Artist: Lordi
Title: To Beast or Not to Beast
Genre: Hard Rock
Release Date: 1st March 2013
Label: AFM Records
Album Review
I’ll get the obvious and cheesy “good lordi!” gag out of the way now and move on. But it’s not entirely without purpose: let’s face it, 2006 Eurovision winners LORDI are all about the cliché and the pun. Just check their album titles: ‘Monsterican Dream’, ‘Scarchives, Zombilation’, ‘The Arockalypse’ and ‘Deadache’, for example, not to mention, of course, their latest offering, ‘To Beast or Not to Beast’. Then there’s the image: with obvious comparisons to spoof thrashers GWAR, they’re certainly not a band that take themselves too seriously, right? But then, it takes a certain amount of seriousness to keep the gag going as long as they have. The question is, how far can such a comic-book metal band really push that one-dimensional rock shtick? This fancy-dress mock-horror Finnish tribe have managed to push it for 17 years now, and have spread their penchant for pandemonium over 6 (proper) albums. But they’re surely having the last laugh, because whether or not serious rock fans take them seriously or not they’ve shifted shedloads of units and they’re managing to sustain a career out of this comedy rock thing.
‘To Beast or Not to Beast’ sees LORDI lumbering through familiar territory, already well-trodden by their idols and influences, TWISTED SISTER, ALICE COOPER, and of course KISS. The guitars attack on fast-paced opener ‘We’re Not Bad for the Kids (We’re Worse)’ and they still manage a monstrous terrace-chant chorus. There’s no shortage of chug and grunt: ‘I Luv Ugly’ draws elements of ALICE COOPER and MOTORHEAD with the sleaze of MÖTLEY CRÜE, and elsewhere, as on ‘The Riff’, synths are pitched to the fore bringing a more 80s hair rock feel to the sound. They lay on the horror-metal theatricals in abundance, too, as on ‘Candy for the Cannibal’ the puntastic glam-rock stomper ‘Happy New Fear’. There’s no questioning their knack for a crunching riff or colossal chorus, but... It’s hard to say whether or not there’s anything on a par with ‘Hard Rock Halleluja’ to be found on ‘To Beast or Not to Beast’. It wasn’t the song’s anthemic qualities that lodged the band in the minds of millions, and when the novelty’s worn off – and it very soon does – all you have is a fairly standard hard rock outfit. That’s not entirely a criticism, because they do a decent enough job of it. But ultimately, without the outfits, there’s little to differentiate them from the crowd.
Tracklist
01. We're Not Bad For The Kids (We're Worse)
02. I Luv Ugly
03. The Riff
04. Something Wicked This Way Comes
05. I'm The Best
06. Horrifiction
07. Happy New Fear
08. Schizo Doll
09. Candy For The Cannibal
10. Sincerely With Love
11. SCG6: Otus' Butcher Clinic
Line-up
Mr. Lordi – vocals
Amen – guitar
OX – bass
Mana – drums
Hella – keyboards
Website
http://www.lordi.fi/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 5
Sound: 7
Total: 6 / 10
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