ALBUM REVIEW: Hexed – Children of Bodom

Countless fans revelled in the blackened melodeath assault spawned during the infancy of CHILDREN OF BODOM, but that element of consistency would subsequently elude the Finns as they began to experiment with their sound. That sojourn into uncharted waters would prove to be far from smooth sailing. Favouring restraint over raging chaos, the achingly pedestrian thud of 2015’s I Worship Chaos overshadowed the dynamic flashes of melodic opulence and adrenaline-fuelled shred elsewhere on the record – ultimately drawing opinion that unfortunately this was a band capable of so much more.

In the three years silence since their ninth studio effort, the self-professed Hate Crew would find themselves celebrating the twentieth anniversary of debut Something Wild as well as the addition of axeman Daniel Freyburg (ex-NORTHER, NAILDOWN) to the familial fold. And despite a career nearing three decades, the renewed sense of vigour now emanating from the CHILDREN OF BODOM camp via tenth album Hexed is unmistakable.

Brimming with hi-energy and squealing solos offset by Janne Wirman’s epic keys, lead single Under Grass And Clover recalls the hallmarks of quintessential CHILDREN OF BODOM whilst ode to touring life opener The Road veers between anthemic choruses and progressive flourishes to deliver a sound leaning towards the classic rock titans of yesteryear. Elsewhere, old-school fans craving the neoclassical bite of past albums like Hatebreeder and will find their respective hungers satiated by both Glass Houses and the title track; their resplendent melodies are awash with blazing leads and intricate scale-type passages, although this time the balance is struck with more verve.

Fret-based gymnastics and filth-laden aggression course through Kick In A Spleen and 80’s-esque Relapse (The Nature Of My Crime); both of which showcase the band’s penchant for groove-centric riffs and intricate speed-picking. But overlook the goth-tinged grandeur of Hecate’s Nightmare at your absolute peril – conjuring up fifty shades of OZZY and ALICE COOPER via pinch harmonics and eerie “music box” type atmospherics, the track’s experimental sprawl quickly establishes itself as an album highlight. Hexed ends on an insatiable high with a revamped, keyboard-led version of Knuckleduster which originally featured on 2004 EP Trashed, Lost And Strungout. Peppered with venomous bile and delivered in Alexi Laiho’s typical throat-shredding style but with reworked lyrics, it’s a gloriously twisted reinvention of the wheel which bridges the gap between traditional CHILDREN OF BODOM and their current 2019 reincarnation.

An enticing contrast of the old versus the new, Hexed is a welcome return to form for CHILDREN OF BODOM and genuine confirmation that these Finns have much more to offer than mere nostalgia moving forward.

Rating: 8/10  

Hexed is out now via Nuclear Blast Records. 

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