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Rock: HIM and Paradise Lost celebrate sinister melancholy in Mannheim's Rosegarden
An evening with the moody diva
by Dobromila Walasek
It's incredible how time flies by. HIM's first international Chart-Hit „Join me“ sounds as fresh as if it had come out only yesterday. But it was actually way back in 1999 that the five Finns, whose bandname stands for „His Infernal Majesty“, had their breakthrough. Thanks to intensive radio airplay they are still ubiquitously present. Currently they are touring for the new album „Venus Doom“.
Paradise Lost as strong support
Actually Paradise Lost don't deserve to be a mere support act, after all the Brits already belonged to the „Big Players“ of Doom and Death Metal in the early 90's and are considered to be pioneers of Gothic Rock. Now they are presenting themselves in Mannheim, almost obsessed with living up to their image, playing guitar with their legs wide apart and obligatory head-banging. The singer Nick Holmes is the exception. No big gestures from him, he could be pictured as the frontman of a Southern-Rock-Band from Alabama. All in all, Paradise Lost score with their experience and sophisticated sound.
The rosegarden is sold out. A sea of ritually dressed in black fans spreads over the venue while the stage gets quickly decorated: Oriental carpets, neon-colored lights, all enthroned by an oversized canvas with the cover of Venus Doom printed on. HIM are received with hysterical screams worth of a boygroup. Their sinister but melodic rock with a touch of gothic and metal – entitled „Love Metal“ by the band- comes along a little rougher this time, apparently they are returning to their musical roots.
Apart from that everything stays the same: Singer Ville Valo, wrapped up in a beanie and a black coat behaves like a moody diva as usual, staggers from the drums to the microphone and back again, allows himself a beer (?????) in between, ignores the smoking ban and lights himself one after another and „deconstructs“ his songs either when he involuntarily fails to strike the right note or when he makes fun of his singing on purpose.
Even if it doesn't seem to be, the show is professional, the musicians are focused and concentrated: HIM have grown up. Most impressive is drummer Mika Kristian Karppinen who's beating his furs like an animal gone wild. Guitarist Mikko Viljami Lindström, who has to play both rhythm and lead, manages to get out the maximum of his instrument with the help of several effect pedals.
Miserable Sound
The greatest disappointment is the sound. While it was still o.k. when Paradise Lost played, it's a disaster for HIM: Ville Valo's singing's drowning, the keyboard barely audible. „Sleepwalking past hope“, but also „Kiss of Dawn“ suffer the most from it.
At the end of the concert it really looks as if there would be no encore, still the fans fight by constantly applauding for five minutes and are finally rewarded. Like a true diva Ville leaves the stage with a short „Thank you“ after a 110 minute show.
Mannheimer Morgen
19. Februar 2008

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