an intro and is one of the faster tracks on the album. The song does a good job at showing you whats in store in the other 10 tracks and is clearly the intro song (Indicated by 'prelude to tragedy' in the song name). 9/10
2. Poision Girl
This track slows things down a bit and starts with Ville whispering the words to the chorus ("I did it all just for her...."). The rest of the song is quite continuous with the chorus being repeated many times (As with many HIM songs). The solo is interesting with the chorus being played with an echo effect. 10/10
3. Join Me In Death
This was the first single released from the album and helped them receive mass exposure all over europe (Although I don't think its one of the best from the album). It begins with a piano intro and Ville whispering the words "Baby, join me in death". This is followed by a long vocal part accompanied with quiet, palm muted guitar. The chorus brings in some heavier guitar and the piano oiece used in the intro. Towards the end of the song is an interlude with Ville repeating the words "This life ain't worth living" before once again breaking into the chorus and ending with a fade out. 8/10
4. Right Here In My Arms
This was the second single realeased from the album and in my opinion the best as it really showcases the ability of Linde (The guitarist). Its quite a fast song and begins with a short and simple, echoed guitar intro, the chorus is then played once with out the vocals, the guitars fade out and a pick scrape intoduced Ville's vocals. The chorus is very lively with some fast drumming and two guitars (One playing the rhythm and one reapeating the intro. My favourite part of this song is the guitar solo which follows which is broken into straight from the chorus and has some nice effects. The chorus follows once again with the song gradually fading out. 10/10
5. Gone With The Sin
This is another slow song of which the main feature is Ville's deep voice ib h9is vocals. The long intro only contains vocals and synthesizer, when it moves into the chorus slow, clean guitar and a basic drum beat are added. A simple and slow, clean guitar solo is used and goes well with the sound of the chorus. 8/10
6. Razorblade Kiss
Razorblade Kiss is probably the loudest song on the album and sounds quite simnilar to the playing style used on their first album. The song starts with a short guuitar intro and then Ville's voice humming to the sound of the guitar whgich always follows the chorus. The song does a good job of mixing the quiet parts with the louder parts with the guitars getting gradually louder before the chorus. Thew solo has two parts, the first with Ville singing along for a short while and then the guitar totally taking over with a great solo. 10/10
7. Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart
This is another slow song, starting with a slow guitar intor it builds up with the inclusion of a second guitar and drums, these are then left with just Ville singing and the drums keeping a simple beat going. The guitar parts used in the intro are again used in the chorus but with the inclusion of Ville's beautifully suing vocals. The interlude shows Ville whispering the vocals and then gradually building back up to the loudness of the chorus. 9/10
8. Heaven Tonight
This song starts with Ville singing quietly to the bass which stays the same in all the parts except the chorus. The chorus is quite soft with the bass louder than the guitar and Ville repeating the words "You are my heaven tonight". In place of a solo is a repetition of the verse with the guitar playin a solo type part over it. 9/10
9. Death Is In Love With Us
This is another fast song with a lot of bass and with some more sophisticated drumming not shown anywhere else in the album. It has no intro and the song jumps straight into the chorus and Ville's great singing. There is an interlude that features some distorted vocals before yet again bursting into the chorus and ending this rather short song. 10/10
10. Resurrection
This song has another long but varied intro slowly adding the drums, bass and then guitar and vocals. The vocals are interesting with the chorus being backed by some female vocals and lots of synthesizer. 8/10
11. One Last Time
This is quite a fitting track to end the album but also my least favourite since it is very repetative. It starts with a hellicopter sound before the chorus that includes some piano. The second half of the song has Ville repeatedly saying the words "Just One Last Time" which gets quite annoying after a short while. 5/10
Overall this improves on their first album by giving a more refined sound sound and offering a good range of loud and quiet songs. 4.5/5
