Review Summary: Lordi's spooky fourth album dismembers Scooby and Shaggy, decapitates Fred and Velma, and violently bones Daphne in the eye sockets.
Chances are, you think Lordi sucks ass. That doesn't matter, because Lordi rocks. While America continues to flush its rock and roll legacy down the toilet with Nickelback, Hinder and Theory Of A Deadman, While Alice Cooper colaborates with Ke$ha, and Dio (Devil rest his soul) rots in the earth, Lordi keeps the Hard rock dream alive and spooky.
Deadache is an A1 example of just how rocking and spooky Lordi can be. The anthems hit with the impact of Annie Wilkes's sledgehammer, the ballads soar on Dracula's leather wings, and a pervading sense of gloom drapes the album like so many cobwebs in Ma Bate's fruit cellar.
Anyone unfamilliar with Lordi beyond their victory at 2006's Eurovision competition will probably only know them by their game-winning single, "Hard Rock Hallelujah". Forget that song, because it is completely destroyed by Deadache's lead single, 'Bite It Like A Bulldog'. This song has balls that scrape the floorboards, barely avoiding the grasp of that cellar witch from Evil Dead 2. Like any Lordi song, 'Bite It Like A Bulldog' relies heavily on it's chorus/melody. The difference here is a heavy, thudding bassline that transforms the track from merely catchy to addictive. The lyrics also are above Mr.Lordi's usual standard as well, and the vocal melody is tighter than the bolts on Frankenstein's monster.
The album progresses nicely from here at a cheerfully creepy pace, from the rediculously catchy 'Manskin Boots' to the infectious opening riff of 'Dr.Sin is in'. There's an awesome atmospheric interlude ( Rebirth of The Countess) and a whole song that's built upon a sample from PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ( Devil Hides Behind Her Smile). Rumour has it that Andrew Lloyd Webber protested the use of the sample - and was promptly castrated by Mr. Lordi.
But best of all is the title track. Sweet mother of Linda Blair, wait til you hear the title track. 'Deadache' is hands down the best thing Lordi have ever recorded, with a keyboard melody any songwriter would kill for (And Lordi probably did). This track walks the line somewhere between anthem and ballad, and sort of achieves a bit of both. Amen, Ox and Kita (guitar, bass and drums) keep things low key without becoming a drag, providing a perfect bridge to the reprises of the orgasmic keyboard part. And most importantly, Mr.Lordi cooks up another campfire nasty, this time dealing with Ed Gein / Norman Bates.
Deadache is the crown jewel in the crown of a band that transcends what is ‘cool’ and what is ‘current’ to achieve what is truly spooky. Countless bands build their image upon the horror genre, but none will surpass Lordi. Why? Because Lordi are MONSTERS, Motherf**kers! Lordi are SPOOKY! And if you ain’t spooky, you’re nothing.
