Ville Hermanni Valo is a Finnish singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the gothic rock band HIM.
HIM was a Finnish gothic rock band from Helsinki. First formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo and bassist Mikko "Mige" Paananen under the name His Infernal Majesty, the band broke up after only a few years, only to be reformed in 1995 by Valo and guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström. After being rejoined by Mige, as well as keyboardist Antto Melasniemi and drummer Juhana "Pätkä" Rantala, the band, now called HIM, released its debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 in 1997. In 2000, now with drummer Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen and keyboardist Juska Salminen, the band released Razorblade Romance, which reached the number one spot in Finland, Austria and Germany. The first single "Join Me in Death" also charted at number one in Finland and Germany, eventually going platinum and gold, respectively. Following the addition of Janne "Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards, HIM released Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) and Love Metal (2003). Both cracked the top ten in several countries and allowed the band to tour in the United Kingdom and the United States for the first time.
Love Metal is the fourth studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. Released on 11 April 2003, HIM began recording demos for the album in northern spring 2002, after an exhausting touring cycle for their previous album, which nearly broke the band up. Excited and invigorated by the new material, HIM entered Finnvox Studios in September 2002 with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa, who had previously helmed the group's 1997 debut album. Musically Love Metal featured a more raw and organic sound, inspired by the band's early influences, which was also seen as a reaction to the difficulties they faced while recording their previous album. Vocalist Ville Valo has since described Love Metal as the album where HIM found their sound. Love Metal was also the band's first album to predominantly feature their logo, the Heartagram, on the cover, while the album's title was coined in the mid-nineties as a description for HIM's musical genre.
Razorblade Romance is the second studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM, recorded with producer John Fryer. HIM initially began recording the album with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa, who had helmed the group's 1997 debut album, however these sessions proved unsuccessful, and HIM parted ways with Hiilesmaa, and recruited Fryer. The band, along with Fryer, relocated to Rockfield Studios in Wales to begin recording, and released the album on 24 January 2000. Musically, the album featured a sleeker production and a more melodic sound compared to their debut. The album's lead single "Join Me in Death" would prove to be HIM's breakthrough single, reaching number one in Finland and Germany. The song also found its way on to the soundtrack of the 1999 science fiction film The Thirteenth Floor.
Mikko Henrik Julius Paananen, better known as Mige, is a Finnish musician, best known as the bassist and founding member of the gothic rock band HIM. Born to an artistic family, Mige attended the Sibelius Upper Secondary School of music and dance, when he first formed HIM with Ville Valo. The band broke up after Mige began his national military service, but they reformed in 1995. HIM would go on to release eight studio albums and become one of the most commercially successful Finnish bands of all time. The band announced their retirement in March 2017, and played their final show on New Year's Eve 2017.
Mikko Viljami "Linde" Lindström is a Finnish musician, best known as the guitarist for the gothic rock band HIM. Influenced by the likes of Black Sabbath and Steve Vai, Lindström began playing guitar at age ten, joining the band Aurora in his teenage years, where he met Ville Valo. In 1995, the two reformed Valo's previous band HIM, which would go on to release eight studio albums and become one of the most commercially successful Finnish bands of all time, and the first to receive a gold record in the United States. In 2017, the band announced their plans to retire following a farewell tour, and played their final show on New Year's Eve 2017.
Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 is the debut studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. The album was recorded in fifteen days during the summer of 1997 with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa, whom vocalist Ville Valo has credited as the honorary sixth member of the band due his help in honing the band's sound, and released on 3 November 1997. Musically Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 has been described as a combination of heavy metal and 1980s rock and goth, with lyrics centered around themes of love and death. The album also features the only writing credits from guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström in the band's history, and is their only album to feature keyboardist Antto Melasniemi and drummer Juhana "Pätkä" Rantala.
Kai "Hiili" Hiilesmaa is a Finnish record producer and musician. He is the vocalist of the rock band The Skreppers, former drummer of the doom metal band KYPCK and former keyboardist of the rock band Daniel Lioneye. He has worked with several internationally recognized rock groups, including his near 20-year association with Finnish band HIM.
Finnish gothic rock band HIM has released eight studio albums, one live album, eight compilation albums, one EP, twenty-eight singles, three video albums, and twenty-nine music videos. Formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo and bassist Mikko "Mige" Paananen under the name His Infernal Majesty, the band broke up in 1993, but was reformed in 1995 by Valo and guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström. After being rejoined by Mige, as well new additions keyboardist Antto Melasniemi, rhythm guitarist Oki and drummer Juhana "Pätkä" Rantala, the band, now called HIM, signed to BMG, and released the EP 666 Ways to Love: Prologue in 1996. The EP charted at number nine on the Finnish Singles Chart, and in 1997, the band, sans Oki, released their debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666, which was certified gold and later platinum in Finland. In 2000, now with drummer Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen and keyboardist Juska Salminen, the band released the album Razorblade Romance, which was certified double platinum in Finland, triple gold in Germany and gold in Austria. Its first single, "Join Me in Death", also charted at number-one in Finland and Germany, eventually going platinum in their home country and gold in Germany and Austria. Following the addition of Janne "Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards, HIM released Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights and Love Metal in 2001 and 2003 respectively. Both were certified platinum in Finland, as well as gold in Austria and Germany respectively.
