Bodom After Midnight: The Last Journey of The Wildchild

In January this year, heart-breaking news broke: virtuoso Finnish guitar hero Alexi Laiho sadly passed away. Laiho was a modern celebrity by heavy metal standards, serving as a founding member, front man and creative muscle for Espoo melodic death metal legends CHILDREN OF BODOM right up until the group split in 2019. Not content to slow down and rest on his royalty cheques, though, it wasn’t long before he formed a new project, a new channel for his wealth of creativity – BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT. Alongside former CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist Daniel Freyberg, esteemed workaholic drummer Waltteri Väyrynen and former SANTA CRUZ shredder Mitja Toivonen, Laiho was gearing up for the release of BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT‘s debut EP, Paint the Sky With Blood, out now via Napalm Records. 

The months in the build-up to the release of Paint the Sky With Blood proved to be bittersweet in the extreme. As Väyrynen explains, the surviving members of BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT were full of excitement to have such an amazing EP to release, while every conversation about the EP was understandably drawn back to the tragedy of Laiho‘s passing.

“Personally, I have very mixed feelings at the moment. Paint the Sky With Blood was supposed to be a strong start for a new band, it was my first release together with Alexi and now it will be the very last creative work of his. Of course, I’m more than proud to get the songs out there but at the same time I’m so sad that this is the only thing we got to do together.”

Focussing on Paint the Sky With Blood itself, and not the tragic reality surrounding its release, Väyrynen is right to be proud. That DISSECTION cover is exquisite, while the two originals are the most energised and passionate pieces of work Laiho has written in years. “It was a very different writing process than what I’m used with my other bands. Alexi never made demos, we just showed up to a rehersal and he showed us some riffs and ideas, and we arranged them together. Of course they were Alexi‘s songs, but we all contributed ideas – it was very much a group effort.” Väyrynen reflects, discussing the writing stages of the EP. “Unfortunately, Paint the Sky With Blood is 100% of everything we did together. It is kind of relieving, though, that we were able to record everything we wrote together. If there were leftover riffs or unfinished songs that we didn’t record for the EP, it would probably have bothered me for the rest of my life.”

It goes without saying that BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT will not continue. As much fun as Väyrynen had creating Paint the Sky With Blood, as he explains, this was Laiho‘s band and it cannot go on without him. “It was pretty clear to all three of us that the moment Alexi left this world, the band would not carry on. The word ‘Bodom’ is so binded to Alexi, it would be impossible to carry on a band without him, and it is impossible to replace him. Unfortunately, this EP is our debut and our swansong. Especially as we didn’t write more material together, it would feel weird to carry on as an active band after Alexi‘s passing.”

It’s all very well for journalists to write memorial pieces for Laiho – writers who never met the man, only the musician. But it is important to look to those who knew him best, his bandmates and friends, to get a real look at the legacy he leaves behind. As someone who was a fan of Laiho before becoming a friend, Väyrynen shares his own memories before reflecting thoughtfully on how the world will remember him.

“Those three shows we got to play together was more than I ever expected to be able to do in this lifetime – to be able to play those songs live together with Alexi. Also being able to finish this EP, when I heard the final product with him I thought ‘Fuck yeah, this is such a strong start for us!’ Of course, I have shitloads of memories of our time together… He’s just one of those legends who will always be remembered, in the same way Dimebag, Peter Steele or Lemmy are. He’s one of those characters that will always live in people’s hearts. He was such a big deal for so many people.”

Sometimes, its easy for fans to get wrapped up in the loss of a musician as a loss only for music. It may have had only two new songs, but BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT‘s Paint the Sky With Blood represented some of the strongest, most inspired work of Laiho‘s entire career. However, regardless of the gaping hole Laiho leaves in the heavy metal world, it is vital for the metal scene at large to remember that his untimely passing is tragedy for his nearest and dearest. We have lost an idol, but they have lost more. His wife has lost a husband. His children have lost their father. His sister has lost her little brother, and his friends have lost their brother in arms. For them, Alexi Laiho will live forever in cherished memories – for everyone else, his memory will be eternal in his mammoth contributions to the fabric of modern heavy metal.

Rest easy, Wildchild.

Paint The Sky With Blood is out now via Napalm Records. 

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