Children of Bodom - 'Morrigan' Video

Children of Bodom's latest offering, "I Worship Chaos" is due out on October 2nd, a mere few days away. I definitely haven't minded what I've heard so far, and I will be getting myself a copy of the album.

The video for 'Morrigan' was posted a few days ago and seems to have met some pretty mixed reviews. Honestly, I almost wish I hadn't watched this video as it taints what I liked about the song itself. I am definitely not a fan of the video; it seems really cliche without offering anything interesting. I get the concept, but I don't like the execution. And using an MMA fighter in the video? I just hope it doesn't attract more douchebag fans to this particular band as there already seem to be enough of those. (Can you tell I'm not a big fan of the type of person that is stereotypically attracted to MMA?)

If you're looking for a little background on the video, take a look at this article:
http://www.songfacts.com/blog/writing/behind_the_video_morrigan_by_children_of_bodom/

10 Albums That Introduced Me To Metal

Some of the following albums can’t necessarily be considered in the sense that most of us think of, but they served to pique my interest in the genre that I subsequently delved deeply into. In order to provide some background for this list it’s probably best that I explain how I got into metal. I ended up taking a bit of a roundabout path for someone my age. I grew up listening to country; that was all that was played in my home although there was constantly music in the background. I feel fortunate to have grown up in a rural setting. Not isolated by any means, but rural enough that I only had access to dial-up internet until I was well into my first year of university. 

Dial up internet wasn’t exactly conducive to discovering music. Most people the same age were discovering (and downloading) music at the time, but it wasn’t really an option for me. I started listening to classic rock due to a friend’s dad having a massive collection of classic rock albums with a few metal albums in the mix. I found radio stations that occasionally played a metal song or two. I quickly discovered re-runs of Power Hour on MuchMusic. (A TV show that aired in Canada from 1986 to 1991in its original form, featuring hair metal, hard rock and metal music videos). Every once in a while I’d catch an episode of Loud, which featured heavier music and also aired on the MuchMusic channel. 

From that point, I started buying CDs of bands that interested me, or that I had read about in magazines or on the internet. I’m not sure about the availability of online ordering for CDs at that time, as I had very little idea of what was even on the internet. Most of my CDs came from A&B Sound, which ceased to exist in 2008. HMV was the next option. CDs cost a hell of a lot more then than they do now, especially for a kid. Album purchases were few and far between, and each album I did buy got listened to a lot. 

While it was a bit of a pain to discover metal, I think it made each discovery that much more exciting. I imagine this was akin to how people felt in the tape trading days, or when vinyl was the only readily available format. Access to music has certainly changed quite a bit, even in the relatively short time that I’ve been seriously listening to and buying albums, but that’s a different discussion for a different day. That being said, these are the first albums that formed my introduction to something a little heavier than classic rock:

Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

Released in 1982, The Number Of The Beast still remains my favorite Maiden album. ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ is the first metal song that I recall truly taking notice of. ‘Run To The Hills’ has been (horribly) attempted at drunken karaoke more than once. The Number Of The Beast is one of those classic albums that every metal head should listen to from start to finish at least once. 

W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P & The Last Command

Naming two albums is a bit of a cheat, but I somehow managed to acquire a vinyl of WASP’s debut, self titled album at roughly the same time that I got my hands on The Last Command. I would still love to see them live. I almost managed to sneak into a bar underage years ago to catch them, and missed them live by a single day both trips I made to Finland. (Which I’m still kicking myself for). WASP always seemed a bit more sinister than other similar bands. They have catchy songs and I still like the uniqueness of Blackie’s vocals.  

Metallica - Kill ‘Em All

Out of all of the Metallica albums I could have chosen as the first album to buy, I ended up with Kill ‘Em All. Until that point, it was probably the hardest, most aggressive I had ever heard. When I still played a little bit of bass as a young teenager, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to learn “(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth”. Considering lack of any kind of natural musicianship and my neglectful attitude towards practicing, that would have been quite a feat. Needless to say, it definitely didn’t happen. 

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

I think it would be difficult to call oneself a metal head without having at least some knowledge, or having to have listened to, some Black Sabbath. After listening to a fair bit of classic rock, Sabbath seemed like a logical step. While I’m not much of a doom metal fan, it’s difficult to deny Black Sabbath’s influence on the subgenre. 

Alice Cooper - Love It To Death & Killer

In hindsight, these may have been strange Alice Cooper albums to start my collection with as there are certainly more well known releases. ‘Ballad Of Dwight Fry’ (from Love It To Death) is still one of the most chilling songs I can think of, detailing a narrative descent into madness. I listened to both of these albums over and over again. Especially during class when I probably should have been listening to the teacher. 

Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil

Shout At The Devil, to me, is Mötley Crüe’s most metal album when taken into consideration the time that it was released and the fact that Mötley Crüe tends to fall more into the spectrum of ‘hair metal’ than the metal I listen to now. Admittedly I used to be a huge Mötley Crüe fan. When I was young, this band (and album) offered the perfect amount of sleaze, and a touch of danger. 

Guns N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Appetite For Destruction remains as one of the most solid albums from start to finish that I’ve listened to. There isn’t a weak song on this album. At one point, I probably had all of the lyrics memorized. Appetite For Destruction is a fitting name as this is an angry album, full of attitude. 

Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll

Hate Crew Deathroll was one of the first ‘metal’ albums that I bought. Metal in the sense of not being able to really be categorized into any other genre (hair metal, classic rock, etc). This album really kickstarted my foray into a lot of the bands and metal subgenres that I listen to now. It still remains as one of my favorite albums and Angels Don’t Kill is still one of my favorite COB songs. Hate Crew Deathroll was a lot heavier and faster than much of the stuff I’d previously listened to and I was hooked. 

New Tracks: Children of Bodom & Kataklysm

In anticipation of the release of 'I Worship Chaos', Children of Bodom have released a track entitled "Morrigan". After a return to a more pleasing direction with 'Halo Of Blood', I can honestly say that I am truly excited to hear new Bodom material again. 'Halo of Blood' was a definite step in a direction that I liked, with a bit of return to the roots for COB. "Morrigan" suggests that the band is again ready to put out an album that appeals to the old-school Bodom fan. Upon first listen, I wasn't sure that I liked the keyboards but after hearing the song through decent speakers, my opinion has changed. Whether you agree or not, I get a bit of a 'Hatebreeder' / 'Follow The Reaper' era vibe from this song.

'I Worship Chaos' is due out at the beginning of October.

Kataklysm have always proven that they are one of Canadian death metal's heavyweights. Set to release 'Of Ghosts and Gods' in a few short weeks, the band has released a few tracks to garner the appetite of metal heads. Kataklysm manages to remain heavy with just the perfect amount of melody. "The Black Sheep" provides some relative mellowness, while "Soul Destroyer" feels a bit more aggressive. "Thy Serpent's Tongue" has also been released as a preview to the new album. This is another album that I personally look forward to this year.

Machine Head Tour Cancellation Part 2: The True Colours Emerge

I haven’t had time to follow the fan response to the cancellation of the Machine Head/Children of Bodom tour. I have no doubt there are whiney fans, and probably plenty of fans who have done their fair share of “shit-talking”. It is the internet, after all and where else can people hide behind a screen and express their opinions? 

Regardless of what fans have expressed, or what those with nothing better to do than to antagonize a moot point have expressed, Rob Flynn’s response has been much less than commendable. Reading the latest update on this today, I’m actually a little bit irritated over it. Most musicians at least attempt to act like professionals, or decent human beings, but like the rest of the population, there are obviously a few out there who prove themselves to be less. Case in point here. 

Comments like:

“Most people usually need the motivation to act like fools and Alexi’s little bitch-ass response certainly got the ‘Hate Crew’ fired up.”

“Hate Crew?”...pfffft!...more like ‘Alexi-ain’t-that-Great-Crew!’, more like ‘bought-a-ticket-too-Late-Crew!’, more like ‘It’s-not-my-fault-you’re-a-virgin-and-can’t-get-a-Date-Crew’!!”

Publicly expressing something in such an immature fashion is somewhat astounding. Other than it seems to happen on a semi-regular basis in the music industry, it’s a little bit surprising. Personally, I did not see anything that would make Alexi’s comments (to which Robb Flynn is referring) as “bitch-ass”. Sure, the original comments expressed disappointment, but they did not contain personal attacks geared towards either Machine Head or their fans. While a musician has very little control over what fans say online, the actions and comments that they choose do have influence on those who are a bit more discerning. 

I tend to agree that Bodom is better than Machine Head, and I would have preferred to have seen Bodom headline a tour over Machine Head. While I think this, I recognize that this is my opinion due to my personal taste in music. There is no denying that there are some talented musicians in Children of Bodom (and probably Machine Head too). Both bands evidently have idiotic fans. That comes with the territory of being on the more popular spectrum of metal bands. Fans aside, one band evidently has a more unprofessional frontman. I was never a Machine Head fan, and after this moronic and unnecessary display by Robb Flynn, I never will be. 

See the original posts here:

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/machine-heads-robb-flynn-slams-children-of-bodom-fans-frontman-over-response-to-canceled-tour/

https://www.facebook.com/MachineHead/posts/10152511666718823

Machine Head Cancels Tour

       Machine Head has recently decided to cancel their tour with Children of Bodom, Epica and Battlecross. The excuse given is that Machine Head needs time to put the finishing touches on an upcoming album. The band explains that post phoning the tour is the best decision in order to properly finish the album. 