Venus Doom is the sixth studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. The album was recorded at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki with producers Hiili Hiilesmaa and Tim Palmer, both whom had collaborated with the band on various occasions, and released on 14 September 2007. During the making of Venus Doom, HIM was struggling with the personal problems of their vocalist Ville Valo. Among other things, his alcohol abuse had worsened to the point that he suffered a nervous breakdown during the recording process, after which he was admitted to the Promises Rehabilitation Clinic in Malibu by HIM's manager Seppo Vesterinen. Musically the album has been described as HIM's heaviest and darkest album to date, with influences from bands such as My Dying Bride, Anathema and Paradise Lost. Much of the album's lyrical themes and heaviness were inspired by Valo's personal difficulties, including his break-up with fiancé Jonna Nygrén.
Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical-style Metallica tribute band, the band eventually adopted a neoclassical metal style without the use of conventional guitars and bass. They have sold over four million albums to date.
Azaghal is a Finnish black metal band, currently signed to Moribund Records. They were established in 1995.
Digital Versatile Doom: Live at the Orpheum Theatre XXXVII A.S. is a live double album by Finnish rock band HIM. The DVD was directed by Meiert Avis in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theater between 14 and 15 November 2007. The DVD features the live performance, as well as behind the scenes look at the show. Also featured on the DVD is the winner of HIM's biggest fans competition go to Seattle, Washington, to meet the band. A special edition was available for pre-order on 1 February 2008, which comes with a limited edition 6" X 4" hand-numbered flipbook limited to 3500 copies in North America and 500 in the UK. The imagery is from HIM's live performance of "Sleepwalking Past Hope" at that concert.
From Afar is the fourth studio album by Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum, released on 9 September 2009 on Spinefarm Records. It is the band's first album to feature keyboardist Emmi Silvennoinen. The album was produced by Nightwish producer Tero Kinnunen and Victory Songs producer Janne Joutsenniemi. It was mixed by HIM producer Hiili Hiilesmaa. The limited edition of the album includes a cover of Swedish folk rock group Nordman.
Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, Chapters 1–13 is the seventh studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. Released on 8 February 2010, the album was recorded at The Lair Studios and NRG Studios in Los Angeles with producer Matt Squire. Following his time in rehab, Screamworks was the first HIM album vocalist Ville Valo worked on completely sober. This resulted in the band rehearsing the material more than ever before, as Valo had set out to prove himself and the band following his new-found sobriety. Musically Screamworks featured a more accessible and straightforward sound than many of its predecessor, reminiscent of the music of the 1980s. Much of the album's material was inspired by Valo's relationship with an undisclosed partner, whom he referred to as his muse for the record.
Tears on Tape is the eighth and final studio album by Finnish rock band HIM, released 26 April 2013 in Finland, 29 April 2013 in Europe, and on 30 April 2013 in the US and Canada. It is produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa, and was recorded at Finnvox, MD and Peacemakers, Helsinki. It is their first release containing instrumentals. A deluxe edition was released containing a DVD with a live in studio performance of some of their greatest hits.
Lashes to Ashes, Lust to Dust: A Vinyl Retrospective '96–'03 is a vinyl box set as well as the second box set by Finnish rock band HIM. The box set contains the band's first four albums on 180-gram virgin vinyl in gatefold packaging and a USB drive with 37 bonus tracks, 80 tracks all together, all remastered. It was the last box set to be released by the band before their disbandment in 2017. The set also contains their first commercially released EP, 666 Ways to Love: Prologue.
Songs from the North I, II & III is the sixth studio album by Finnish doom metal band Swallow the Sun. It is a triple album and was released on 13 November 2015, via Century Media. Each disc is focused on a different facet of the band's style: Gloom is a more typical death/doom album, Beauty primarily acoustic and folksy, and Despair a funeral doom album; these disc titles are also a single song title on their second album, Ghosts of Loss. This is the last release with Aleksi Munter and Markus Jämsen, who quit Swallow the Sun in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Songs from the North I, II & III received a generally positive reception from critics.
Daniel Lioneye is a Finnish rock band formed by members of the band HIM. Originally consisting of guitarist and vocalist Mikko "Linde" Lindström, bassist Mikko "Mige" Paananen and drummer Ville Valo, the group released their debut album The King of Rock 'n Roll in 2001, the title track of which was later used as the theme to Bam Margera's Viva La Bam TV series.
Bang and Whimper 2017 – The Farewell Tour was a concert tour by the Finnish gothic rock band HIM. Originally formed in 1991, the band announced on 5 March 2017 their plans to disband following a farewell tour that same year. HIM had taken a break during 2016 but began work on new material at the end of the year. According to vocalist Ville Valo, the band felt their new material was lacking, and the band members eventually decided to disband while they were all still on good terms.
