PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Three years is a fairly standard gap between album releases, but given the fanbase that H.I.M have following them, it must have seemed a lifetime. Still, that’s the span between 2010 release Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice and Tears on Tape, their eighth album that was released yesterday in the UK, their first release on UK label Doublecross records. What’s different about this release from the last is that, whilst Screamworks had no fewer than twelve members on the production team, Tears on Tape has just two – producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (making a welcome return to the fold) and mixer Tim Palmer (whose most famous credit is mixing duties on Peral Jam’s eponymous ‘Ten’ album). As a result, the vibe is a lot different from Screamworks, namely – and quite appropriately – a lot more stripped back and raw.
This works in their favour though. After the soothing interlude of Unleash the Red, the sucker punch one-two of All Lips Go Blue and Love Without Tears is one that H.I.M fans across the world will welcome with open arms and be reminded just why they fell head over heels for ‘love metal’ in the first place. Ville Vallo has lost none of his charisma and his voice sends shivers down your spine with the haunting delivery of each vocal line. With nine songs (and four musical interludes) clocking in at just over 40 minutes as well, the album satisfies two major points that all good albums have: a lot of content, and material that doesn’t drag at any point making you look at your watch and wonder how much longer you have to wait for the hooks to kick back in. Special mention must go to keyboard player Janne ‘Burton’ Puurtinen, who provides a wonderful symphony that holds all of the music together and carries it along very nicely indeed, but the whole band sound like they’re having fun and that’s very important; the music might be melancholy at times but there is an ever-present positivity about it which can’t help but make you smile, most notably on the title track which floats along quite beautifully despite it’s dark undertones.
They’ll never be the heaviest band on this planet, but you’d be hard pushed to find a band with more infectious tunes that His Infernal Majesty. This is another great release from a consistently great band. Welcome back boys, you’ve been missed. 8/10
H.I.M
Ville Vallo – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Mikko ‘Linde’ Lindström – lead guitar, acoustic guitar
Mikko ‘Migé’ Paananen – bass guitar, contrabass, backing vocals
Mika ‘Gas Lipstick’ Karppinen – drums, percussion
Janne ‘Burton’ Puurtinen – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
Track Listing
1) Unleash the Red
2) All Lips Go Blue
3) Love Without Tears
4) I Will Be the End Of You
5) Tears On Tape
6) Into the Night
7) Hearts At War
8) Trapped In Autumn
9) No Love
10) Drawn And Quartered
11) Lucifer’s Chorale
12) W.L.S.T.D
13) Kiss the Void
Links
Website: http://www.heartagram.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theheartagram
