Lordi at A2 Concert Centre: Finnish metal, spectacular costumes and a monstrous aesthetic

LORDI will perform in Wrocław!

This hard-rock band formed in 1992 at the initiative of singer, lyricist and creator of extravagant costumes Tomi Putaansuu, who performs as Mr Lordi. From the outset, the group appeared publicly in outfits specially designed by their leader and inspired by horror films. Lordi was initially a solo project by this film-school graduate and professional make-up artist, a lover of horror and the camp aesthetic popularised by Kiss. The band members still take it very seriously and never appear publicly without their costumes, which they do not remove even at the swimming pool. Behind every outfit lies a story carefully prepared by the leader.

The world only heard of the band in 2002 when, after several years searching for a label, Lordi released their debut, “Get Heavy”. Its promotional single, “Would You Love a Monsterman”, climbed to the top of the Finnish charts. They then toured with the famous Nightwish, gaining legions of new European fans. The true turning point, however, was victory at the 51st Eurovision Song Contest in 2006. “Hard Rock Hallelujah” became the only song in the contest’s history to receive as many as 292 points.

To this day, Lordi’s performance is regarded as one of the most spectacular in Eurovision history, although the band members take that success with a certain detachment. Beneath the incredible costumes is one of the most accomplished and professional metal bands, forging new paths on the border between hard rock and death metal. Lordi’s style is utterly distinctive and evolves with each meticulously conceived and crafted album. For example, the debut “Get Heavy” and later “The Arockalypse” lean towards classic hard rock; subsequent recordings move towards heavier, more alternative sounds, before “To Beast Or Not To Beast” suddenly delivers classic heavy metal with remarkable ease.

The latest album, “Killection”, will surprise even the band’s most devoted fans. Mr Lordi decided to create a fictional greatest-hits compilation by a band existing in an alternative reality and active in the early seventies. Lordi are therefore boarding a time machine bound for hard rock’s beginnings, and it will certainly be a wild ride. According to official announcements, the tour, which includes the Wrocław performance, promises new ideas, new costumes and a new bassist replacing Mr OX, dressed as a bull-man. Audience favourite Amen will still be there, appearing in a mummy costume inspired by a fictional pharaoh reborn centuries later as a guitar virtuoso. Amen was one of the most original stars of last year’s Guitar Guinness World Record in Wrocław.

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