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.
666 Ways to Love: Prologue is an EP by Finnish band HIM, released in 1996, only in Finland. It was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa, and was recorded at Finnvox, MD, and Peacemakers, Helsinki. It is their first release after a demo in 1995. Only 1,000 copies were produced. The woman pictured on the front cover of the album is the mother of HIM's lead singer, Ville Valo. The EP was re-released for the first time, on vinyl, on 25 November 2014, in Lashes to Ashes, Lust to Dust: A Vinyl Retrospective '96–'03.
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.
"Wicked Game" is a song by American rock musician Chris Isaak, released from his third album, Heart Shaped World (1989). Released as a single in July 1989, it became a sleeper hit after being featured in the 1990 David Lynch film Wild at Heart, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern. Lee Chesnut, an Atlanta radio station music director who loved David Lynch films, began playing the song, and it quickly became an American top-10 hit in January 1991, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, the single became a number-one hit in Belgium and reached the top 10 in several other nations.
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.
Dark Light is the fifth studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. Released on 26 September 2005, HIM began recording the album in March 2005 at the Paramour Estate is Los Angeles with producer Tim Palmer, who had also mixed the band's previous album Love Metal. Dark Light also served as HIM's first worldwide release with Sire Records, with whom the band had signed with in September 2004. In Finland, however, the album was released under the band's own label Heartagram. Musically, Dark Light featured a more "polished" and "accessible" sound than previous albums, and was written as a cross between Black Sabbath and U2, also influenced by the work of composer Angelo Badalamenti.
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.
"The Sacrament" is a song by the Finnish band HIM, released in 2003. It is the sixth track and third single from the album Love Metal. The music video was directed by Bam Margera. The song was used over the end credits of the 2007 Japanese anime, Highlander: The Search for Vengeance.
"The Funeral of Hearts" is a song by the Finnish band HIM, released in 2003. It is the second track and first single from the album Love Metal. It is one of HIM's most popular songs and was usually used to close live shows. It was nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single.
"The Kiss of Dawn" is a song by Finnish band HIM. It is the fourth track from the band's sixth studio album Venus Doom (2007), and was released on 28 July 2007 as the album's lead single.
Janne Johannes Puurtinen, better known as Burton or Emerson Burton, is a Finnish musician. He is best known as the keyboardist of the Finnish gothic rock band HIM, with whom he has released six studio albums, and has gone on to become one of the most commercially successful Finnish bands of all time. Outside of HIM, Burton has performed and recorded with various bands, including Daniel Lioneye, Suburban Tribe and Torpedo.
Love Metal Archives Vol. 1 is a DVD compilation by Finnish band HIM, released in 2005 and featuring all the videos up until the And Love Said No: The Greatest Hits 1997-2004 compilation. This is the second DVD compilation released by HIM. The DVD is titled Love Metal as the last studio album before this was Love Metal.
The two volumes of Uneasy Listening are compilation albums by Finnish band HIM, initially issued separately, and then together.
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.
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.
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.
