Lordi, “Screem Writers Guild.”

There’s no faulting the commitment of heavy metal shock rockers Lordi. The Finnish band’s 18th album, Screem Writers Guild, has everything it needs for the haunted motif, from the dark lyrics to the spooky key-laden hard rock and undead monster visuals. At the same time, the band also delivers the hard chops to back it up, drawing from greats like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. The similarities to GWAR are inescapable, though the 14-song set by Mr. Lordi (Tomi Petteri Putaansuu) and company stands on its own merit.

The album’s title is a reference to classic Hollywood screenwriters, a not-quite concept album that plays on the cinematic themes of eras gone by. Mr. Lordi plays a leading role in the creative process of the album, taking on a coproducing role, as well as the album artwork. The band’s enthusiasm bursts right of the gates on opening track “Dead Again Jayne,” which opens with a key-heavy intro fit for the Halloween series before rolling into a classic heavy metal track.

The band exploded in 2006 after winning the “Eurovision Song Contest” with “Hard Rock Hallelujah,” and it’s not hard to see why. The band is plenty fun, with absurdist, over-the-top fireworks, yet enough meat to offer some depth. Spooky spoken-word interludes like “SCG XVIII Nosferuiz Horror Show” only add to the kitschy bombast and double down on the All Hallows Eve feel. The band’s chops on this album are legit—guitarist Kone delivers a blistering guitar solo while Mr. Lordi reaches to the heights of his upper register to offer up surprisingly powerful vocals. The band includes Hella (keyboards), Mana (drums) and Hiisi (bass).

“Unliving Picture Show” is an ode to creepy creatures and the famous monsters of the silver screen like Wolfman and Frankenstein. It’s an on-the-nose tribute. “Inhumanoid” is a riff-forward fist-pumper with a healthy dose of keyboards. Mr. Lordi’s accent is sometimes more pronounced than others. If it wasn’t abundantly clear at this point, this record is not about nuance. Just about everything is turned up to the Nth degree for the maximum impact possible. Mr. Lordi offers up a throaty roar on “Thing In a Cage,” with some surprisingly melodic background harmonies, creating a choir-like effect.

The melodic streak continues on “Vampyro Fang Club” a double entendre ode to a vampire-like villainous character. The pace shifts dramatically on piano ballad “The Bride,” a complete departure from heavy metal to a melodious and over-emotive anthem, complete with a high-flying power ballad guitar solo.

The band further embraces the dark on “Lucyfer Prime Evil,” a surprisingly anthemic track about the devil that nods heavily to the sound and name of Danish speed metal progenitors Mercyful Fate, a trend that continues on the next track, “Scarecrow.”

“Lycantropical Island” offers up another left turn, offering a heavier dose of percussion and keys while letting the guitar sit in the background. The track has a disarmingly anthemic quality with a memorable chorus that quickly sticks in your head. The mid-tempo, heavy, synth-laden rhythms continue on the grooves of “In the Castle of Dracoolove.” By the time the second voice-acted piece, “The SCG Awards,” arrives, it’s hard to remember what the narrative was, but the play in “The SCG Awards” is an entertaining add-in that keeps up the variety.

Then record ends on a high note. “Heavengeance” might be the best straight-up rock track of the whole set. Things come to a close, fittingly, with “End Credits,” which—despite its namesake—is a dramatic piano-ballad-turned-hard-rocker that drops the curtain on the record.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.