"We're exploring the similarities between recycling and horror. For example, zombies are recycled flesh and bones." Sweden has a new face in the war against household waste: heavy metal monster band Lordi

Mr Lordi at a table with a family eating food — (Image credit: Sascha Beetz)

I know what you're thinking and no - this isn't a late April Fool's joke, it's very real. It seems that Sweden has a new face in the war against waste - none other than Eurovision-conquering Finnish heavy metal monster band, Lordi!

The Swedish recycling organisation Pantamera has announced that Lordi will head up its campaign for 2026, with the Finns even releasing a special single to mark the occasion. The track, suitably titled Pantamera (Pan-Tah-Meh-RAH!), is a reimagined version of a classic folk song from Cuba originally written to celebrate Cuban culture and solidarity with its people. Again, I promise I'm not making this all up.

Luckily, Lordi frontman Mr Lordi is on hand to explain how this all ties together. “The Lordi version of Pantamera is exploring the similarities between recycling and horror in general," he states. "For example, Frankenstein monster and zombies are recycled flesh and bones."

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That settles that, then! Before I lose my mind, please watch the video below to confirm I'm not hallucinating this whole story.

Pantamera - LORDI - PAN-TAH-MEH-RAH Full version - YouTube

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Lordi gained worldwide popularity in 2006 after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in what was seen as a huge upset. In 2024, Mr Lordi suggested that he wasn't a fan of a lot of modern Eurovision singles, telling Metal Hammer that they all "go in one ear and out the other."

“Listen, I’m a product of listening to Kiss and Twisted Sister and the world has changed a lot since then," he said. "So to hear something that tickles my Twisted Sister bone, that’s rare nowadays."

He did, however, pay tribute to fellow Finns and Eurovision alumni Blind Channel, adding: “I’m not just saying this because they’re from Finland – they’re one of those bands that are alright. I dig the vibe and they’re super nice dudes."

Lordi, who deal in horror theatrics and delightfully grizzly song topics, first formed in 1992, and have nineteen studio albums to date. The most recent, Limited Deadition, was released in 2025.

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.

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