We’ve got ourselves a fun one everybody! Hailing from the metallic wonderland known as Finland, and they’ve actually managed to crawl their way into one of my lists before 2020 just 2 years prior. Longtime readers might known who I’m talking about, but for those who are fairly knew, I’m speaking of the B-movie monsters known as Lordi! Since the early 2000s, these devotees to all things KISS, Heavy Metal, and Hokey Horror have crafted records that are equal parts fun & frightening! Lordi’s outing in the beginning of this decade is no exception, but it might also be their most unique. So, sit down in from of the radio, turn on the nostalgia, and enjoy my review for Killection. Let’s begin!
Background
Taken from Wikipedia:
“On 27 September 2019, Lordi announced the title of their tenth album Killection. It was released on 31 January 2020, followed by a European tour titled "Killectour" in support of the album the same year. The band has said that this album is considered a 'fictional compilation' album and would contain songs you would normally hear in the early 1970s to mid-1990s. Their single from the album "Shake the Baby Silent", was released on 8 November 2019. Their second single off the album, "I Dug a Hole in the Yard for You", was released on 29 November 2019 along with a music video. The third single off the album, "Like a Bee to the Honey", was released on 17 January 2020.
It is the first album to feature Hiisi on bass guitar, following the departure of longtime member OX.”
Basic Description
A musical buffet.
There have been plenty of albums I’ve listened to over the years where I’ve said something along the lines of “Something For Everyone”, but Killection marks the first time that sentiment feels genuine! You’ve got mid-90s Rob Zombie-esque Industrial (More on that in a moment), early 90s Thrash Metal, 80s Pop-like tunes, and all the way to Disco & 70s Rock. There really is a surprising variety of musical styles on here, so if there something you don’t like, there is always something you will enjoy just around the corner. Coupled with the story that Lordi is telling in between the music (More on that below), and Killection is a really neat experience that you should listen to at least once!
Best Track
Shake The Baby Silent from the first moment I heard it made me become an instant fan. This was the mid-90s Industrial I mentioned above, and the Rob Zombie influences are apparent from the opening second. You got the weird sound effects, the groove-like instrumentation & keyboard, the nonsensical lyrics that non the less paint a picture you just can’t look away from, and the gruff vocal work from a being that sounds like some warlock alone in his lair. It might not have been the strongest song to begin previewing Killection, but it was the right song.
Shake The Baby Silent
The other aspect that I thought was a plus in Killection’s favor was the story. Peppered all throughout the album are segments from the in-universe radio station SGC, and as you’re listening to the record, you’re basically hearing the music that the radio DJ named Rockin Ruiz is playing for the listeners. Not only that, but he takes calls from some rather quirky people, and by the very end claims he has a record that’ll open up the gates of hell if it’s played.....but no spoilers!
Worst Track
Even though it says “A Fictional Compilation” on the front cover, Killection shares the exact same problem I have with almost every other compilation I’ve ever listened to. Mainly, the fact that the songs aren’t in chronological order. Even with the surprisingly structured story I talked about earlier, the music is seemingly thrown around haphazardly! I’m giving a little bit of slack though, as I think it was done this way because of the story they were telling. Still, it’s really annoying that things weren’t put into chronological order, as we could have a clearer picture of the band the record’s story was trying to convey.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
Killection (A Fictional Compilation)
Overall Impression & Rating
Killection is an embodiment of what a Fun album should be, and despite the annoying placement of the songs, it manages to be catchy to me still after all this time. Though I didn’t mention it above, I should briefly mention that this release did manage to inspire one of Lordi’s biggest project’s in their entire career....but that’ll have to be for another time. Regardless, this mish-mash of musical styles was a treat from start to finish, and you would have to be a lunatic to not enjoy this album!
Killection gets a 9 out of 10.
And that was my look at Killection. Wonky song order not withstanding, it managed to be an entertaining release for me in a year that kept me cooped up in my home for the massive majority of 2020. However, we didn’t have just monsters come out of Finland that year. A band that is all too familiar from the land of snow & salted licorice made a statement that year as well, so see you all towards the end of the month for a look at Turmion Katilot, but beforehand I’ll have my review for Katsucon 2025 up for you. Until then, take care!
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