Razorblade Romance

Razorblade Romance is H.I.M.'s second cd. It is also the first released domestically in the States. It probably isn't their best release (I think, as far as I can tell by the songs I have heard, their newest Love Metal is their best altogether), but it's a very good cd none the less.

The domestic release begins with "Your Sweet Six Six Six" however the real album begins with "I Love You (Prelude to Tragedy" which makes alot more sense than this re-recording of their hit off of their first album "Greatest Love Songs:666". This record actually has a concept, which can lead to many different meanings (several of my crack dream concepts: that it is about a love between an angel and a devil, or something like that, and two that it's based on Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, both are probably wrong, they're just my ideas), and the inclusion of "666" and "Wicked Game" are a bit obnoxious, but don't really impact the music. Whichever song starts your copy you will then have "Poison Girl" at number two. It is a catchy song which states "I did it all for her" I wonder what "it all" was.

"Join me In death" is a bit silly ("My mother always told me only two things were forever in life, death and paying taxes, I decided a song about taxes was too hard, so here's one about death" is how Ville Valo introduced it at the concert of theirs I went to) but isn't really bad, it's "just a touch" cheesy.

"Right Here in My Arms" is a speedy song, wasting no time with it's message "she'll be right here in my arms so in love" goes the main refrain. I like this song alot actually. Next we have another one of my favorites; "Bury me Inside Your Heart", which is kind of a metal ballad, but not really a power ballad. I like it alot as well.

"Wicked Game" comes next on my copy, I like the cover, though I find it annoying that this is mostly what people know of when they hear H.I.M., as it's not very indicative at their real sound. Not a bad cover though.

Here we have the real opener "I love you.." which is kind of odd here in the middle, but it almost starts off a side two on here, as all the songs after this are in a different vein compared to the first songs. The songs up to song 6 are all very catchy and modern rock sounding, from 7 to the end we have H.I.M.'s true sound, and the best part of the record. This song is a very hard and heavy song, yet like all their music melodic.

"Gone With the Sin" is my copy's 8th track, and perhaps its second best song to my ears. It's a dark melodic and quiet song (not really a ballad, just a song), and I really really like it, though the lyrics are again a bit silly. The performance saves this song, and it becomes one of the best on here.

"Razorblade Kiss" is my favorite song off of here, and the one I find myself singing constantly. I guess it's just the power of the part where Ville screams "Your Love is a razorblade kiss, sweet is the taste of your lips", which for some reason really sticks in my head. I really like this song. After this we have the excellent "Resurrection" which is really heavy and soft at the same time, somehow. It also has perhaps the best chorus of the whole album. It segues perfectly into "Death is in Love With Us" which sounds almost like a speeded up part of "Resurrection". I really really like this part of the cd, as for some reason it all fits together perfectly from "I Love You.." to the last track "One Last Time".

After "Death Is In Love With Us" we have another quiet song "Heaven Tonight" which begins softly, with a caress, and then has yet another beautiful perfect chorus with some very well used back-up singing. Fabulous.

"Sigillum Diaboli" speeds everything up again for one last time, and it does it perfectly with a great line: "I'm your christ and I'm coming for you" which for some reason strikes me as really funny and great in this situation.

And then we have "One Last Time" which is a haunting and beautiful song, where Ville pleads, "Oh at least you could try, for just one last time" which somehow is so frighteningly beautiful that I'm taken aback everytime I hear it. A wonderful way to end this record, with the caress of love.

H.I.M. on this record sound like Love incarnate, and even at their most cheesy (mainly on the first half) they are effective. This whole record at times feels like a lovers caress, particularly from song 7 to the end. I absolutely adore H.I.M. and this record, and I don't care what anyone thinks. H.I.M. manage to capture all kinds of emotions and feelings and thoughts and do it very simply. I can't say enough good things about them really. (Plus they're great on stage). So what can I say, if you like melodic hard music check them out.