Lordi’s “Made Of Metal”: what does it mean to have a recognisable style?

Over the years, Eurovision launched the careers of many bands and solo acts. Undeniably, one of the most unconventional artists they featured was Lordi, the winner of 2006. To this day, Hard Rock Hallelujah, the song they played during the show, remains their most popular and recognisable track. The band regularly releases new music, with their last single, Made Of Metal, coming out on August 5th, 2024.

Made Of Metal is an intense, energetic song. Although released in collaboration with OnePlus, a phone company, and not as a part of an upcoming album, it didn’t disappoint. Even though the lyrics focus on how great the promoted smartphone is, it doesn’t feel like a soulless ad. With its noisy instrumentals and Mr. Lordi’s unique voice, it has the potential to become one of their iconic songs. In many ways, it’s the definition of Lordi. It's the band at its core. Since its creation in 1992, over 19 albums, the group’s style has barely changed. Lordi’s identity is built on their monstrous aesthetics, intricate costumes, and unforgettable music, but what exactly is the Lordi feel? What is it about their songs that make them feel so true to the band?

Throughout the years, Lordi’s most recognisable characteristic has been their costumes and overall aesthetic. The band built its popularity on the images of monsters, the apocalypse and hell. However, unlike many other metal bands, Lordi’s idea of “evil” isn’t connected to suffering. They sing about the freedom and power that comes from being bad, from nonconformity, from believing in Lordi. Their music never makes the listener think of pain. Instead, it makes them feel excited, ready to go with the flow and follow the compelling narrative of being one’s true self, even if it means being perceived as a monster. Many of Lordi’s songs, such as Made Of Metal (although the superior entity in this one is the OnePlus Nord 4 phone), but also Devil Is A Loser or, their biggest track, Hard Rock Hallelujah, provide a narrative of strength, of being better than the “non-believers”, being stronger than hell, having the power to do whatever one wishes. Lordi wouldn’t be the same without their lyricism, they wouldn’t be as beloved without the iconic lines. Lordi’s all about being a monster, about feeling empowered. What the groups talk about is intricately connected to their appearance, marketing, and instrumentals, all parts of the band are only able to exist in the way they do because of the way Lordi handles different topics in their songs.

However, the lyrics are not the most important part of the group’s music. At times, they’re inaudible, muffled by the aggressive instrumentals and screams of the vocalist. Is it Lordi’s music on its own that makes them so iconic then? Lordi’s songs are loud, and upbeat, characterised by frequent guitar solos, screeching screams, rowdy drums, suspense, catchy keyboards and an almost fantastical feel. All these have persisted through most of their releases, ever since Get Heavy to Made Of Metal. Even from the first notes of Lordi’s songs, a fan can tell it’s them and can already feel the members’ passion and energy. But what about songs like Magistra Nocte, Evilyn, or The Rebirth of The Countess? These tracks are much slower and quieter, they lack the energy most of their music has. What they don’t lack, however, is their integrity to Lordi. Even with songs that deviate from their usual, Lordi’s iconic sound never seems to falter.

Lordi’s members all contribute to the eccentricity of their music, but the band’s lineup is far from stable. A simple Google search shows us 13 names that were a part of Lordi at one point or another. However, the constant lineup changes never seemed to impact the style of the group’s music. There truly is no specific part of this group that makes them what they are, there is no one reason for their recognisable style. And maybe, that’s exactly what the Lordi sound is. The mixture of different people, experiences, tracks and circumstances, all coming together to form an unforgettable band? Lordi’s style is composed of so many different details at once, but even without any of them, Lordi is still Lordi. The group’s image is so strong that even if elements of it are missing in a specific release, their music is still recognisable purely due to how many things go into it, and how many different aspects of their music make them what they are. Listening to only a couple of Lordi songs still etches the band into the listener’s brain, the group is incredibly memorable and creates an immensely strong impression.

Although I’ve been praising Lordi’s style and the integral feel it has, is it a good thing for a band to have? Over the years, the group has released over 200 songs, all with a similar sound. To some people, listening to one Lordi song is knowing all Lordi songs. The band rarely experiments or explores new genres, they found their niche and stuck to it. Their style hasn’t changed over the years either. And not everyone is happy with that. Many people look for experimental music, artists that continuously bend genres and create something completely new. “People still care about Lordi?” is a sentiment many metal fans hold. Lordi is not a band for everyone, arguably, it’s not a band for many, but maybe that’s just the cost to pay for having such a striking style.

Lordi’s members are also affected by this particular approach to music. It’s easy to get burnt out after creating numerous similar-sounding songs. The topic of burnout is often brought up with the topic of Amen (Lordi’s guitarist of 25 years, who asked to leave the group in February of 2022). Although burnout was not the main reason for his departure from the band, it was definitely a part of it. 

So, what does it mean to have a recognisable style? Is there a single definition of it, one specific thing that creates it? In the case of Lordi, it’s a combination. It’s their memorable personas, a melodic, fantastical sound and witty lyrics. It’s their burnout and frequent lineup changes. It’s their loss of significance. Every band’s MO is an inherently messy appeal, the countless puzzle pieces that create their image, the songs that make you think of the essence of your favourite groups.