Premiere\\ LORDI: 'The Riff' Video Released

"The Riff", the new video from Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's new album, "To Beast Or Not To Beast", which will be released on March 1 in Europe (excluding Finland) via AFM Records. The CD will be made available in North America on March 19 through The End Records.

"The Riff" was issued as as single on February 9. You can see the official lyric video for the song below.

"To Beast Or Not To Beast" was recorded last fall at WireWorld Studio in Nashville, Tennessee with renowned producer Michael Wagener (METALLICA, OZZY OSBOURNE, SKID ROW, DOKKEN, RAVEN, MEGADETH). The CD marks the recording debut of LORDI's new members, keyboardist Hella (replacing Awa) and drummer Mana (replacing Otus).

"The road to this album has truly been paved by hardships," LORDI leader Mr. Lordi says. "However, the new lineup of the band has given us new and fresh touch and an energetic edge to the recording process, and to the album itself."

He added: "The album cover painting is actually a part of a larger picture. The original artwork had this vintage-styled lady holding a horned skull, which, however, was not the main point of the art piece. There was something not quite right with the setting, so I made experiments with various versions and framings. Album title was 'Upgradead' at that point in time, and the painting was done with that title in mind. But now, with a changed concept of the artwork, the title did not seem to fit anymore. We did not consider it an A-class name either. Our guitarist Amen came up with the final title, which we felt suitable and perfect both for the cover artwork and the album."

"To Beast Or Not To Beast" track listing:

01. We're Not Bad For The Kids (We're Worse)
02. I Luv Ugly
03. The Riff
04. Something Wicked This Way Comes
05. I'm The Best
06. Horrifiction
07. Happy New Fear
08. Schizo Doll
09. Candy For The Cannibal
10. Sincerely With Love
11. SCG6: Otus' Butcher Clinic

LORDI previously worked with Wagener on 2010's "Babez For Breakfast", which sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 43 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Luto\\ LORDI Mourns Drummer's Death

Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI have released the following statement:

"Our dear friend and bandmate, 'Otus' Tonmi Lillman, has sadly passed away [at the age of 38]. He will be greatly missed and we send our condolences to his family and friends.

"Otus: we thank You from the bottom of our hearts for the short time we got to know you and spend with you together. Rest in peace, friend."

Members of LORDI always wear masks at interviews and have declared their desire for their personal identities to remain private. Therefore, Lillman's status as a member of LORDI had never been publicly acknowledged until now.

Lillman joined LORDI in October 2010 as the replacement for Kita, who was fired from the band after he "made a decision to pursue his own career publicly as himself [under his real name], without his alter ego Kita." LORDI explained at the time that revealing a member's true identity was "in direct conflict with one of the cornerstones of LORDI's image. Therefore it is not possible for [Kita] to continue as a member of the band anymore."

In addition to LORDI, Tonmi previously played with TO/DIE/FOR, SINERGY and AJATTARA, and was part of the parody punk band KYLÄHULLUT (featuring CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho and KLAMYDIA vocalist Vesku Jokinen).

Tonmi, who was actually born Tommi Lillman but changed his name to Tomni in 2004, grew up surrounded by a large assortment of instruments. He received his first drum kit at age nine and started performing live at age 14.

A gifted musician, Lillman also played guitar, bass and keyboards. Over the course of his career, he taught digital recording and drums at Kouvola Musiikkiopisto (Kouvola Conservatoire) and played in numerous folk, dance and pop orchestras. He also sat behind the kit during the "Dimebag Beyond Forever" 2009 tour alongside Rainer "Raikku" Tuomikanto.

Lillman was featured on several albums as a studio musician, including REFLEXION and TWILIGHT OPHERA, and made a name for himself as a studio engineer, having mixed and recorded such bands as BEHERIT, LIE IN RUINS, MYGRAIN, RYTMIHÄIRIÖ and SAATTUE.

Rocknews\\ Lordi: boas vendas de "This is Heavy Metal" nos EUA

"Babez For Breakfast", o quinto álbum de estúdio da banda finlandesa LORDI, vendeu aproximadamente 1,000 cópias nos Estado Unidos na primeira semana de lançamento, chegando ao nº43 da lista Top New Artists Albums (Heatseekers), que lista os melhores álbuns de novos artistas, bem como aqueles em desenvolvimento, caracterizados como os que nunca apareceram na lista Top 100 do Billboard 200.

"Babez For Breakfast" foi lançado no dia 14 de setembro nos EUA, dia 15 de setembro na Europa e será lançado dia 17 de outubro no Japão.

As faixas "Babez For Breakfast" são:

01. SCG5: It's A Boy! (1:21)
02. Babez For Breakfast (3:29)
03. This Is Heavy Metal (2:59)
04. Rock Police (3:57)
05. Discoevil (3:49)
06. Call Off The Wedding (3:31)
07. I Am Bigger Than You (3:04)
08. ZombieRawkMachine (3:42)
09. Midnite Lover (3:20)
10. Give Your Life For Rock And Roll (3:54)
11. Nonstop Nite (3:56)
12. Amen's Lament To Ra (0:32)
13. Loud And Loaded (3:15)
14. Granny's Gone Crazy (3:55)
15. Devil's Lullaby (3:42)

Premiere\\ LORDI: 'This Is Heavy Metal' Video Released

"This Is Heavy Metal", the new video from Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI, can be viewed below. A higher-quality version of the clip is available at Metal-Hammer.de.

"This Is Heavy Metal", the first single from LORDI's upcoming fifth studio album, "Babez For Breakfast", is available for just .69¢ through all digital providers, including The Omega Order, and features cover art created by LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi.

"I wanted to paint a picture which at the same time crystallizes something of the essence that is of '80s metal and also as pays a visual tribute to many of our own idols of that era," commented Mr. Lordi. "So, to be able to fit them all in, I created a Frankenstein monster made out of bits and pieces of members of TWISTED SISTER, KISS, W.A.S.P. and ALICE COOPER, to name only a few."

He continued, "The song itself is written in the same train of thought and appreciation. I wanted to write a song that is heavy metal according to LORDI. The riff should sound familiar from the first second you hear it and you should be able to sing along the chorus already when it comes out the second time.

"Most of our favorite bands come from the U.S., with only few exceptions.

"Someone once said that LORDI must be the most American band in Finland. I think that is quite correct.

"The whole concept of our band, both musically and visually, is heavily influenced by American pop culture, comics, horror films and music."