Lordi - The Arockalypse

Lordi has been around for a while, but burst upon the international scene with their 2006 Eurovision victory. For those unfamiliar with Eurovision, it's a contest where artists from all over Europe perform and the viewers vote for the winners. It draws massive audiences in dozens of countries and Lordi won the most votes ever.

The Arockalypse has been out for quite a while in Europe and sold very well. Now Lordi is seeing if their success elsewhere can translate to sales in North America. They dress in masks like Gwar, and their music is melodic metal with a retro feel and a tongue in cheek attitude.

The songs on the album are fist in the air anthems with big hooks and singalong choruses. They are fun and upbeat with a definite Kiss and Alice Cooper influence. Vocalist Mr. Lordi has a raspy voice that adds a little edge to the eighties synths. Lordi has recruited several guests on the album, including Dee Snider and Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister, Bruce Kulick (Kiss) and Udo Dirkschneider (Udo).

The nearly 4 minute intro gets a little tedious, but once the music kicks in The Arockalypse is a lot of fun. You may not want to admit to your extreme metal friends that you're into Lordi, but it is a guilty pleasure that can be extremely addicting.