HIM at Webster Hall's Grand Ballroom

Ville Valo

In 1991, several high school friends in Helsinki, Finland, formed a heavy rock band called His Infernal Majesty. In short time, the band abbreviated the name to HIM and became Finland's biggest rock act and musical export. HIM sold over 8 million records, including the best-selling single of any Finnish artist and five albums certified platinum in Finland. In 2006, HIM became the first Finnish band to have a gold album in the United States. HIM's current lineup consists of original members Ville Valo on vocals, Mikko "Linde" Lindström on guitar, and Mikko "Migé" Paananen on bass, with later members Janne "Emerson Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards and Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen on drums. Him released four re-mastered albums and a limited edition box set, Lashes to Ashes, Lust to Dust: A Vinyl Retrospective ’96-’03, on November 25, 2014.

HIM opened an eight-concert tour at Webster Hall's Grand Ballroom tonight, and performed a 22-song career retrospective. The large "heartogram" logo emblazoned on the amplifiers indicated both the sentimentality and metal edge of the band's make-up. Opening with the  dance beat and guitar riffs of 2003's "The Sacrament" and 1999's "Razorblade Kiss," HIM escorted metal far from its dangerous inclinations to explore and embrace its romantic potential, even as the vulnerable lyrics sometimes tasted the dark side. The band performed its anticipated better-known songs, including the foreboding sounding "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly" and "Killing Loneliness," but surprisingly included "Love's Requiem," which never before had been performed live. "This Fortress of Tears" and "Heartache Every Moment" had not been performed live since 2005, and "Bleed Well" and "Killing Loneliness" had not been performed live since 2010. Valo was a rather ordinary baritone and front person, but seemed authentically cut from a melancholic, suffering-soul composition. When Valo backed off, the band charged through heavy riffs and melodic leads. As if to show that the band was not all about heart-tugging sensitivity, the set closed with an encore cover of Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell," with Linde throwing his guitar to the fans at the end of the song. This kind of metal is not for everyone, but it did seem to be for a lot of people.

Visit HIM at www.heartagram.com.