Children of Bodom - A Chapter Called Children of Bodom (2023)Release ID: 49144
On December 15, 2019, Finnish melodeath legends Children of Bodom performed their final concert then split up, with 3 of the members taking the rights to the band name with them. Remaining members Alexi Laiho and Daniel Freyberg formed their own project Bodom After Midnight, which abruptly ended after the tragic passing of Laiho at the end of 2020. He was a rising star in the Finnish metal scene with his vocal fury and guitar wizardry. A Chapter Called Children of Bodom was released exactly 4 years after their final show which was recorded for the release, for fans of the band and melodeath to hear them perform for the last time...
The band really show their roots as they primarily play songs from their first 5 albums plus at least one song from each of their other 5. They know how to add elements of other genres in their Finnish melodeath. They can make things epic or electronic, without soiling the sound they're known for. Those, along with distinct melodies, are what really display the band's innovation.
Opening the show is "Under Grass and Clover" from their final album Hexed, which actually has the best lyrics I've heard from the band. The saddest too, considering the tragic circumstances the lyrics hinted at. Still that's incredible metal from Laiho and co. Heading straight into "Platitudes and Barren Words", you get a catchy chorus with a rare case of true rawness in Laiho's vocals. "In Your Face" doesn't waste any time loading up the riff crunch, slamming hard in your face! The earlier fans will truly headbang through the straight-on heaviness. Amazing metal blasting from the guitars without much of the fancy leads! "Shovel Knockout" seems to have some trouble getting up in the riffing that sounds uninspired. Despite that, there's excellent keyboard work. Don't let the humorous title of "Bodom Beach Terror" trick you. This is a serious fast-paced track that blends upbeat melody and crushing brutality. It really shows the band's sound at their best level.
The crawling atmospheric "Every Time I Die" is a true classic. It kickstarts the band's trend of adding at least one slower song to each release. Mid-tempo songs with distinct melody like that are true highlights, taking a break from the harmonic technicality for atmospheric melodic leads. It is an essential part of the melodic side of extreme metal that wasn't fully explored until Children of Bodom first entered the scene. "Halo of Blood" heads straight into some of the fastest black metal-ish riffing they could perform. The interesting "Are You Dead Yet?" starts off with thundering riffing sounding almost Egyptian, over pummeling drums. The verse riffing zooms through your head like a gunshot. "Blooddrunk" adds more prominence to the keyboards. Janne Wirman shows his amazing key evolution. "I Worship Chaos" is more repetitive, but the hooks are OK.
Getting things up better is "Angels Don't Kill" with thoughtful lyrics, though not too amazing. Still it's another well-placed ballad to break up the speedy intensity. For "Follow the Reaper", the leads in the chorus are definitely worth starting a moshpit. "Deadnight Warrior" jumps out of thunder into fast keyboards and guitars, as the harsh vocals make great contrast with those melodies through this fast pace. You'll definitely enjoy that killer neoclassical solo as much as I do. The more melodic-ish and spoken parts of Laiho's vocals is best exemplified in "Needled 24/7" to add great variety.
Henkka Blacksmith rolls in with some audible bass in "Hate Me". Taking the hate further is "Hate Crew Deathroll" which is so g****mn extreme and vulgar yet a true anthem. "Lake Bodom" has legendary keyboard/guitar dueling intro than is worth practicing anytime. The complexity is so intense, as is the rapid soloing from both instruments. The melodic "Downfall" is the final song performed in the concert. It shall be appreciated as kick-starting the band's atmospheric side that they had displayed ever since.
A Chapter Called Children of Bodom is truly the final chapter for perhaps the most iconic band of Finnish melodeath. They had truly shaped the scene since their inception 30 years ago. Their legacy is something we shall never forget!
RIP Alexi Laiho
Favorites (one track per album): "Under Grass and Clover", "In Your Face", "Shovel Knockout", "Every Time I Die", "Halo of Blood", "Blooddrunk", "I Worship Chaos", "Deadnight Warrior", "Hate Crew Deathroll", "Downfall"
