Album & EP Reviews

Children Of Bodom – A Chapter Called Children Of Bodom

Children Of Bodom – A Chapter Called Children Of Bodom
Spinefarm Records
Release Date: 15/12/2023
Running Time: 78:00
Review by Richard Oliver
7/10

This is the closing chapter in the story of the mighty Children Of Bodom.  With the band coming to an end in 2019, this recording captures what was the final live performance from the band released four years to the date having been recorded on 15th December 2019 at the Helsinki Ice Hall. There is an extra degree of finality of this release, with the world having tragically lost band mastermind Alexi Laiho in 2020 and an added poignancy knowing that these will be the final recordings released under the Children Of Bodom name.

If you’ve somehow never heard of Children Of Bodom, they are a Finnish band who formed in 1997 releasing ten albums in their career.  A band that would come to epitomise a Finnish style of Melodic Death Metal which embraced elements of Thrash and Power Metal with Neoclassical guitar and keyboard playing, as well as nods to classic Heavy Metal and the 80’s Glam Metal scene. It was a very busy sound but one that influenced legions of bands with lots of sound-a-like bands emanating from Finland.

This live album is quite an extensive set with eighteen songs which cover the entire Children Of Bodom discography. Songs from the band’s last album “Hexed” sit comfortably alongside set staples such as ‘In Your Face’, ‘Angels Don’t Kill’ and ‘Hate Me’ though it is great to hear some really rare  material such as ‘Deadnight Warrior’ and ‘Lake Bodom’. The mix is decent though the guitars are a little on the quiet side with the keyboards given quite a bit of prominence. Alexi is a little muted with the bare minimum of crowd interaction letting the music do the talking instead and the music does indeed do that.  It had been a while since I had listened to Children Of Bodom and this album was a nice nostalgia trip back to my early 20’s when I was absolutely obsessed with this band. The performances are decent though there is the odd sloppy moment and a few missed vocal cues, but I like it when these little mistakes are kept in a live album rather than corrected in the studio.

“A Chapter Called Children Of Bodom” isn’t the most jaw dropping live album you will hear but it is a very solid one. It captures the essence of the band and the setlist is a great career retrospective. This is one for the fans rather than the casual listener but it is a great way to send off Children Of Bodom and give one last salute to that wildchild.  R.I.P. Alexi and thank you for the memories and the music.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Under The Grass And Clover
02. Platitudes And Barren Words
03. In Your Face
04. Shovel Knockout
05. Bodom Beach Terror
06. Everytime I Die
07. Halo Of Blood
08. Are You Dead Yet
09. Blooddrunk
10. I Worship Chaos
11. Angels Don’t Kill
12. Follow The Reaper
13. Deadnight Warrior
14. Needled 24/7
15. Hate Me
16. Hate Crew Deathroll
17. Lake Bodom
18. Downfall

LINE-UP:
Henkka Blacksmith – Bass & Backing Vocals
Jaska Raatikainen – Drums & Backing Vocals
Janne Wirman – Keyboards & Backing Vocals
Alexi Laiho – Guitars & Lead Vocals
Daniel Freyberg – Guitars & Backing Vocals

LINKS:

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