Lordi

Lordi is a Finnish hard rock and heavy metal band that became internationally known after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006. The group was formed in 1992 in Rovaniemi, Finland, by singer and costume designer Tomi Petteri Putaansuu, who performs under the stage name Mr. Lordi. From the beginning, the band stood out for their elaborate monster costumes, horror-themed lyrics, and theatrical stage shows inspired by bands like Kiss, Alice Cooper, and Twisted Sister.

Mr. Lordi originally created Lordi as a solo project, producing music and designing the monster characters himself. In 1996, Lordi began to evolve into a full band when guitarist Amen joined. The lineup was completed by the early 2000s with bassist Kalma, drummer Kita, and keyboardist Enary. In 2002, Lordi released their debut album Get Heavy. The album included the single Would You Love a Monsterman?, which became a hit in Finland and marked the band’s breakthrough in their home country.

In 2004, Lordi released their second album, The Monsterican Dream. That year saw the departure of keyboardist Enary and bassist Kalma, who were replaced by Awa and OX, respectively. In 2006, Lordi achieved international fame when they represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Hard Rock Hallelujah. They won the contest with a record-breaking score at the time, becoming the first and only hard rock band to win Eurovision. This moment brought Lordi to the attention of a wider audience across Europe.

Following their Eurovision victory, Lordi released The Arockalypse in 2006, which included several guest appearances by famous rock musicians. In the years that followed, the band toured extensively in Europe and released new albums almost every two years. In 2008, they released Deadache, followed by Babez for Breakfast in 2010. Both albums continued the band’s tradition of horror-inspired lyrics and energetic hard rock.

The early 2010s brought several changes to the band’s lineup. In 2010, drummer Kita left and was replaced by Otus. Tragically, Otus passed away in 2012, and the band brought in a new drummer named Mana. Around the same time, Awa left the band and was replaced by Hella on keyboards. These changes were reflected in their 2013 album To Beast or Not to Beast.

In 2014, Lordi released Scare Force One, followed by Monstereophonic (Theaterror vs. Demonarchy) in 2016. The latter included a more experimental second half with a progressive rock concept. In 2018, the band released Sexorcism, which was one of their most provocative albums, followed in 2020 by Killection, a fictional compilation album from a parallel universe, in which Lordi had been active since the 1970s.

In 2021, the band released an ambitious box set titled Lordiversity. It contained seven full albums, each in a different musical style and fictional decade, from disco to thrash metal. This project showcased Lordi’s ability to combine theatrics with a wide range of musical styles, while still remaining true to their monster identity.

In 2022, Lordi released a new album called Screem Writers Guild, which leaned into cinematic horror themes. Around this time, bassist OX announced his departure from the band after nearly twenty years. In 2023, Lordi introduced a new bassist named Hiisi. The band continued touring and recording, with Mr. Lordi remaining the constant creative force behind the music, costumes, and visuals.