If there is one band from the beautiful city of Helsinki that often defies the labels slapped on bands, then it must be HIM. Music industry critics have labeled the band’s music from the sub-genres of rock like Gothic rock, alternative rock and hard rock and of metal like Gothic metal, alternative metal and doom metal. There have been too many names but one thing is true, only the band members and propecia blood pressure their fans can decide what to label their music.

Genre and Symbol

It just so happens that the label most commonly used to refer to HIM’s musical style is love metal. This is often characterized as a fusion of heavy metal, Gothic melodies, rock, pop and glam, which is generally credited as the creation of the group’s lead singer, Ville Valo.

In accordance with its name, the so-called heartagram represents the band as well as the musical genre. Because of its wide popularity, Valo Brand Viagra once remarked that the band is now better known for its symbol than its music.

Band History

The group started as His Infernal Majesty. It was only during the Wicked Game single in 1998 that the band officially changed its name to HIM. As such, the Finnish love metal band is not to be confused with other bands like the Canadian trash metal band Infernal Majesty, the American post-rock band HiM and the contemporary Christian group 4Him.

Incidentally, the band bought the rights to the name from HiM and has since used it in their worldwide tours and albums. Previously, they used the name HER for Razorblade Romance, which was their sophomore album, as well as HIM and HER during tours in Europe.

Just like any rock band, the group has had its share of musical chairs amongst its members. At present, the band is composed of Ville Valo on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Mikko Lindstrom on lead and acoustic guitar; Mikko Paananen on bass guitar and backing vocals; Mika Karppinen on drums and percussion; and Janne Puurtinen on keyboard and backing vocals. The former members included Juippi, Juha Tarvonen and Juhana Tuomas Rantala on drums and percussion; Antto Melasniemi, Sergei Ovalov and Jussi-Mikko Salminen on keyboards; and Oki on guitar.

Studio Albums Released

To date, the band has released 7 studio HIM albums, 1 live album, 6 compilation albums, 1 extended play, 22 singles, 4 video albums and 23 music videos. Indeed, this is a band that does not shy away from creativity, technology and new markets in its two decades in the music industry.

* Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 (1997)- Contrary to its title, this is not meant to be Satanic
* Razorblade Romance (1999)- It has the distinction of being the all-time bestseller album in Finnish music history
* Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001)- This is the current band member’s debut effort although it is the third under the HIM label
* Love Metal (2003)- Widely considered as the band’s most definitive work, it features the heartagram logo for the first time
* Dark Light (2005)- This was inspired by ancient mythologies and modern religions
* Venus Doom (2007)- It has the heaviest metal sound of the band at present
* Screamworks: Love in Theory and cialis cheap Practice (2010)- Valo describes the album as a cathartic, primal scream

We can expect many more from the band that pioneered love metal. And that’s what we love about HIM.

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Category: Music
Keywords: HIM,HIM albums,HIM album,His Infernal Majesty