Hear Love Metal First From HIM
For the most part, HIM has remained defiant of the labeling that is an all too common preoccupation among music fans and band store owners. The group has been variously placed under such categories as gothic, alternative and hard under the major umbrellas of rock and metal. Until today, there is no clear agreement as to how to define or categorize the band’s music. For certain though, both the fans and the group itself don’t seem to mind that they are viewed from different perspectives.
Symbolism
It is perhaps because of the differing categories that the term love metal was hatched to define the group’s kind of music. In an attempt to be as exact as possible, experts say that love metal is really a mixture of rock, gothic, heavy, rock and pop elements. This rich mix is said to largely be the result of lead singer Ville Valo’s creative juices.
Because of the categorization, the band carries the heartagram symbol to represent itself. This symbol is so popular that Valo now thinks that it is now more associated with the band than its music. Even people who aren’t music fans recognize it.
Band Story
The original name of the band is His Infernal Majesty. After the Wicked Game single came out in 1998, this name was seemingly shortened to HIM. Other groups carry names similar to it. The group however is not the same as the Christian band 4Him, the American post rock group HiM and the Canadian metal band Infernal Majesty.
Of all the similarly named groups, it is HiM that bears the closest connection with the group. The Finnish HIM bought the rights from the American HiM to use the name. In the past, the group used HER for the album Razorblade. They also used HIM and HER for European tours. Now it is HIM that is on every piece of tour merch associated with the band.
Like a lot of other bands, HIM has had its fair share of member shifts and changes. Band members include a considerably long list of performers. This includes lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist Ville Valo; lead and acoustic guitarist Mikko Lindstrom; bass guitarist and backup vocalist Mikko Paananen; drummer and percussionist Mika Karppinen; and keyboardist and backup vocalist Janne Puurtinen. Past members complete the official list with drummers and percussionists Juhana Tuomas Rantala, Juippi, and Juha Tarvonen; keyboardists Sergei Ovalov, Antto Melasniemi and Jussi-Mikko Salminen; and guitarist Oki.
Albums Out
The band is currently one of the most productive of modern bands. They have seven HIM albums, six compilations, one live album, one extended play, twenty-two singles, four video albums and twenty-three music videos. Some of their works are detailed below.
-Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666- This 1997 album is nowhere close to Satanic despite its title
-Razorblade Romance- This came out in 1999 and holds the record of being the top bestseller in the band’s country of origin
-Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights- This came out in 2001 and is the band’s third piece of work
-Love Metal- As the title suggests, this is the groups most definitive piece of work and came out in 2003 with the heartagram symbol featured for the first time
-Dark Light- This 2005 release included elements of mythology and current religions
-Venus Doom- This 2007 release is widely regarded as the heaviest piece of work the band has produced
-Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice- This newest 2010 release is considered by Valo to be a cathartic, primal scream
With this long list of artistic creations, there is no doubt that HIM will be around for long on music store shelves and goth clothing prints. There’s no killing this pioneering music giant.
