ALBUM REVIEW: A Chapter Called… Children Of Bodom – Children Of Bodom

In 2020 the world mourned the loss of one of the finest metal guitarists and frontmen in CHILDREN OF BODOM’s Alexi Laiho. With his unmistakable vocal delivery and infectious riffing, he shone through the scene and landed himself firmly in metal’s elite. A Chapter Called… is the band’s last hurrah as they rip apart Helsinki Ice Hall with their synth-infused melodeath one more time

From their roots in Espoo, Finland, the band rocketed through the ranks with classic albums such as Follow The Reaper, Hate Crew Deathroll and Are You Dead Yet?, and their appeal was always their ability to fuse several different metal subgenres seamlessly. They used Scandinavian metal soundscapes and added electronic elements, which in some circumstances have hindered the metal sound, but not for BODOM. It elevated the melodies that were a huge essence of the band and gave them a distinctive sound – to call them innovative would be an understatement.  

You’d think after all these years, the band wouldn’t have that same fire as they once had in the beginning, but barely any time into this album you will notice how wrong you are. Opening proceedings with a track from their last studio effort, Hexed, Under Grass And Clover, you’d be surprised to learn it wasn’t a cut from an older record given how explosive it is. It’s not long before the band hit you with the straight-up rude riffs of In Your Face and the relentless pace of Shovel Knockout. Their energy is unrelenting, and it leads into the party time melodies of Bodom Beach Terror. While hard at this point to not have a massive grin on your face you’re also met with the realisation that Laiho is no longer with us and won’t be performing these tracks again. It’s bittersweet.  

The musicianship on show is commendable and the band have impeccable chemistry. They fly through classics such as Are You Dead Yet? and Blooddrunk, with the latter showing just how well the keyboards have been utilised within the band’s catalogue over the years. No one else sounded like BODOM did and they’ve paved the way for the new age of metal acts for many years to come. The recording and production of the show is flawless with every band member being perfectly mixed to show off their skill sets.  

There’s a nice touch of the American Psycho audio clip before the glorious Angels Don’t Kill. It’s always been a live favourite and once again the band prove why with this performance. While it is a slower number for BODOM, it is no less heavy or impactful, and you can always hear the emotion within Laiho’s strained vocals – goosebump inducing. There are no signs of slowing towards the final run of tracks with the likes of Hate Me and Needled 24/7 being played with full intensity, while Downfall closes out the set in spectacular fashion. The heat generated from Laiho’s fingers on the frets would see to the downfall of the Ice Hall, that we can be certain of. 

A Chapter Called… Children Of Bodom is a splendid send-off for an icon of the genre and one of the most important bands of the last 30 years. RIP Alexi Laiho.

Rating: 9/10

A Chapter Called… Children of Bodom (Final Show in Helsinki Ice Hall 2019) is set for release on December 15th via Spinefarm Records.

Like CHILDREN OF BODOM on Facebook.