Can you guess which music act is the most frequently reviewed one on Flyctory.com? It is of course Lordi, my beloved Finnish monster rockers from Rovaniemi. The seven album box Loridiversity lead to quite a lead in that way on my website, compared to other artists. On 31st March 2021, the monsters add another one Screem Wiriters Guild. I just had to share it with you
Lordi – About The Artists
Even though Lordi already exist since 1992, they will likely always be majorly seen as the sensational winner of the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. Thereby, the band is still having a remarkable popularity, especially in Finland, where just three Lordi studio albums ever did not make it to into the album Top 10 (and all of them at least peaked 19th. Another key market for the Finnish monsters is Germany. The seven album collection Lordiversity was 15th in Finland and 48th in my home country. If you count these albums individually, Screem Writers Guild is already the 18th studio album by Mr. Lordi and his monsters (and the ninth in the 2020’s), who recently had to replace guitarist Amen by Kone.
Lordi – Screem Writers Guild – Track by Track
The 14 song album lasts 55 minutes. This album is based on a fictive movie award story.
1. Dead Again Jayne
Mr. Lordi and his bandmates play it slow for this album – the opener Dead Again Jayne starts with a some 1:30 minutes intro before the Finnish deliver just what you expect: straight, melodic hard rock with characteristic lyrics. The storytelling is just as you would expect it – a nice blend between pseudo-scary stories and a touch of Finnish humor. The video to the song has been released togehter with the album.
2. SCG XVIII: Nosferuiz Horror Show
Didn’t we miss somebody? The award needs a show host – and the host of Screem Writers Guild is the fictive Nosferuiz. Of course, you quickly have some reference in mind when you listen to this 1:04 moderation element.
3. Unliving Picture Show
The Unliving Picture Show is featuring horrifying creepy creatures according to the lyrics of this one. A typical Lordi song which is a lot of fun to listen. Monsters’ voices don’t feel to fade as well – Mr. Lordi still sounds like Mr. Lordi, even though he already had some decades on this forsaken planet.
4. Inhumanoid
Time for the only female monster in this crew of five to be a bit more in focus: Hella and her keyboard are one of the key characteristics of this song, which is overall working with a higher level of synth and electronic sounds. Overall, this song is a great one to sing with the band.
5. Thing in the Cage
Thing in the Cage is one of two songs, which has been reelased before the album. The one minute instrumental opening reminds me of Australian native music, but I am sure the Scandinavian have locked up something else. Something more spooky. The song is on the slightly slower side. Nice listen, definitely.
Everyone stares at the thing in the cage
Everyone stares as I shiver in rage
I am the sideshow attraction
My misery’s here for your satisfaction
6. Vampyro Fang Club
Anticipation is about to explode, Initiation is a bite down on the throat – that’s lyrics how you find them rarely outside Lordi albums. The verses did not feel that promising to me at first listen, but the chorus is just a must-sing-with-the-band one. What do the neighbors feel right now about the words they hear while I am typing? En välitä – I don’t care!
7. The Bride
Lordiversity proofed that the Nordic monsters finally can deliver good songs in any genre – even in disco. Nonetheless, this very piano-driven song still feels a bit unusual and surprising for Lordi fans. Ballads released so far (like It Snows in Hell) were rather on the power ballad side. But the key surprise it: The Bride works out perfectly. Even though I love when these guys bring the guitars to the limit and give the drumheads a hard time – this is one of my favorites!
8. Lucyfer Prime Evil
Lucyfer Prime Evil has been the favorite single by the fans so far (at least if you look at the Spotify stats). Indeed, the song has the typical Lordi touch. After the romantic The Bride, it is also catching the hard rock and metal fans again.
9. Scarecrow
The ninth song is the most mousy track of the album to me. Neither rocking nor pop-ish, the guitars have a rather lazy time during these (almost four minutes). However, Kone is showing some excellence in the short guitar solo.
10. Lycantropical Island
Is there a blend of schlager and hard rock? The song has a nice kitschy touch, but beautifully suits into the storybook of this TV show. In case you are as poorly educated as I am: Lycanthropy is the ability of a human being to transform into a werewolf or another animal. I wonder that it took Lordi eighteen album to write a song about this topic. The more, I like it.
11. In the Castle of Dracoolove
You can already guess that this trip to the Castle of Dracoolove is not comparable to a Castle Neuschwanstein touristic tour. If you like gargoyles and flesh as well as nice rocking chords from Kone, wecome to this Lordi-like attraction.
12. The SCG Awards
We are still missing the SCG Awards’ show. Here we go – I won’t spoiler you the movies nominated. I am just saying: I had some fun listening to it… And of course, there is also a certain Lordi-like ending in this storytelling 1:40 minutes track.
13. Heavengeance
Heavengeance is a solid track. I wouldn’t state it adds too many new elements to the album, but it is a good listen for Lordi fans – finally, a typical Lordi song without too many special features.
14. End Credits
In the backseat I am laying down
Daddy’s driving me around the town
Trying to call me til I fall asleep
I’m looking at the passing sky and trees.
Even though there is The Bride, the End Credits are the most surprising song of the album. Mr. Lordi is looking back to his life in this farewell ballad, which does not need much more than his voice (which is crystal clear in here) and Hella on the keyboard. A very personal, intimate autobiagraphic song, which Mr. Lordi stated to have written for his own funeral. The I feel that no song in 2023 so far has given me more goosebumps than this one. And the guitar solo is outstanding.
Lordi – Screem Writers Guild – Spotify
Here is the album on Spotify:
Lordi – Screem Writers Guild – My View
I can’t deny that there are some weaker spots in this Screem Writers Guild. But Lordi also wrote a couple of songs, which will definitely make it on the top of the band history and join tracks like Hard Rock Hallelujah or Would You Love a Monsterman. First of all, there is of course the breathtaking End Credits. Some really hot rockets give you an amazing flight with the Finnish monsters.
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