Lordi – Killection (A Fictional Compilation Album)

7/10

Lordi has always been sort of an acquired taste, and simply not just for everyone. I guess few would argue their ability to write catchy hit tunes, but it takes a certain love for metal, pop and humour not to regard them as ridiculous kids metal. Therefore, I find them somewhat hard to review, and depending on my state of mind I can either be very fond of them, but sometimes also find them quite tiresome. Also, since their main heydays around 15 years ago, they have not maintained their album qualities. The albums have often felt a little thin under the plastic productions, and I just haven’t been keeping in track with them. Now, Killection has been rumoured to be their best album in years, so I dive in with a certain curiosity of what this band can add to the 2020’s. At first, I’m not quite sure, but then the hooks starts to stick and I get down with the groove badly!

The concept is about a fictional band called Monster Squad, and a radio DJ playing their greatest hits (hence the title), and the idea that the music is turning the listeners to monsters! To make it even more entertaining, the concept of a greatest hits album puts each song in certain time period and musical orientation, like the 80’s AOR tune Like The Bee To The Honey, with synthezisers and saxophone and everything, or disco inferno Zombimbo, which I Was Made For Loving You similarities I think Gene Simmons easily could sue them for. Still, some songs doesn’t stick that much out as a concept and just feel like another Lorid tune, which makes me feel they could have cut two or three songs from the album to make it a little more powerful. But when it really works and we get tunes like the 80’s metal hit song Shake The Baby Silent, the party is on!

If you really don’t like Lordi, this album probably won’t change your opinion. But if you are interested in checking this band out, this is a good start! Just be prepared for humour, hits and monsters! Also, I must say I absolutely love the spot on parody of classic metal and hard rock bands in the intro tune Radio SCG 10. That I recommend every metal fans to listen to, no matter how much they might despise the band otherwise!

Artist: Lordi
Title: Killection (A Fictional Compilation Album)
Label: AFM Records
Date of release: 31/1-20
Time: 52,39
Rating: 7/10
Standout track: Shake The Baby Silent