H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty) - Greatest Lovesongs, Vol. 666

You wouldn't expect a lot from a band whose debut album is entitled Greatest Lovesongs, Vol. 666, but H.i.m. surprises in a very positive way. H.i.m.'s stigma of so-called "love metal" is actually undeserved and relates only to Ville Valo's love-oriented lyrics; the music itself combines metal with '80s rock and some goth influences, and the album as a whole has a very diverse sound. Songs such as "The Beginning of the End" and "It's All Tears" especially prove that H.i.m. can do a lot better than their poor single track "When Love and Death Embrace." Two cover songs on a nine-track debut album might be too much, but Ville Valo seems to beg the difference. Read More