Children Of Bodom

SinisterMinisterX

SinisterMinisterX

Illuminatus
Staff member
As originally suggested by Perun, it's Children Of Bodom Week!

Gah ... I've listened to those albums just once or twice each, and not anytime recently. I'll put them on now.

Don't forget to vote for next week's band... ...yes, I voted for grunge, not for my own pick. Life is odd sometimes...
 
Anyone have any thoughts?  Perun -- you nominated them? 

Here's a (hopefully) provocative statement:  "CoB is a wannabe Death."  Or its corollary: Alexi Laiho is a wannabe Chuck Schuldiner, but with makeup. 

Discuss. 
 
The thing with Children of Bodom is that people keep trying to stick a label to them, or putting them in a genre... but it doesn't work. I've heard people characterise them as power metal, only to have me ask them how they can be power metal with those harsh vocals and the cutting guitars... likewise, I argued away people calling them death metal by pointing out their sense for melody and the power of their music.

A perfect example of why I use genres as little as possible.

It's been a while since I last went through their discography, and I am not too familiar with them. I suppose Follow the Reaper is my favourite of theirs... I'll listen some more this night.
 
OK, so I haven't listened to them ever.  Anyone have a suggestion of a few songs, or an album to start with?
 
Their debut Something Wild has its moments, and has more black metal influences than their later work. The unusual combination of those black metal elements (vocals and atmosphere) and the neoclassical (Malmsteen) lead guitar was an original asset and put COB immediately in the spotlights.
Album pick: Lake Bodom

My favourite album is their second Hatebreeder. A perfect example of neoclassical powerdeath metal with a touch of black.  ;)  Terribly catchy riffs and melodies, excellent solos. Check out Hatebreeder.

Follow the Reaper (their 3rd) is a very strong album as well, containing the classic "Everytime I Die", always played at concerts (at least in the time when I followed them).

Later on the band added more Pantera influences, resulting in a less melodic and more heavy style. I still like Hate Crew Deathroll (album 4) very much, especially "Needled 24/7", 4."Bodom Beach Terror" & "You're Better Off Dead!" 

I didn't like the latest 2 as much as their earlier work.
 
Forostar said:
neoclassical powerdeath metal with a touch of black.  ;) 
Click to expand...

Next time I'm having a discussion with someone, I'll just tell them that is their genre. :D

Later on the band added more Pantera influences, resulting in a less melodic and more heavy style.
Click to expand...

Maybe that is why I'm not so fond of their more recent stuff myself. Nothing against Pantera, less melody and more heaviness, but I guess I will always associate Children of Bodom with cutting power chords and crazy melodies.
 
Forostar said:
Their debut Something Wild has its moments, and has more black metal influences than their later work. The unusual combination of those black metal elements (vocals and atmosphere) and the neoclassical (Malmsteen) lead guitar was an original asset and put COB immediately in the spotlights.
Album pick: Lake Bodom

My favourite album is their second Hatebreeder. A perfect example of neoclassical powerdeath metal with a touch of black.  ;)  Terribly catchy riffs and melodies, excellent solos. Check out Hatebreeder.

Follow the Reaper (their 3rd) is a very strong album as well, containing the classic "Everytime I Die", always played at concerts (at least in the time when I followed them).

Later on the band added more Pantera influences, resulting in a less melodic and more heavy style. I still like Hate Crew Deathroll (album 4) very much, especially "Needled 24/7", 4."Bodom Beach Terror" & "You're Better Off Dead!" 

I didn't like the latest 2 as much as their earlier work.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't disagree with any of that, except that I quite like Are You Dead Yet?, but Blooddrunk is surely their worst album. Anyone wanting a starting point, go to Hatebreeder, and as Foro said, "Warheart" but I'd also suggest the song "Children of Bodom" (live).
 
CoB is one of those bands I know I really would love - but yet all I have of theirs is a video boot of a gig they did on Scandinavian TV. I have read through these recommendations directed at others and will take note.
 
Same here-- I've checked out a few youtube clips so far, and I do like.  Thanks for all the input!
 
CoB arent bad, but those keyboards are killing it for me. It's great fast metal with sparkles in the background ;)
 
I believe it has been a while since this band was discussed. And this morning, the bad news already came to us in the 1000.000 replies topic.

Alexi Laiho died. Guitarist, frontman, main composer, one of the founders of the band. He left COB in 2019, continued with Bodom After Midnight.
Last month they struck a deal with Napalm Records.

To be honest, my view on the band's music hasn't changed much since 2009. But still, these first albums were really something.
A fresh and exciting sound. RIP.

www.blabbermouth.net

Metal Musicians React To ALEXI LAIHO's Death

Marty Friedman (MEGADETH),Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD),Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT),Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE),Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY),Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS),Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY) and SONATA ARCTICA are amont the heavy metal musicians who have reacted on social media to t...
www.blabbermouth.net www.blabbermouth.net
 
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I came to the band when they released Blooddrunk in 2008, so that's my favourite record. "Tie My Rope" is a really good song. Second favourite is the debut, Something Wild, which I've listened to a bit since the news about Laiho's death. More recent records have passed by almost unnoticed - I've probably just listened to one of two songs of each. Something which is probably changing, been enjoying listening to them again. :)
 
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