Customer Reviews

Single Collection

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm assuming that anyone interested in this purchase, already owns all previous albums (and so you should) and loves their music to death. If not I can't really recommend this set for the curious, start with their first album "Greatest Love Songs Volume 666" and work your way up. To the fan, you're probably thinking: is it worth it really? It's not cheap and lets face it, most of the songs you already own on the previous albums. To help you make up your mind, I'm reviewing each cd, weighing up the pros and cons. Bare in mind this is my personal opinion. He he...

Disc: 1
1. It's All Tears (Drown in This Love)

Identical to the album version on "Greatest Love Songs Volume 666".

2. Heartless [Club-Remix]

A brilliant atmospheric techno version. Very soft compared to the original.

Disc: 2
1.Wicked Game
2.For You
3.Our Diabolikal Rapture

Identical to the album versions on "Greatest Love Songs Volume 666".

4.Wicked Game [666-Remix]

Slightly heavier version. Nothing special.

Disc: 3

1.When Love and Death Embrace [Radio-Edit]
2.When Love and Death Embrace [AOR-Radio Mix]
3.When Love and Death Embrace [Original Single-Edit]
4.When Love and Death Embrace [Album Version]

All the above are almost identical. I couldn't really tell them apart. The only real difference is the length.

Disc: 4

1.Join Me

This is the original Join Me, not the Join Me In Death (Razorblade Mix) found on the "Razorblade Romance" album. Its slightly different and I mean slight!

2.It's All Tears [Unplugged Version][Live]

Funny live version, purely because Ville manages to do both voices, the deep: "I'm waiting for you to drown in my love", and the high: "So open your arms". By the time its over the poor guy is exhausted. The music's very different. Not the least bit heavy.

3.Rebel Yell [Live]

Brilliant Billy Idol Cover. You wont find this anywhere else

4.Dark Sekret Love

Another song exclusive to this Box set. It's beautiful, dark and very much in the style of their first album. There are some annoying female vocals but they only appear a tiny bit.

Disc: 5

1.Right Here in My Arms [Radio Edit]
2.Join Me in Death [Razorblade Mix]
3.Heartless [Space Jazz Dubmen Mix]

Sigh... Track 1 is the same, just a little shorter, Track 2 can be found on "Razorblade Romance" and Track 3 is actually the same remix from Disc 1, just under a different name.

4.I've Crossed Oceans of Wine for You

Exclusive to the Box set. Pleasant little ditty, but nothing special. But maybe that's just me.

Disc: 6

1.Poison Girl

Same as on Deep Shadows Brilliant Highlights

2.Right Here in My Arms [Live]
3.It's All Tears [Live]
4.Poison Girl [Live][*]

Three brilliant live Tracks. Ville's on top form and you can sing along with the crowd, lots of screaming, naturally.

Disc: 7

1.Gone With the Sin [Radio Edit]

Shorter version of the original

2.Gone With the Sin [O.D. Version] - Otto Donner

String version might better describe this. A beautiful remake with violas, violins and cellos.

3.For You [Acoustic Version][Live]

Absolutely gorgeous acoustic version that maximises Ville's lovely vocals.

4.Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart [Live]

Decent Live version.

5.Gone With the Sin [Album Version]

I'm not going to state the obvious here.

Disc: 8

1.Pretending
2.Pretending [Alternate Mix]
3.Pretending [the Cosmic Pope Jam Version]

To be honest, these 3 tracks are all rather disappointing.

4.Please Don't Let It Go [Acoustic Version][*]

Another dreamy acoustic. Lets face it, all are great.

5.Loose You Tonight [Caravan Version] [*]

Cant remember, I'm thinking mediocre.

Disc: 9

One of the best discs in this set.

1.In Joy and Sorrow [Radio Edit]

Shorter version.

2.Again

Exclusive to this album. Quite a good track!

3.In Joy and Sorrow [String Version]

Absolutely phenomenal! Gorgeous strings and a haunting Gregorian style coir.

