Halo Of Blood opens with ‘Waste Of Skin’, a track definitely reminiscent of earlier material by the Finnish band. The lyrical content of the album leaves an impression of devouring darkness; something one can almost come to expect from a Finnish band. A return to the older Bodom sound that holds appeal for many long-time fans is evident.
Influence from Hatebreeder era Bodom is strong in several of the songs. With a modern twist thrown into the old sound, previous promises regarding the feel of this album have been fulfilled. ‘Bodom Blue Moon (The Second Coming)’ seems to be a bit of a throw-back to ‘Bodom Beach Terror’ (From the Hate Crew Deathroll album). ‘Dead Man’s Hand On You’ is far removed from any other original Bodom material, creating an interesting addition to the album that will either be loved or maligned. It’s a risky move for a band used to delivering hard and heavy melodies. While it works for what it is, it almost feels like a cover song just because of how atypical it sounds amidst the faster paced songs on the album. ‘Damaged Beyond Repair’ feels somewhat abrasive, and is probably my least favorite track. That being said, the rest of the material is quite solid.
Having not been a huge fan of either Relentless, Reckless Forever or Blooddrunk, I am impressed with Halo Of Blood. Having only had the opportunity to listen to it a few times from start to finish so far, I’m finding that I enjoy the entire album. It’s certainly no Hatebreeder, Follow The Reaper or Hate Crew Deathroll, but it’s a step in the right direction. Some of that striving too hard to appeal to a mass Americanized metal market has disappeared. Staying true to the roots that many long-time fans love proves to be a game plan that can’t go wrong.
