H.I.M., (acronym of His Infernal Majesty) were born in Helsinki, Finland,
during the summer of 1995 when Ville Hermanni (voice), who worked as cashier
in the father’s sexyshop, decided to create a band togheter with his
best friends Mikko Paananen (Migé Amour, bass) and Mikko Lindström
(Lily Lazer, guitar). They needed two musicians, and finaly they chose Juhana
Tuomas Rantala (Pätka, drum) and Antto Melasniemi (keyboard).At the beginning, HIM used to give a show "HIM plays Type 0 Negative", where the band proposed some songs of Type 0 Negative.
HIM made their first EP "666 Ways To Love: Prologue" (it is avaiable only in Finland), it was the 1996 year and in it are container 4 songs.
Their style is very particolar and it can not be definited. The guys decided to call it LOVE METAL: a mix of metal, gothic, glam and pop, with lyrics which talk about love and death. But... Attention! Ville defines precisely thet they don’t tal about phisical death but it only concern with the end of something.
In 1997 it has beeb published their first real album: "Greatest Lovesong Vol. 666". This album contains nine tracks, seven of them were composed by Ville. Lily helped him for the songs "Our Diabolikal Rapture" and "For You". The remaining two songs are famous covers: "Wiked Game" by Chris Isaak and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. The album was sold well in Finland and Germany.
HIM opened the Sisters of Mercy's concert and received their 1st award.
Antto decided to leave the band and Juska Salminen (Zoltan Pluto) took his place. Also Pätkä chose another way and left his drum to Mikka Kristian Karppinen (Gas Lipstick).
On the 02nd of November 1999 the first single of the new album, "Join
Me In Death", collected an enourmous success. It was at the first
place in Germany, Finland, Greece, Poland... and it was selectioned as
sound track of the Roland Emmerich's cyber thriller, "The 13rd Floor".
HIM have became very famous, they have sold many cds and have recived
platinum, gold and silver discs, and they have been invited in many tv
shows.
The succes has grown from the twentyfour January 2000, when the album
"Razorblade Romance" has been sold in shops. It is produced
by John Fryer (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails).
The second European tounée, The Razorblade tour, made its debut
in Finland and then they went in all Europe. This was been a great year
until Zoltan left the band, after the new year eve's concert at the Tavastia
Klubi.
As new Keyboard operator, the band has found Jani Purttinen (Emerson Burton)
a friend of Ville and Migé.
On
May 2001 HIM supported The 69 Eyes in their concert at the Tavastia Klubi,
using an art name: Thulsa Doom.
In the same period of time Lily has published his album "The King
Of Rock'n'Roll", he created a his new band and we can see Lily singing
and Ville playing drums.
The first single of the new album "Deep Shadows And Brilliant Highlights",
"Pretending", followed the same way of his predecessors and
the same thing happened for the album, which went out on the 27 August
2001.The sound are less dark and more pop.
The album contains some songs produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Bon
Jovi), in collaboration with John Fryer ( Nine Inch Nails, White Zombie),
Randy Staub (Metallica, Bon Jovi) and Chris Lord-Alge (Tina Turner, Keith
Richards) for the technical parts. A new European tournée began
at the Rock Am Ring in Germany and ended on the 31st Dicembre with the
famous year's eve show at the Tavastia Klubi.
In the same time Gas was working with a parallel project called "Bend
Over".
In 2002 the band decided to take a break: no albums neither tournèe
until 2003!
But HIM gave anyway some concerts in Finland and UK. Then some dates were
added; they participated at some festivals and gave a concert in Mexico!
In October was published the offial biography: "Synnin Viemää".
It is written only in Finnish.
Around the end of the year HIM decided to sell their album "Razorblade
Romace" in the US, but they were threated of law persecution by another
band of the same name. This is the reason of the changement from HIM to
HER (Her Evil Royalty) until the situation was solved at the end of March
2003.
In the end of 2002 the video "Buried Alive By Love" (track of
the next album, sold from spring 2003) was filmed in Los Angeles and the
director is Bam Magera, member of the Jackass trasmission and fan and
friend of Ville.
2003: after the concert of Tavastia Klubi, HIM filmed the video "The
Funeral Of Hearts" in Laplanda. It was directed by Stefan Lindfors.
On the 6th March was born Lily and Manna's daughter.
On the 17th March went out the first single "The Funeral Of Hearts"
all around Europe (excepted UK). This song is from the album "Love
Metal" which was published on the 14th April.
HIM were invited to partecipate at the Day At The Border-Gods Of Metal
and the had to play before Marylin Manson; but, for unknown reasons ,
Marylin didn't play and HIM ended the show at their place. And then a
new tournée started and another single, "The Sacrament",
was published. Its video was directed by Bam Magera.