Finland's Lordi monster hit at Eurovision

Finnish metal band Lordi, who perform in monster masks and suits of armour,are thesurprise winners of the Eurovision Song Contest .

It was a stunning upset for a competition that is usually associated with upbeat pop sounds or bland dance music.

Lordi calls itself a "horror rock" band and its song, Hard Rock Hallelujah, is a screaming blend of apocalyptic lyrics and crunching guitar sounds.

The band's frontman, Mr. Lordi, wielded a double-headed ax over his head during the Eurovision performance. He said his rock inspiration is the heavy metal band Kiss.

"This is a victory for rock music and also a victory for open-mindedness,"he said after the win on Saturday, a first for Finland.

"We are not Satanists. We are not devil-worshippers. This is entertainment," he told Reuters.

Many Finns were scandalized when the group was chosen to represent their country. But on Sunday they poured into the streets of Helsinki to celebrate the win, and President Tarja Halonen sent a telegram of congratulations.

The rest of Europe appeared mesmerized by the band, who hail from Arctic Lapland. The Eurovision Song Contest, which pits European countries against one another in a bid to produce the top song, was seen by about 150 million television viewers.

Lordi scored 292 points from telephone voters in 38 countries for its performance, well ahead of Russia's Dima Bilian with 248 points and Bosnia's Hari Mata Hari with 229 points.

The Eurovision Song Contest, held in Athens and hosted this year by Greek pop singer Sakis Rouvas and Access Hollywood correspondent Maria Menounos, has been held annually since 1956 and has a kind of camp appeal for European viewers.

Syrupy ballad

Many of the acts showcased on Saturday stuck to the catchy tune formula that has been successful in the past. Ireland's Brian Kennedy offered a syrupy ballad; the Bosnians had a love song; the Germany entry was a cowboy group calling itself Texas Lightning andLatvia's Cosmos performed a cappella.

Previous winners of the contest include '60s chanteuse Lulu, Sweden's ABBA, who won in 1974 with Waterloo, and Canada's Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland in 1988.

The Eurovision title entitles the winner to a trophy shaped like an ancient Greek column, but is no guarantee of stardom. Many past winners have faded into obscurity.

Mr. Lordi predicted his band's win would open the doors for a wider range of musical styles at Eurovision. "This is proof that from now on there will be more rock bands who will have the courage to join in," he said.

Band members never appear without their elaborate masks and makeup and do not reveal their true names.

Lordi'salbums The Monsterican Dream (2004) and The Arockalypse (2006) are hits in Finland. The compilation album The Monster Show has also been released in more than 20 countries.