Maximum Metal Rating Legend

LORDI - The Arockalypse - 2006 - The End Records

Track Listing1.SCG3 Special Report 2.Bringing Back The Balls To Rock 3.The Deadite Girls Gone Wild 4.The Kids Who Wanna Play With The Dead 5.It Snows In Hell 6.Who's Your Daddy? 7.Hard Rock Hallelujah 8.They Only Come Out At Night 9.The Chainsaw Buffet 10.Good To Be Bad 11.The Night Of The Loving Dead 12.Supermonstars (The Anthem Of The Phantoms)

Alas, we have here the true monsters of rock! Finland's LORDI are among the most fun and rockin' metal bands on the planet. I've heard them described as Europe's answer to GWAR. While on the surface that maybe a viable comparison, it certainly is not true in the songwriting department. Combining monster-based theatrics with sing-along anthemesque songs, LORDI are the antithesis of the stuffy, take-it-all-serious metal elitists. What can be guaranteed is that after giving this album a spin or two, you'll spend a little while trying to get these songs out of your head.

"Bringing Back The Balls To Rock" is an assault of those in the industry who have softened rock music to the point of near obsolescence. Songs like that need to be written, and they damn sure need to be heard by a wider audience. It has a near-SPINAL TAP vibe in it's humor, but contains a necessary message as well. "Hard Rock Hallelujah" has a very catchy hook. That chorus is like a cranial adhesive. The very same could be said for "Who's Your Daddy?" (And as to play spolier here, the answer is 'Satan's your daddy').

Again, musically, this band straddles the line between rock and metal. You could say it has the balls and volume of metal, but with a rock ethic. The band no doubt has etched itself the status of 'novelty act', but with that said, some of these songs are very solid. This album ranked #6 in my year end countdown in 2006. That has to mean something.



--DEATH METAL SHAWN 03.03.07