by Alexandra Mrozowska
– Senior Columnist —
While thinking about the bands in the history of rock who eagerly utilize theatricality of performance to build their image and then end up accused of “style over substance” kind of thing, you may come up with such names as KISS, GWAR or Alice Cooper. But having to choose who’s a legitimate successor of the shock rock throne, Lordi is perhaps the first band name that comes to your mind – isn’t it? The Finnish all-monster group has created quite a buzz around them in 2006, when their breathtaking performance of “Hard Rock Hallelujah” on the Eurovision Song Contest showed people that a new and more edgy version of KISS was born. And if around that time you happened to be a misunderstood teenager your peers laughed at because you wore an acid-washed denim vest over a Twisted Sister t-shirt, Lordi were kind enough to prepare an acceptable visualization of your meticulously crafted revenge in the upcoming “Hard Rock Hallelujah” video off The Arockalypse album. Eight years later one has to admit still there’s no sign of the “arockalypse” coming, but perhaps a new Lordi album coming this fall may be thought of as a good start? Who knows! Released on AFM Records, the new effort of the Finns is called Scare Force One in the best wordplay tradition they’re known for.
Scare Force One starts with a sound of an explosion that develops into an eerie choir-laden intro “Arm Your Doors And Cross Check.” Is the further listening experience to prove you’d better treat the titled piece of advice – of some sorts – seriously? The next track – and the first track proper – starts with a deafening, gut-wrenching, eardrum-destroying yell “Are you ready…?” and from now on there’s no doubt about Lordi being back on track with the new album. A solid dose of meaty, modern-sounding metal riffs against wickedly melodic choruses of “Scare Force One” prove the band hasn’t evolved much from their earlier sound. What, perhaps, is more of an asset than a fault anyway – you’d rather not expect Lordi to ever abandon their larger-than-life shock rock roots and grotesque lyrical aesthetics, right? If your answer to this is “yes,” then you should be perfectly content with purely theoretical (let’s hope so!) advice of “How To Slice A Whore” as well as the track’s being laden with grinding guitars and pumping bass.
With its disturbing circus-esque interludes and its message, “Hell Sent In The Clowns” could have been labeled as the coulrophobiac’s worst nightmare – yet at the same time being a perfectly crafted, melodic and somewhat catchy (Lordi style) slice of modern rock. “House Of Ghosts” have more or less the same eerie, ominous vibe to it that may remind you of Lordi’s progenitor Alice Cooper’s grisly endeavors – and that will send shivers down your spine if listened to in the middle of the night, sitting alone in the room with your headphones on … it’s shock rock at its best, a ghoulish rock celebration led by the masters of ceremonies.
In spite of its quite modern and heavy sound, “Monster Is My Name” could have been an outtake of KISS’ Creatures Of The Night session, followed-up by “Cadaver Lover” that guarantees no rock scribe will ever ask Mr Lordi and his companions about their songwriting inspirations. Next is a short acoustic interlude entitled “Amen’s Lament To Ra II” – entirely instrumental and surprisingly mellow – before the spectacle continues with “Nailed With The Hammer Of Frankenstein”. It’s no wonder this particular track was chosen to promote the album as the first single – with its larger-than-life sound, fast riffs and huge choruses, not even to mention the “appropriate” lyrics, it’s the very quintessence of the band with the potential to top the success of now-forgotten “Hard Rock Hallelujah” that was their rocket to stardom back in 2006.
“The United Rocking Dead” is again a song that would have sounded appropriately on any of Alice Cooper’s albums. Or, one that wouldn’t have been a choice too odd as for a soundtrack to an adaptation of Stephen King-penned book. It’s a slow, monumental track much in vein of the ominous classics of Ozzy-fronted Black Sabbath. A keyboard-laden “She’s A Demon” gravitates towards slightly softer sound, making you imagine what would be the possible – and quite convincing – result if Lordi ever wandered off the beaten track towards more melodic rock-oriented spheres. “Hella’s Kitchen” is another interlude, a mixture of the voices and cries of children against sounds of a wicked music box – a perfect theme for a spooky Halloween party – preceding “Sir Mr Presideath Sir” that constitutes the album’s grand finale with its monstrous choruses and muscular riffs. And if you checked out the spoken part that is an epilogue to the album, you’re sure the title of the entire material wasn’t chosen accidentally…
Scare Force One’s title is most appropriate choice for some other reasons too, as the entire listening experience reminds one of a break-neck flight through heavy metal turbulence with no seat belt, no airsickness bag and real monsters in charge of an aircraft yoke. Or, even better perhaps, a roller-coaster ride down the haunted fair, where your clown-esque companions are more like Pennywise than a good old Bozo … thus, the album proves beyond any doubt the Finnish masked quintet returns in an excellent shape, still wonderfully grotesque and with a stock of theatrical shock rock gimmicks. But what counts the most is the fact that Lordi minus image still equals the great music (even though many a listener were rather disappointed with their previous endeavors). Scare Force One is therefore a generous slice of modern-day hard rock, heavy riffs and hooky choruses, equally convincing for the fans of the band’s theatricality as well as those who don’t look at the costumes and masks but simply dig Lordi’s sound, obviously influenced by the likes of Alice Cooper, Twisted Sister, GWAR or W.A.S.P. To sum up, the necessary in-flight announcement here is that a journey on board of a Scare Force One is a highly recommended one anyway.
Genre: Hard Rock, Metal
Band:
Mr. Lordi – vocals
Amen – guitars
Ox- bass
Hella – keyboards
Mana – drums
Track List:
1. SCG7: Arm Your Doors And Cross Check
2. Scare Force One
3. How To Slice A Whore
4. Hell Sent In The Clowns
5. House Of Ghosts
6. Monster Is My Name
7. Cadaver Lover
8. Amen’s Lament To Ra II
9. Nailed By The Hammer Of Frankenstein
10. The United Rocking Dead
11. She’s A Demon
12. Hella’s Kitchen
13. Sir Mr. Presideath Sir
Label: AFM Records
Website: www.lordi.fi
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10
