ALBUM REVIEW: Children Of Bushido – Ryoji Shinomoto

April 14, 2025 Sam Khaneka

It doesn’t take an expert to hear just how much of an influence CHILDREN OF BODOM have had on the self-styled “Samurai Metal” band RYUJIN. While the artists-formally-known-as-GYZE imbue their blistering metal with the traditional musical sensibilities of their homeland of Japan, scratch below the surface and the vein of Alexi Laiho’s particular brand of neoclassically-tinged melodeath runs deep. So, who could be more fitting to create a tribute album to CHILDREN OF BODOM than RYUJIN’s vocalist and axe-slinger, Ryoji Shinomoto? For his first official solo outing, Shinomoto pays homage to one of his biggest inspirations, but with a fitting twist.

Children Of Bushido sees a smattering of BODOM cuts reimagined in the distinct style of RYUJIN’s own music. It’s worth noting that the track selections only cover up to and including Are You Dead Yet? While there’s plenty to get stuck in to elsewhere in the Finnish outfit’s discography, it’s fair to say the songs picked here are from CHILDREN OF BODOM’s most defining era (and, presumably, the ones that had most impact on Shinomoto himself).

Taking the RYUJIN sonic blueprint, there are still guitars aplenty across Children Of Bushido. However, some leads and synth parts are downplayed in order to bring in a plethora of Japanese elements, from stringed instruments like the shamisen to the thundering taiko drums – not to mention, an extra layer of symphonic orchestration. Shinomoto performs these traditional instruments himself and is impressively adept across all of them. The retooled approach to the songs is compelling, but there is an almost uncanny valley feel to it at times. The arrangements are structurally very faithful to the originals, but you’ll then be caught off guard by guitar leads or synth parts swapped out for something like a dragon flute instead. For those well-versed in their BODOM, it’s both familiar and surprising at the same time.

It’s clear how well this can all work from the start of the album. Opener Lake Bodom sounds reenergised with powerful orchestration and its duelling guitar and shamisen solos are riotous fun. Living Dead Beat swaps its big ‘80s synths for more shamisen, dramatically shifting the song’s flavour before that big dumb main riff kicks in. When it all clicks, the diverse range of instruments really breathe new life in to these long-buried songs.

There are some trade-offs that come with this stylistic shift however. Hate Me! starts off strong, its opening orchestration more sinister than ever before, but its when flutes are added to the mix that some of the limitations appear. As more instruments are incorporated, some of the heft and impact of those crunchy rhythm parts get lost in the mix as too many sounds compete for attention. The result is a track that feels less heavy than its original. It’s of course not the end of the world, but a bit of a shame to lose some of that brutality.

Still, Shinomoto course corrects almost immediately. Mask Of Sanity uses the wind instrumentation to bring out the track’s innate eeriness. Silent Night, Bodom Night becomes a battle cry thanks to its sweeping orchestration and commandeering taiko drums, but with just enough space for that relentless drilling guitar riff to lead the charge. Follow The Reaper does fall in to the same trap as Hate Me! somewhat, but the duelling guitars and shamisen keep things enjoyable all the same.

It’s in Children Of Bushido’s final lap that things really ramp up. It’s often the material with more prominent neoclassical elements that work best in Shinomoto’s style. Bodom After Midnight is a perfect example, taking the opportunity spotlights the smorgasbord of Japanese instruments. Next, the caustic Needled 24/7 feels more organic than its original counterpart thanks to more realistic orchestration compared to that classic BODOM ‘orchestra hit’ synth. Between dragon flutes and lingering choral vocals, the song feels almost cinematic. Downfall continues that trend, its natural haunting qualities transformed by the folk instrumentation in to full on ghostly horror.

While there a couple of minor bumps along the way, Children Of Bushido is a great example of how to properly pay tribute to an artist. In contrast to the throwaway metal tribute albums that see a random assortment of musicians incongruously forced together, this is what a tribute should be: musicians grappling with another musician’s work so that they can interpret and rearticulate it. Children Of Bushido is more than just a love letter to CHILDREN OF BODOM, it’s a genuine and passionate study of another artist’s work. For that alone, Children Of Bushido is worth a listen for BODOM fans. For those tuned in to RYUJIN and less familiar with the work of Alexi Laiho, it’s also a great introduction to one of guitarist Ryoji Shinomoto’s biggest influences.

Rating: 7/10