Linde Lindström
The Finnish guitarist whose melancholic, melodic riffs defined HIM's 'love metal' sound and propelled the band to unprecedented international success.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Finnish musician·Birthday: August 12·Generation X
Biography
Mikko 'Linde' Lindström is the quiet architect behind one of Finland's greatest musical exports. Picking up the guitar as a child, he found a kindred spirit in vocalist Ville Valo, and together they shaped HIM from a Helsinki project into a global phenomenon. Lindström's guitar work was the band's backbone—heavy enough to satisfy metal fans, yet infused with a haunting, melodic melancholy that gave the 'love metal' genre its emotional pull. His riffs on songs like 'Join Me in Death' and 'Wings of a Butterfly' were instantly recognizable, driving the band's gothic anthems. Preferring to let his music speak, he remained a relatively reserved figure on stage, a stark contrast to Valo's flamboyant frontmanship. After HIM's dissolution in 2017, he stepped back from the spotlight, his legacy secured as the guitarist who helped a Finnish band crack the American market and sell millions of records worldwide.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Linde was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Linde Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Linde's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As HIM's lead guitarist, he co-created the 'love metal' genre, blending gothic rock with melodic metal.
- Played on HIM's 'Dark Light' (2005), the first Finnish album to ever earn a gold record in the United States.
- Contributed to all eight of HIM's studio albums, which have sold over 10 million copies globally.
- His distinctive guitar tone and solos became a signature element of HIM's sound across multiple decades.
Did You Know?
He is left-handed but plays guitar right-handed.
He is a known fan of vintage cars and owns several classic American models.
He and Ville Valo originally played together in a band called Aurora before forming HIM.
He rarely gives interviews and is known for being very private.
“The riff comes first; it has to feel heavy and right.”
