No ethnic background or anything, I just heard part of a HIM song on a skating video, and I just HAD to hear more, I just really liked there sound because there so distinct and different, so I started dowloading songs like MAD, and they became my favorite band.
And the other scandinavian bands I heard of through HIM, they all have a connection somehow.
I listen to HIM all the time, not really a whole lot of other scandinavian bands though, just HIM, one of my friends who skates got me into them, and you are right, there is a very distinctive sound to their music. I have 2 of their CD's an earlier one and I think the most recent one, razorblade romance, definately the best CD they have.