HIM bring gothic charms to the O2

Long established as one of the world's biggest cult bands, 2010 sees the return of HIM with a new album and a tour arriving at Birmingham O2 Academy in March.

The gig, at the 02 Academy on Friday, March 19, will be preceded by the February 8 release of their new album, Screamworks: Love In Theory & Practice.

The new album is said to retains HIM's gothic atmosphere and brooding metallic romance while but placing a greater emphasis on the immediacy of the songs.

New titles include Love, The Hardest Way, In The Arms of Rain, Ode To Soltitude and In Venere Veritas. Produced by Matt Squire (Panic At The Disco, Taking Back Sunday), the album streamlines the quartet's finest attributes into their most accessible work to date and looks set to propel them into the mainstream.

The album will be preceded with the February 1st release of the new single Heartkiller.

Fronted by the charismatic Ville Valo, HIM have headlined the Give It A Name festival and been third on the bill to Black Sabbath and Velvet Revolver at Download. In addition, they also made a guest appearance with Metallica at a gargantuan Wembley Stadium show.

HIM were the first Finnish band to earn a Gold-certified album, Hand have hit the Top 20 of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic. The band have also enjoyed two UK top 10 hits in the shape of Solitary Man and Wings of a Butterfly, as well as a further four Top 30 hits.

• HIM play Birmingham 02 Academy on Friday, March 19, 2010.

• Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 27, priced at £20, plus booking fees.