Lordi
To Beast or Not to Beast
AFM Records
2013
Lordi made the dream of every rocker/metalhead true back in 2006 when they won the Eurovision. A song contest mostly ruled by pop, easy-going and cheesy acts, was taken over by a bunch of beasts that were playing rock music. We all felt ecstatic at that time as we believed that Eurovison would eventually became a RockVision but it wasn’t long until those sissies who are in charge, managed to vanish every rock element outta of this Eurovision song contest. So be it, but who actually gives a damn about it nowadays?!
Lordi were never a super band. They had some nice, easy-listening tunes and that’s all. The may have become very known due to Eurovision but they never did more than that. There are two new members on board, the keyboardist Hella (replacing Awa) and drummer Mana (replacing Otus). The album was recorded at WireWorld Studio in Nashville, Tennessee with the famous producer Michael Wagener (Metallica, Megadeth, Ozzy, Skid Row, Dokken, Raven etc.). The great production cannot hide the album’s major drawback… which is the songwriting and Lordi haven’t got any better on this part over the years.
Thus, do not expect anything different from the previous works. Plain hard & heavy songs, with melodic refrains and OK performances. Nothing to impress us anymore or make us want for more. I think that “Hard Rock Hallelujah” is still the band’s finest and more commercial track to date. Nothing really stands out in this album. Some songs are moving in mediocrity at best, while others are truly poor and tedious. In a few words, “To Beast or Not to Beast” is ordinary, overdone, dull and uninteresting… but honestly I couldn’t expect for anything more.
Lordi were never a super band. They had some nice, easy-listening tunes and that’s all. The may have become very known due to Eurovision but they never did more than that. There are two new members on board, the keyboardist Hella (replacing Awa) and drummer Mana (replacing Otus). The album was recorded at WireWorld Studio in Nashville, Tennessee with the famous producer Michael Wagener (Metallica, Megadeth, Ozzy, Skid Row, Dokken, Raven etc.). The great production cannot hide the album’s major drawback… which is the songwriting and Lordi haven’t got any better on this part over the years.
Thus, do not expect anything different from the previous works. Plain hard & heavy songs, with melodic refrains and OK performances. Nothing to impress us anymore or make us want for more. I think that “Hard Rock Hallelujah” is still the band’s finest and more commercial track to date. Nothing really stands out in this album. Some songs are moving in mediocrity at best, while others are truly poor and tedious. In a few words, “To Beast or Not to Beast” is ordinary, overdone, dull and uninteresting… but honestly I couldn’t expect for anything more.