4.Salt in Our Wounds [Thulsa Doom Version]

Fantastic version that breaths a new life into the song. It is completely re-sung and has a techno feel, its mind blowing, all 7 minutes of it. Miles better then the original. Brilliant electric guitar ending,

5.Beautiful [Third Seal]

Starts off as a fast paced, rockier version before melting down into a gentle end. Rather similar to the Heartless remix on disc 1. I love it.

Disc: 10

1.Heartache Every Moment
2.Close to the Flame

The original album versions.

3. Salt in Our Wounds [Acoustic Version][*]
4. In Joy and Sorrow [Acoustic Version][*]
5. Pretending [Acoustic Version][*]
6. Hearache Every Moment [Acoutic Version] [*]
7. Close to the Flame [Acoustic Version][*]

5 great acoustic versions to finish the box set off with.

Phew! I'm done!

I hope I was of some help. As you can see, I was quite disappointed with some of the efforts in this box set, but overall the good generally out ways the bad.
But what am I saying! If you're a big fan like me you probably own it already.
The sleeves for each cd are quite pretty(its Ville for christ sakes) but the box is flimsy cardboard that's already starting to break.
Don't forget. HIM's new album, Dark Light is being released at the end of September!
Bye!

This singles collection is great. If you're a fan of HIM you shouldn't even think once about buying this album. It is a perfect box set. It comes with 10 singles all released from "Greatest love songs vol 666" to "Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights"

I've noticed that some reviews are complaining about the 10 cds and not being all on two cds. But this keeps the collection authentic, it's like you have all ten original singles in your hands.

As I said before this is worth your money if you're a fan, and if you're not yet a fan you should buy their studio albums and then buy this collection.

H.I.M truly are a one of a kind band with frontman ville valo and his focusing on the more affectionate side of things and not being afraid to express his emotions through the form of goth rock, or as H.I.M says "love Metal", shows alot, H.I.M.s songs or more poetic talking about love, hate, life, death, joy, sorrow and so forth, all well binded with melodic sounds and catchy riffs this is a band that has borought a new phase of metal, a new breed, i extremly suggest this band to anyone into goth or post-gothic musik, him is definately a must have!

This is probably the single most beautiful collection of singles I have ever seen. They all have amazing cover art, and there are many singles. This collection should have cost around $100 US, but instead it cost around $30 US. Him's music is enchanting and mezmerizing. He is very good live, and these singles show that off nicely. Many of the singles in this pack are limited editions, so that adds to the value. This collection can only be packed how it was, all the different singles on different CDs. It is a true collectors item.

My review of the individual singles:

Heartache every moment: 10/10, many songs, Love the acoustic parts
Pretending: 8/10, fewer songs, but all awesome none the less
When love and death embrace: 7/10, Fewer songs, all the same song, but done perfectly
Wicked Game: 8/10, My favorite version of wicked game, (love songs 666 has the best your sweet 666 and wicked game versions)
It's all tears: 7/10, only 2 songs, but some of my absolute favorite ones.

Poison Girl: 9/10, four songs, 3 live. You can't beat it.
In joy and sorrow: 10/10, five songs, all extremely great songs
Right here in my arms: 10/10, cool version of the heartless, also cool version of resurrection (I've crossed oceans of wine to find you)
Gone with the sin: 9/10, five songs, live, acoustic, and other versions of songs, very good
Join Me: 10/10, four songs, US single join me, with unplugged and live songs along with a never before heard song: Dark Sekret Love.

