I think it's important to start out by saying that even though Bloody Mary may look like yet another HIM wannabe in many ways, they are something quite different. They are genuinely gothic. For most bands in the arena Goth genre, the gothic elements are little more than a veneer to liven up their image. At their core, they are just polished, metallic rock bands. Few of them can really generate any kind of genuinely dark aura within their music. In Bloody Mary's case, they manage to do something that I didn't think could be done. They are just accessible enough to appeal to the "goth n' roll" crowd while also keeping an authentic gothic atmosphere to their sound. They cite Fields of the Nephilim, The Cult, and HIM as their biggest influences and I would more specifically say that they have the attitude of The Cult, the image of Him, and the metal-meets-goth approach of Fields of the Nephilim only with a modern metal sound.
I think what really makes this album work on both levels is the combination of songwriting and production. First, the songs aren't artificially catchy. They are memorable and you'll find yourself singing along with them after a few listens, but they feel very natural and nothing about the songs are forced. Secondly, the production is just spot-on. The vocals of Aldebran are pure Goth and are done perfectly. There are plenty of layers and effects used, but they manage to find that balance between gothically "spooking-up" his voice and letting his natural talent show through. The guitars are plenty heavy, but are also atmospheric and melodic. The Fields of the Nephilim influences are really strong here. Bloody Mary is one of those few Goth bands that produces all of their atmosphere without the use of keyboards. It's all in the guitars and that takes real skill. Another metal element that shows through is in the drums. They have plenty of punch, but never dominate the mix thanks to the heaviness of the guitars.
When it comes to Goth, you usually have to choose between low quality yet genuine bands or high gloss, superficial, commercial bands. Blood 'N' Roll is like the blueprint for bands on how to merge the best qualities of both sounds. It's really cool when a band exceeds your expectations. I was expecting yet another HIM clone (which would have been fine since I like HIM clones), but instead I got a far superior band that I would recommend to anyone into Goth.