Live-Metal.Net - Concert Reports - HIM/Bleeding Through

The new album Venus Doom, from Finnish “love metallers” HIM (review), is their heaviest and least pop release in some time. Of course, there's still that catchy songwriting the band is known for, but on this, their second date of their U.S. tour supporting it, how would the new material translate live? And what would the teenage school girls think of metalcore openers Bleeding Through?

Taking the stage of a 9:30 Club that was about half-capacity was Bleeding Through, still touring in support of their breakthrough album, The Truth (review). The band was coming off a high profile summer tour with Marilyn Manson and Slayer and their keyboardist, Marta, was deemed “one of the hottest chicks in metal” by Revolver magazine. More than a few jaws dropped when they unleashed their mosh pit-inducing breakdowns and blend of hardcore, punk and metal. I was with a few first timers to a metal show, and they abruptly backed into the corner when the circle pits erupted. Either the HIM crowd was somewhat into Bleeding Through or the band had more than a few of their own fanson hand. I suspect mostly the latter. This was an odd pairing, but it's something we're seeing more and more of these days, with bands and promoters trying to give fans unique packages. Bleeding Through ripped through a set, which for some reason was absent of new guitarist Jona Weinhofen. I never heard why he was not present.

Their set included staples like “For Love and Falling,” “Love in Slow Motion,” “Return to Sender” and “Love Lost in a Hail of Gunfire.” The highlight for me was “Return to Sender” with its machine gun-like breakdown and anthemic chorus of “We're hated/We're bleeding/We're loving /You're losing!” Frontman Brandan Schieppati sported a sleeveless vest and mohawk and even provided a little humor on the mic. He addressed the crowd and newbies in particular, by saying “most of you guys that came here with your girls just for HIM are hearing us for the first time and are like, 'Fuck yes!'" Marta's stage persona is more vampiric than “hottest chicks in metal,” thrashing her black hair about and mouthing the lyrics. I'm not sure how successful this tour will be for Bleeding Through, but if nothing else they are exposing their music to new ears.

I have seen HIM four times before, all at the height of their popularity, complete with Bam Margera in attendance for their Viva La Bam taping in Philadelphia. Now Bam's job seems to be about done with the band and they are seemingly on their own. This is good in a way for longtime fans, but the crowd was noticeably smaller, perhaps due to a decrease in promotion and hype over the new release and the band in general. Nevertheless, this was a new experience for me. Usually, I'm at shows with a bunch of drunken dudes and we're cutting up and having a ball. That's fun too, but HIM is--let's admit it--a “girly” band. I was here with my girlfriend, making it even more special, given HIM's style of love metal.

Vocalist Ville Valo reportedly went through a rehab stint months ago, but I'm not sure it worked. He seemed physically out of it at the start and his eyes looked like he'd either been awake for a week straight, or puffing the magic dragon on the tour bus. The good news is he seemed happy on stage (so happy it was bit creepy) and whatever was going on didn't effect his performance much. Valo resembles Brandon Lee of The Crow, especially now that he appears thinner than ever, with his hair about chin length. There was no elaborate stage show or pyro or anything like that. It was the usual, with Valo not leaving the mic stand, chain smoking and running through the band's hits, with a few surprises. Not much stage chatter either—no joking around or telling short stories like he's done in the past. He sported a purplish dress coat, only removing it toward the end of the set to reveal his tattooed-sleeved arms. Guitarist Linde, a.k.a. Daniel Lioneye, now sports dreads roughly four feet long. The rest of the band sounded tight.

Classics and live staples were in here in the form of “Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly,” “Poison Girl,” “Join Me in Death” and “Your Sweet 666.” The big surprise was “Sleepwalking Past Hope,” the excellent 10-minute-plus opus from Venus Doom. Their best performance was either “Kiss of Dawn,” the first single from Venus Doom or set closer “The Sacrament.” The band left the stage abruptly, and there was no encore.

I wish we'd get a little more action on stage, from Valo in particular, but that's not what HIM is about. The songs speak for themselves. I listen to all kinds of metal and music in general, and I am not at all ashamed to be a huge fan of HIM. Even the most depressed and saddest of souls can feel better after hearing Valo's lyrics of hopeless romance. Call me crazy, call me a wuss or whatever, but Venus Doom and this show reinvigorated my love for this band, my girl and rock music in general. I think that's what HIM and any live show should be all about.

HIM SET LIST: Passion's Killing Floor, Wings of a Butterfly, Buried Alive by Love, Wicked Game, Dead Lovers' Lane, Poison Girl, Killing Loneliness, The Kiss of Dawn, It's All Tears (Drown in This Love)/Bleed Well jam (instrumental jam), Join Me in Death, Soul on Fire, Sleepwalking Past Hope, Your Sweet 666, Vampire Heart, Right Here in My Arms, The Sacrament