After being rejoined by Mige, as well as keyboardist Antto Melasniemi and drummer Juhana "Pätkä" Rantala, the band, now called HIM, released its debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol.

In 2000, now with drummer Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen and keyboardist Juska Salminen, the band released Razorblade Romance, which reached the number one spot in Finland, Austria and Germany.

[10] Eventually they were signed to BMG by production manager Asko Kallonen, who was impressed by the band's cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game".

Recorded in only five days and produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa, the EP also featured Oskari "Oki" Kymäläinen on guitar, but he was fired from the group after allegedly having an affair with Pätkä's girlfriend.

[13] The band played a special album release show at the Tavastia Club on 19 October 1996, before starting a full tour, for which they recruited keyboardist Antto Melasniemi.

Due to the band's minimal studio experience, Hiilesmaa played a critical role in helping "build HIM's sound", for which Valo dubbed him the honorary sixth member of the group.

"[53] Blabbermouth.net, meanwhile, was more positive, stating that "in purely artistic and commercial terms [...] HIM have made the logical follow-up album to one of last year's highlights, and they continue to cement their reputation as one of the most unique and consistent rock acts around.

[56] As "HIM" was already owned by the drummer of a Chicago jazz fusion band of the same name, the Finnish HIM was renamed HER in the US, until a settlement was reached between the two parties, which allowed both to use the moniker.

[2] HIM's fourth studio album Love Metal was released on 11 April 2003,[64] and it reached the top five in four countries, peaking at number one in Finland and Germany.

[69] Love Metal was well received by critics, with Soundi giving it three out of five stars,[70] while AllMusic noted how "the songwriting is as strong as it has been in quite some time and a newly found sense of urgency keeps the record going at a well-tempered pace".

[83] On 17 January 2005, HIM performed at the Yhteinen ASIA benefit concert for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, along with The Rasmus, The 69 Eyes, Apocalyptica and Negative.

[100] In December, HIM expanded its annual New Year's Eve show into a three day festival called Helldone, named so after the group's booking agent Tiina Welldone and the city of Helsinki.

[114] On 14 September 2007, HIM released its sixth studio album Venus Doom,[115] which charted in the top ten in Finland, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

[137] Screamworks was mostly well received by critics, with Alternative Press describing it as "ultimately successful in its blending of melody and muscle", while Billboard felt it was "a mixed bag, but an appealingly bold one.

[143] Later that year, HIM began work on its eight studio album, but rehearsals were cut short when Gas Lipstick was diagnosed with a repetitive stress injury and nerve damage in his hands.

[148] In February 2013, HIM announced that its forthcoming album would be released through Razor & Tie in North America, Double Cross in the UK and Ireland, and Universal Music in Europe.

[155] Tears on Tape received mostly positive reviews, with Classic Rock calling it "a glorious return to form for one of the world's most peculiarly successful bands".

[161] In May 2014, the band was scheduled to perform in China for the first time, but the first show in Shanghai was cut short by local authorities, while the second in Beijing was cancelled altogether, due to bad weather conditions.

[173][174] In the announcement, Valo stated: "After quarter of a century [sic] of love and metal intertwined we sincerely feel HIM has run its unnatural course and adieus must be said in order to make way for sights, scents and sounds yet unexplored.

"[173] Valo later elaborated on the band's decision to call it quits, stating: "We got together and started playing some songs and thinking whats next [...] We felt like the new material wasn't taking flight.

"[176] A photo exhibition by Ville Juurikkala, titled HIM: Right Here in My Eyes, was held at the Helsinki Art Museum from 15 June to 3 July, featuring previously unseen photographs of the band preparing for its farewell tour.

[183][198][199] Some of the band's other influences include Paradise Lost, Anathema, My Dying Bride, Cathedral, Electric Wizard, Monster Magnet and Norwegian black metal.

"[201] Helsingin Sanomat felt HIM achieved "major crossover appeal" by combining "traditional Finnish melancholia" with "gothic lyrics, walls of metal guitars, and keyboard riffs.

[37][38][185] HIM continued to explore what critics perceived as a more commercial sound on its third album Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights, which was met with mixed reactions.

[98] According to Valo, 2007's Venus Doom was written with the intent of creating a much heavier and darker follow-up, influenced by the likes of My Dying Bride, Anathema and Paradise Lost.

Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights, meanwhile, took inspiration from Lou Reed, Patti Smith and late 1970s New York City art circles.

HIM's manager Seppo Vesterinen recalled how before HIM "the success of Finnish bands [..] was confined to pretty small circles, it wasn't a global phenomenon".

[202] Along with his songwriting,[220] a key component in HIM's success was Valo's image, which Helsingin Sanomat described as utilizing "the tried and true James Dean formula, wherein sensitivity and edginess combined.

"[226] Tavastia Club owner Juhani Merimaa noted how the band's credibility in both the underground and mainstream, along with "melodic, catchy and good songs", paved the way for HIM to achieve major success.

[228] Regarding Margera's involvement in HIM's success, Valo stated: "It wasn't about secret handshakes between managers, he was just a random fella who came a-knocking on our door [...] and that's how the friendship started.