HIM[HIS INFERNAL MAJESTY]

HIM's genre is debated in some circles; on their album, Deep Shadows & Brilliant Highlights, it says their genre is "alternative" but their musical style is also often referred to as "love metal" by Valo and by the group's fans. Valo has stated that the band started as a "Black Sabbath tribute band of sorts". Valo also stated in an interview on the Love Metal Archives Vol. I DVD, that he was fed up with journalists and interviewers asking him (Valo), and the rest of the band what the genre of HIM was. He said in answer to that question that they were "love metal" (which was also the name of their 2003 album). Critics have referred to them as gothic rock,gothic metal,dark rock, alternative rock, alternative metal, heavy metal and pop rock. HIM are a Finnish rock band from Helsinki. Formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo, guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström, and bassist Mikko "Migé" Paananen, Janne "Emerson Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards and Mika Karppinen on drums.