All in all, this is a great Collection not just for DIE-HARD him fans, but for people who truely love this band.

got this singles set as an early xmas gift and honestly it is fabulous. the singles themselves are works of art, the music and lyrics are valo's deepest desires and emotions, as well as his incredible vocal talents manifested in one complete body of work that is the HIM singles collection. not only are you treated to versions of the songs that are tweaked in different variations...but you are also given the chance to hear ville sing with only acoustic guitar to back him up and orchestral versions of already beautiful songs. there are also some interesting remixes that have caused me to give the rare song that i wasnt real fond of a second look, for example,i never cared a whole lot for the song "the Heartless" but when its coupled with a techno-type backbeat it is awesome. there is alot of recreated brillant music on these cd's. i absolutely recommend this set esp. for anyone who wants to hear even more of what the ever sexy mr. valo has to offer...my absolute fav. has to be a slowed down and beautiful version of the song "lose you tonight"...it is positively superb.

In all honesty, I'm not, by any means, considered a "Goth." I have none of the "traits" or "characteristics" of the Goth "culture."

I DO, however, LOVE Goth music. The melodies. The harmonies. The sheer, natural beauty of the sound. Cruxshadows. HIM. Bella Morte. Some are harsher than others, but just about all Goth music is welcome to me.

H.I.M. captured my ears while I was hanging out at a friend's house and he played me the cover "Wicked Game." I was immediately entranced by and bought Razorblade Romance and Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights right away. That was roughly six months ago and I still listen to them constantly, amidst my other favorite genres of music.

Bottom line is, if you consider yourself a lover of HIM, no matter your choice of culture or background etc., and if you have the money to spend, you should purchase this Collection, as I will within the next 2 minutes. No matter what others' reviews on the matter, do what you think you'll enjoy. Especially follow through with what you KNOW you will enjoy for many months, if not years, to come.

Oh, and I did NOT know that Bam Margera's favorite band was HIM until a few months after I purchased the albums. I was quite shocked, actually, because I love the show and have never noticed Ville Valo make any cameos. So my rating is not biased towards the show, or anyone else's opinion. HIM is just enchanting music. End of story.

*buys the collection*

Definately worth grabbing, if you can find it at a decent price. While some of these songs are live/remix versions of material already on cds, quite a few of them are b-sides...which makes the set a perfect addition to the collections of those looking for everything the band has released.

To those who truely don't care for this music, describe your distaste for it in an intellegent manner and not with adolescent, playground grammer. If you don't like it, fine. That's your opinion. You are entitled to it. But don't put down to music because you don't like it of understand it. You only prove yourself to be immature.

This singles collection is necessary for every H.I.M. fan. With this collection you get many song that are on other albums, many b-side songs, then a lot of remixes, acoustic versions and live performances of a great goth-rock music sung by a great singer Ville. You can hear their best songs, with themes such as love, joy, sorrow, pain,..., which are typical for H.I.M.

this "album" is essential to any true to worship H-I-M fan. it had most of, if not all, the singles up to DSBH. lots of rarities, lives, and unheard of's. my only complaint is that buying The Single Collection takes the fun out of ebaying and scouring online for each individual single, by hand. it takes the fun out of searching and digging, being a fan at heart. oh well, doesn't mean you can't get the 'version with 1 song only."

I consider myself a big fan of HIM, and I have all their albums, so I had to get this too. I did. It features (almost) all of the singles released from "Greatest Love Songs, Vol. 666" to "Deep Shadows & Brilliant Highlights", which is very cool. It has many previously released tracks, as well as b-sides, demos (such as "I've Crossed Oceans of Wine to Find You" is a demo of "Resercetion"), remixes (although some remixes are almost identical to the originals, such as the "Wicked Game (666 Remix)", in which the only noticable difference is a drum whack at the very beginning...), live tracks, and more. Now, if you can get if cheaper than what this website is selling for, it's a good deal. I bought it used from Amazon.com for..., which is a great deal. My only complaint: that the 40-something tracks are spanned over 10 CDs. Now, I know that they are previously released singles and this is how they used to be as well, but it'd be a lot easier to get out if they could maybe put 2, maybe even 3 singles onto one CD? I mean, most CDs can hold 80 minutes after all. Anyway, if you can find a way to ignore that, this is well-worth it if you're a HIM fanatic.