Customer Reviews

Arockalypse (W/Dvd) (Spec)

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I stumbled across Lordi on DIVX Stage6. As an idealistic and therefore disenchanted Boomer, I'm an unlikely candidate for "death metal". However, Lordi presents a refreshing paradox. In spite of their peculiar subject matter, these folks crank the Marshall amps with such tongue-in-cheek zeal (and so many pyrotechnics) that I can't help but like them. Then, when I found myself humming "Who's Your Daddy?" and smiling in the middle of an otherwise annoying business meeting, I knew I had to buy a copy and rip it to MP3! How could I not support such joyfully in-my-face iconoclasm? When the CD arrived, I was delighted to find that a bonus video was also included. The video clips of Lordi making their way through Athens in full costume are absolutely precious! What a wonderful farce. Rock on!

When I first saw Lordi's "Hard Rock Hallelujah" video on music choice, I said the same thing everyone says: a goofy imitation of GWAR. Yes, GWAR is pretty goofy, but Lordi is what we might call MAD goofy. All goofiness aside, though, that song ended up growing on me and I can now call myself a bona fide Lordi fan, having bought the album and seen them at Ozzfest. The main difference between Lordi and GWAR is that you can actually listen to Lordi's songs. It's not just an "awful racket." Virtually every song on The Arockalypse is super catchy, memorable, anthemic, and extremely silly. I can honestly say that I enjoy every song on the album. My favorite is, of course, "Hard Rock Hallelujah," but other highlights include "The Deadite Girls Gone Wild," "It Snows In Hell," "Supermonstars," and "Would You Love A Monsterman."

One notable aspect of Lordi's music is their choice of subject matter, which covers a number of high-brow topics such as sexy zombies and chainsaw buffets. It's tough to fault them for it, though, since it's all done with tongue firmly in cheek. The bottom line is that, once you get over the whole costume thing, Lordi is as legit a band as any other. As many inebriated members of the Ozzfest audience so eloquently pointed out, they're not hardcore enough to be considered "real" metal any more. But that happens to be just fine by me, since "hardcore" is not exactly the first word I'd use to describe my tastes in music. Unfortunately, despite Lordi's user-friendly brand of metal, I don't think we'll be seeing much more of them here in the USA. Success for them in this country would involve rewinding the pop-cultural midset about 25 years (not that I'd mind, but it seems unlikely).

`Lordi' is the Finnish shock hard rock band probably known as the metal group that experienced the greatest popularity boom in recent history within the European market, literally becoming superstars overnight. Having established themselves as recording artists since 2002, the band was chosen to represent their home country in the annual European POP song contest `Eurovision' of 2006 (held in Athens, Greece that year). The band was set to perform the track `Hard Rock Halleluiah' from their latest at the time, 3rd album `The Arockalypse'. And it won! Most European countries voted in favour of `Lordi' placing them in the first position, with the rest following far behind.

Without doubt the 10th of May 2006 will be remembered as the metal celebration of the European metal community; and the track `Hard rock Halleluiah', as glorious as it sounds, perhaps was not all that amazing or, put more accurately, was not the strongest track on `The Arockalypse'.

`The Arockalypse' was perhaps the most 80s oriented hard rock album of 'Lordi' and despite the monstrous (yet catchy vocals) featured the biggest choruses than any other hard rock album of that year. Beyond that, the guitars are thick on the riffs and unexpectedly technical during the leads (including twin guitar melodies and shredding). In addition the keyboards add the very essence of 80s AOR to the album making the opening riffs so exciting and the choruses even more climactic. Finally the rhythm section is totally metal with a huge-as it deserves- production.

I have to admit that there are very few albums released in `00s that were as infectious as `The Arockalypse'. Summing the recipe of their success? big song openings straight to the point lyrics, mega choruses, at to that loads of melodic guitar and there it is!

Furthermore this special edition of the album including the original 12 songs plus re recorded versions of 3 of their older tracks is the REAL DEAL; NON STOP HARD ROCK HEAVEN absolutely no fillers allowed on this monumental album! And very honestly, to this day songs like `Good to be bad', `Who's your daddy', `Now it snows in Hell' and `Would you love a monsterman' are amongst my favourite hard rock tunes of all time.

A true monument of Hard Rock.


"Metal Hammer" Greek magazine (issue 259) marks this album with 7/10 commenting: "Old school 80s hard rock to the bone in the style of Kiss, Alice cooper, WASP and Twisted sister"

OK, I'm finally writing a review of Finnish rock & roll monsters Lordi's 3rd album (and US debut), "The Arockalypse"...one of the cooler album titles in recent memory.

