HiM

Hailing from Helsinki, Finland and crafting a mix of metal, goth and hard rock they called "love metal," H.I.M. -- known early on as His Infernal Majesty -- was founded in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo, guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström, and bassist Mikko "Migé" Paananen. During the band's early years, they released two demos, 1992's unreleased Witches and Other Night Fears, and an untitled 1995 tape that fans christened This Is Only the Beginning; that year, the band also added drummer Juhana Tuomas Rantala to the fold. After signing a record contract with BMG, their first offi...