According to my memory, I’ve been listening to the band HIM since sometime in early 2003 and have been fortunate enough to catch them in concert at least once per tour to our region since 2004. That being said I was greatly saddened to learn that drummer Gas Lipstick had decided to move on from the band after sitting in the drum chair for sixteen years. I’ve copied his official statement below this photo that I snapped at one of their shows back in 2010.
“With a heavy heart I’m announcing my departure from HIM, a magnificent band that I’ve been part of for the past 16 magical years. It has been a journey that I will remember for the rest of my life. There is no drama, bad blood or any negativity involved in my departure. I simply feel that it’s time for me to move on as a musician. I have noticed during the final stages of our last tour that my heart was not in it 100% anymore. Continue reading Drummer Gas Lipstick Has Left HIM!!→
Fans of the Finnish Melodic Metal sensations HIM will be excited that the band has announced a return to the USA and parts of South America that will begin in March of 2014. More on this after the poster.
Artist: HIM Title: “XX – Two Decades Of Love Metal” Label: The End Records Release Date: 10/26/2012 Genre: Gothic Metal/Hard Rock Rating: 4.5/5
It’s sure been a rollercoaster of music life for the last few years for the guys in HIM because after their “Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice” album, they parted ways with their longtime US label and pretty much seemed to disappear from peoples sights but never for a second in their fans musical hearts. I remember reading forum posts suggesting that HIM should at long last start their own label and while years ago that might have been grand, I felt the too rapidly shifting geography of the music industry would not have had room for this. That said I was very happy to find a new greatest hits compilation being released by The End Records, a label that I have enjoyed the output on for several years. This is the second such release in the bands discography and was different enough to be enjoyed for its content. Let’s examine it shall we. Continue reading “XX – Two Decades Of Love Metal” by HIM→
and they’ve immediately moved over to……..no one else!!!! Now that kind of news surprises me and hence has been included in this line of observations. I am kind of shocked because its not often that a band like H.I.M. makes such a drastic parting and doesn’t immediately roll over to another label of note based on their own status in the music world. I had been following them since around 2002-2003 and my own first foray into their sound came with “Razorblade Romance”.
I wasn’t even doing my music journalist stuff as a serious passion at this time but it would be soon after and I swore that this would be the kind of groups I would pay a lot of attention to. Solid and accessible despite no one in my circle of friends even knowing what they were all about at the time of my original recommending. Since becoming a writer in later part of 2003 I have watched the fan base for Ville Vallo and the rest of the guys in H.I.M. grow to a sizable force and to find them without a record label of note in 2011 was a pretty strange thing for me to see being the case.
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While I know a few labels pretty well after reviewing their wares and repertoire over the years I had to say that I didn’t feel as though some favorites like Nuclear Blast Records or Napalm Records were the best place for a band like H.I.M. – I also didn’t think Roadrunner Records or Metal Blade Records were suitable either based on the differences that they currently offer. Of course on one hand maybe RR would work since they have their Finnish countrymen Nightwish for a few years and have done right by them. Personally I think I would like to see H.I.M. land on Universal Music in some fashion. That might be the best home for their kind of Melodic Gothic Love Metal. Stay tuned to see what happens and let’s cross our fingers for everyone in H.I.M. – They are one of the most enjoyable providers I have seen over the years and I don’t want them to become a faded memory.
Artist: HIM Title: “Screamworks: Love In Theory and Practice” Label: Sire Records Release Date: 2/9/2010 Genre: Melodic Gothic Rock Rating: 4/5
“Screamworks: Love In Theory & Practice” is the seventh full length album by Finland’s HIM and while it’s the successor to the crunching sounds we found on “Venus Doom” there seems to be more of a relationship to the bands “Razorblade Romance” and “Love Metal” releases if one had to draw a quick musical comparison. “Screamworks” does maintain an original sound of its own but it is back to the melodic and catchy basics for the guys and that means there is a lot of tunes on the album that will have you singing along in no time and likely after only a couple of listens. It starts of strong with “In Venere Veritas” which bears a Latin name and if one is to trust the online searches for some translation is roughly seems to mean “In Sex, Truth” which leads you to believe that the premise of HIM’s material has not really changed all that much and this is a very good thing since they excel at tales of Love, Sex and Death when it comes down to it. I liked the flow of this tune and even its interesting little chanting segment in the middle. It grabs you and this is always important for an albums opener. “Scared To Death” is the second tune and it’s a warm and slower track that has a lush sounding chorus and one that I was humming before the song even ended. “Heartkiller” appears to be the main song that they are pushing from the album as its first single or “hit” so to speak and some folks had expressed concern about the song sounding too commercial for their liking and after hearing it a number of times I had to say that they should relax. It’s surely not a lame song in the normal commercial sense but it is a very easy to access song and just might be a number that brings more people into the bands listener base. Continue reading “Screamworks: Love In Theory and Practice” by HIM→
