HIM - "In Joy and Sorrow"

HIM is a band that I have adored from the first time I heard their "Razorblade Romance" album when I was in college.  Their lyrics spoke to me in ways that a lot of other artists couldn't at the time.  While my musical tastes have continued to expand and evolve, HIM has remained one of my all-time favorites.


HIM came into the hard rock scene back in the late 90's.  While other bands from their native country, Finland, and the surrounding Scandinavian nations were focusing on the darker, Black Metal themes, Ville Vallo, Mikko Lindström, Mikko Paananen, Juha Tarvonen, and Juippi went in a more gothic direction, focusing their lyrics and music around various definitions of love: love gained, love lost, love hurts, etc.  This is why Ville stated that he considers their music to be "Love Metal," which late became the title of one of their albums.


Of all of HIM's albums, "Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights" has been my favorite.  The album has a theme of a lost or forbidden love that Ville laments about throughout.  Songs like "Salt in our Wounds," Heartache Every Moment," and "Please Don't Let it Go" are heartfelt songs crying out for another chance at love.  One song in particular has always stood out to me as meaningful. "In Joy and Sorrow" is, on the surface, another song about a lost love.  "In joy and sorrow, my home is in your arms.  In world so hollow, it's breaking my heart" is a chorus that says, "I want to be with you in the good and bad times, but being apart is killing me."  


Where I feel the song has a deeper meaning, at least to me, are the verses. "Oh girl, we are the same. We are strong, so blessed, and so brave.  With souls to be saved and faith regained, all our tears wipe away."  To me, this verse says that love can carry us through anything.  It can pick us up from the hard times and encourage us to continue in the relationship.  Just being with each other can wipe away all sadness.


Beyond the lyrics, it is Ville's passion that echo's through each word that touches my heart.  Ville has a way of vocalizing his lyrics that make you feel exactly what he feels.  Whether it is hurt or joy, Ville clearly communicates his feelings with the world.  There have been a lot of troubled relationships and various demons in Ville's life and he uses his music as his outlet.  In more recent times, Ville hit rock bottom with his struggle with alcohol and has since become sober.  His new outlook on life led to their most recent album "Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice" which reflects Ville's life in many ways.


To check out the video for the song, please click the title above.