LORDI – Killection
Album Review By Rainer Kerber
Since when the LORDI monsters have been around has not been finally clarified. The official founding year is 1992. The band became known through their victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. They showed all pop song dudes where the metal hammer hangs. So far, nine albums have been released. With “Killection” there is a small anniversary in the starting blocks. And this is not a normal album. It is a fictional compilation.
It contains songs that LORDI would have written between the early 70’s through the mid-90’s. The compilation contains one “brand new” song from 2019 as well, cause that’s somehow always typical for compilations.
At least that’s how band leader and singer Mr. Lordi explains it. Understood everything? So, let’s have a look, maybe it will be clearer.
In order to underpin the concept of an 80s compilation, announcements by the fictional radio station SCG 10 can be heard on the album. Do you need something like that? I don’t know. These four jingles at the beginning, end and in the middle have a playing time of just over six minutes, which you have to subtract from the length of the album. That leaves three quarters of an hour for the actual songs. And these are mostly Lordi-untypical in a retro look. The first regular song is “Horror For Hire”. After a short keyboard intro, the Finns really get going. Guitar riffs, rhythmic drumming and Mr. Lordi’s distinctive scratchy voice are the trademarks of this 80s rock anthem. With all trademarks of that time, guitar solos and keyboard carpets, this song could have been played at any rock party. Afterwards “Shake The Baby Silent” or “Like A Bee To The Honey” spread even more party mood. In the latter you can even hear a saxophone in proper style. “Blow My Fuse” is a blues rock song in the style of the early eighties. With typical guitar solo and waving Hammond organ. Lordi and disco fever? Is that possible? Yes, listen to “Zombimbo”. You feel like you are in a discotheque of the 70s, with balls of light above the dance floor and stroboscopes. Perhaps the monsters from the forests of Finland should rough up the European Song Contest again with this song. But that was just a quick trip into the pop subculture. Then there is again a classic hard rock anthem with “Up To No Good”, as well as the fun rocker “Cutterfly”. It’s also possible in Heavy Metal, as you can hear on “Evil”. These are Lordi as you actually got to know and love them.
Lordi has been polarizing fans for decades. Some love the Finns idolatrously, others can’t do anything with the music and shows. That won’t change with “Killection” either. The tenth album in the band’s history is probably the most varied and multifaceted work. In order to make the sounds of the respective epoch seem authentic, the individual songs were recorded in different recording studios. And Lordi also used original instruments from this period (Sax, Hammond). That was certainly very complex, but it was worth it in my opinion. Every song on the album has hit potential. The Finns will present the album live across Europe in February and March.
LORDI – I Dug A Hole In The Yard For You: https://youtu.be/AgE6vzKH2ws
Lineup:
Mr. Lordi – Vocals
Mr. Amen – Guitars
Mr. Hiisi – Bass
Mr. Mana – Drums
Ms. Hella – Keyboards
Label: AFM Records
Out: January 31st, 2020
Playing time: 52:40
Track list:
- Radio SCG 10
- Horror For Hire
- Shake The Baby Silent
- Like A Bee To The Honey
- Apollyon
- SCG10 The Last Hour
- Blow My Fuse
- I Dug A Hole In The Yard For You
- Zombimbo
- Up To No Good
- SCG10 Demonic Semitones
- Cutterfly
- Evil
- Scream Demon
- SCG10 I Am Here |
Rating : 8/10
MHF Magazine/Rainer Kerber
