Finnish HIM has been formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo, guitarist Mikko Lindström, and bassist Migé Amour. The band was originally called His Infernal Majesty, but they soon changed it to simply HIM.
HIM started out as a cover band, covering songs of artists such as KISS, Type O Negative, Danzig, Black Sabbath and Depeche Mode. After many line-up changes from 1991 to 1995, the band finally found the perfect line-up in the 2001 when Janne Johannes “Burton” Puurtinen (Keyboard) joined HIM’s project.
The first album 666 Ways to Love: Prologue was recorded at Finnvox studios in Helsinki and released in the 1996. Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 was the band’s first full-length studio album, released on November 20, 1997. Razorblade Romance (2000) their 3rd album with the famous song “Join Me In Death” and the popularity arise. Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights 2001; Songs like “Pretending” “In joy and sorrow” “Heartache every moment” have facilitated their gradual emergence into the mainstream.Love Metal 2003, in the same period of the realese of the album they conquered the popularity even in America. And Love Said No-The Greatest Hits 1997-2004, Dark Light 2005 became their full breakout in the United States. Venus Doom 2007 the sound of Him turned back time with this heaviest material.
Screamwork Love in theory and practice 2010 tracks:
1. In Venere Veritas
2. Scared To Death
3. Heartkiller
4. Dying Song
5. Disarm Me (With Your Loneliness)
6. Love, The Hardest Way
7. Katherine Wheel
8. In The Arms Of Rain
9. Ode To Solitude
10. Shatter Me With Hope
11. Acoustic Funeral (For Love In Limbo)
12. Like St. Valentine
13. The Foreboding Sense Of Impending Happiness
The latest Him’s Album “Screamwork – Love in theory and practice” is really different from previous Venus Doom. The sounds of Venus Doom was quite gloomy and heavy rock, instead Screamwork gets a gentle way to warm the HIM’s heart lovers.
In this package we can listen to the original sound of the HIM’songs and the acoustic version, that I appreciated a lot. Valo seems really romantic and he pours his heart out in songs like “Disarm me” “Dying Song” and “Shatter me with hope”.
At least in this album seems that the dark sound of HIM is a little bit desappeared. The heavy guitars of Venus Doom are swept away while the smooth melodies took place.
The Valo’s voice is always powerful and comunicative. In “Disarm Me” his voice is really colourful completed by strong chourus, which are often used to support all the sounds that are well combined.
Final vote is: 8/10.
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 