I've had this album since it came out here in 2007, and I've dug it all along, but I REALLY love it now, ever since I put it on my iPod and for some reason, "Supermonstars (The Anthem Of The Phantoms)" kept coming up on shuffle and knocked my socks off...originally I would just play "Hard Rock Hallelujah", (the funny and tongue-in-cheek sexist) "Who's Your Daddy" and other assorted tracks, and the DVD, but "Supermonstars" just killed and I decided to listen from top to bottom...now, for me, Lordi rank among my other fave Finnish bands, ie HIM, Nightwish (and Tarja solo), the Rasmus, and even girlpowerpoppers TikTak.

What I love most about Lordi is their amazing powerpop sensibility, with hooks that hit you between the eyes (this somehow can only come from Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark & Iceland...Max Martin & Dr Luke would KILL to have hooks this good), combined with an 80s hard rock approach and over-the-top, tongue-firmly-in-cheek lyrics, plus hilarious and cool monster costumes.

However, I think Lordi's secret weapon is their female keyboard player & backup singer...her keys add color and musicality, and backup harmonies raise their tunes to a higher level.

The songs are so good on this record (and that hilarious intro featuring my friend Dee Snider...I had dinner with him and his family once in NYC, cool folks), that I am going to have to get the rest of their catalogue...their latest album "Deadache" (I'm interested in hearing their experimental phase), their 1st 2 albums, and their new 3CD "hits" collection "Zombilation" (cool title).

Lordi ROCKS!!!

It's obvious right from the second track that Lordi is deeply enriched in the power metal days of the 80's, spewing references to KISS, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Skid Row, and others, and devoted followers of horror films, particularly 80's slashers (they actually cover Alice Cooper's "He's Back", the theme somg to Friday the 13th Part 6).

The disc is chock-full of great riff material, and Mr. Lordi's unforgettable growl. All the songs handle blistering choruses with guitar solos (some from guest starts from KISS and Twisted Sister) and great keyboards, and they all handle the dark-lyrics-played-for-fun mold that have you SCREAMIN' the songs right along with them.

At first glance, I'm sure the majority of the crowd spots another GWAR, but that sells both acts short -- wheras Lordi focuses on horror and pyrotechnics, GWAR has always been rooted in perversity and the grotesque. Each do what they do gloriously, but are fairly uncomparable other than living in their make-up.

In closing, this CD is a great mix for those who love KISS, Judas Priest, and even GWAR, and if you've ever seen one of their videos or live performances, you know they bring the fun and electricity of these songs out ever greater!

The CD I ordered was great and the delivery was perfect timing. Ordering from Amazon is that easy and take advantage of the PayPal payment method.
On Arockalypse, the group Lordi rocks big time! I haven't heard a band like this for about 20 years and can't get enough of 'em!!! If you like KISS, Scorpion, Cinderella, ect., try listening to these guys! Total Rockage!!!!

Okay, maybe that's a little presumptuous of me to say, but it's with good reason. Every once in a while, a band comes along with the kind of music I never thought was possible. If Lordi's music was sub-par, I'd call them Gwar rip-offs without a second thought. These songs, however, are SO rocking, SO in your face, SO dripping with passion and intensity that the fact that they so brazenly adopted this (well)done-before monster theme (and no, I haven't forgotten about the guys who started it all: KISS) makes what could easily have been considered borderline plagiarism an all-the-more BALLSY statement. If you've been waiting eons for a rock band to kick your backside into next year and beyond, it is your duty to purchase this record right now.

Lordi's "The Arockalypse" rocks you from beginning to end. I can listen to this album many times and never get bored. Every song on it is great with a few true standouts that seal the deal. Lordi is having fun doing what they do, and you should have fun listening to them.

Personal picks:

The Deadite Girls Gone Wild
The Kids Who Wanna Play with The Dead
Hard Rock Hallelujah
Chainsaw Buffet

This special edition comes with a DVD that includes their promos before the Eurovision contest, a live show and some video clips. It worths to have it and enjoy it. The audio CD is good enough, worth of the Eurovision prize.

The DVD containing videos and a live show make this worth the money right from the word go.

If you have never heard these guys but remember them from the biggest ever eurovision win in history then this is a great place to start, if you do know them because you have the monster show CD/DVD then you know what you are in for.

Lordi are not breaking any new ground, they play by the numbers hard rock with a theatrical twist.

Whilst it has been done before, Lordi are the only ones doing it now and doing it well.

So if you are looking for music to save the environment with, forget it. If you wnt to have a good time with a band that knows what the spirit of hard rock is all about then The arockalypse is for you...

All together now... who's your daddy... buy it, you'll know what I mean.