Review LORDI ‘Screem Writers Guild’

Hallelujah, Lordi are back with a new album and those who expected great innovations will be disappointed, but those who like slightly ironically crafted horror rock will enjoy ‘Screem Writers Guild’.

As with the previous albums, the latest record has a title that reflects a typical Lordi neologism. In allusion to the “Screen Writers Guild”, a former screenwriters association, Lordi has this time focused on the movie subject, even if ‘Screem Writers Guild’ is not a concept album in the traditional sense.

Influenced by the sound of the 80s and albums like Alice Cooper‘s ‘Constrictor’, Lordi rock their way through 14 mostly well-crafted songs.

Sometimes, like on ‘Thing in the Cage’, it gets very mainstream-laden and listening to the song, you think to yourself that the band might still be able to write ESC-worthy songs. Not only that the catchy melodies dominate; it is also more than just a pinch of disco-pop that finds its way in here. But this is Lordi and it characterizes their sound.

With ‘The Bride’ the new record also has a languorous song that is probably needed, but is not one of the strengths of the band. The cliché is served here too obviously.

Fortunately Mr. Lordi and his bandmates get back into the swing of things with songs like ‘Scarecrow’, the anthemic ‘Lycantropical Island’ and the theatrical ‘Heavengeance’ before the closing credits begin with a song called ‘End Credits’.

‘Screem Writers Guild’ is a typical Lordi album. Catchy melodies, the rough voice of the bandleader, some snappy guitar solos and a lot of sticky keyboard stuff, that’s what the band wraps up again in 55 minutes of playing time and even if innovation sounds different, you can’t resist the melodies.