- Artist
- HIM
- Label
- Columbia
- Release date
- 30th October 2006
- Genre
- Metal
Finland is not renowned for producing musical acts that make a mark on these shores - the madcap Leningrad Cowboys spring eventually to mind, but that's about it.
That said, "love metal" exponents HIM made a bit of a dent on the nation's creative consciousness a while back with a gloriously gothy version of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game. Later they had a modicum of success here with one of their own compositions, Love Me In Death, which got some people into a bit of a lather, with hysterical nutcases arguing it would tempt vulnerable listeners into committing suicide.
Anyway, having been around for a while one guesses it was about time they gathered together some offbeat - officially referred to as "rarities and hard-to-find" - versions of the "best" bits of their repertoire, and here it is. Well, the first volume of it at least.
Join Me is in here, as a Strongroom remix, while there's a rather pompous version of In Joy And Sorrow, replete with strings and t'ings. Some acoustic versions such as Please Don't Let It Go and The Funeral Of Hearts show that "charismatic" frontman Valo can do the business beyond the confines of a recording studio. Nevertheless he has one of those voices and images that have some of us curling our toes in embarrassment. One hopes he doesn't take himself as seriously as he appears to.
One for the fans, me'thinks.