The question then becomes whether this is truly a good decision. I doubt the people who had already purchased tickets for any of the various tour dates agree. I doubt fans of the other bands on the bill are impressed. I doubt Machine Head fans are overly impressed. I’d rather wait a little longer for an album release in exchange for seeing a band live. Alexi Laiho, Children of Bodom frontman, is clearly not satisfied with the decision. He states that the band will now use the time to work on their next album. Children of Bodom certainly didn’t feel the need to cancel a tour to do so. 

While I wasn’t planning on catching this show, I can empathize with anyone who was. Being a long-time Children of Bodom fan, I was slightly disappointed when the tour was announced in the first place as I am not a fan of the venue in my city, nor am I a Machine Head fan. I couldn’t justify the ticket price considering these factors. That being said, the fact that Machine Head couldn’t present a more compelling excuse for canceling an entire tour, screwing fans out of seeing the other bands on the bill, is somewhat pathetic. One has to wonder if the true reason is different, such as poor ticket sales in some markets or egos getting in the way. Either way, it’s the fans who lose in this situation. 

Halo Of Blood Over North America Tour Review

Halo Of Blood Over North America 2014 Review

With Children of Bodom, Týr and Death Angel

February 22nd, 2014

Union Hall

As doors opened on a bitterly cold February evening (something that is not uncommon for any show in Edmonton in the winter), the anticipation was high for what promised to be a stellar line-up of solid bands. As the crowd slowly trickled in, it was apparent that the Union Hall would be close to capacity with fans eager to witness a night of metal from Týr, Death Angel and Children of Bodom. 

Hailing from the Faroe Islands, Týr took the stage first. I believe this was their second visit to this city, having previously appeared as part of the Paganfest lineup in the spring of 2013. Týr brought an energy with them that seemed to be slightly lacking on Paganfest, quickly energizing the crowd. The vocals came through clearly on this night and the pace remained fast throughout the set. They played a few crowd favorites, including ‘Hold The Heathen Hammer High’ and  ‘Shadow of the Swastika’, with the latter bringing a few confused looks from audience members obviously uninitiated in either Týr’s material, history, or both. Undoubtedly, Týr had several new fans in the crowd following the release of their latest album, Valkyrja. ‘Mare Of My Night’ translated well live, as did ‘Blood of Heroes’. (Personally I think the intro riff to ‘Blood of Heroes’ sounds very similar to the intro riff of Amon Amarth’s ‘Cry Of The Black Birds’, but that could just be my musically un-trained ears). Some of us were hoping for ‘Ragnarok’ to be played, due to the supposed connection to Ragnarok on the same night, but it was not included in the set. With only a handful of songs played, Týr’s setlist seemed rather short and left some fans hungry for a bit more. 

Death Angel, a well-respected, if not as well-known as other thrash bands from California, blasted onto the stage next, spreading infectious enthusiasm and contagious energy. The Dream Calls for Blood, Death Angel’s 2013 album release, has been widely hailed as one of the best metal albums of the year by numerous sources, which is a difficult task in a year that saw several fantastic albums released. Needless to say, they were almost as highly anticipated by the crowd as the headliner themselves. Being the first time I’ve witnessed Death Angel live, I was very impressed by the respect and gratefulness that vocalist Mark Osegueda iterated during their set, emphasizing that the band themselves were metal fans, playing for more metal fans. Death Angel was in perfect form, delivering their set in an electric manner, playing mostly new material. ‘Left For Dead’ and ‘The Dream Calls for Blood’ were included in the fairly short set, which is the only complaint arising from their performance. A longer set would have been ideal, as several Death Angel fans attested to. Again, Mark Osegueda made a very favorable impression when he was willing to chat for a moment, take pictures and even made a point of introducing himself by name to myself and my friends when the opportunity arose to speak with him after the show. It was refreshing to see the humbleness and general amicableness he demonstrated. Until the release of The Dream Calls for Blood, I admit that I had not previously listened to very much Death Angel, but after a spectacular live performance, they have definitely created a new fan.

Long before headliners Children of Bodom took their turn on the stage, the crowd was chanting for them. Well, perhaps for their road crew, as every time someone appeared on stage the volume of the chants was significantly raised. This Finnish band is fairly well-known in the metal scene, attracting a considerably wide range of fans. Having a new album, Halo of Blood, released in 2013 is something they share with the previous two artists. The floor looked similar to a pot of boiling water as Bodom took the stage and those in the pit found a renewed energy. The crowd never stopped moving during the set, which included a mix of older and newer material, leaning towards slightly more old material. Children of Bodom played one of the tightest sets I’ve seen from them, and I have seen them many times. Tracks from Halo of Blood were quite well received, with the title track and a few others being played. ‘Dead Man’s Hand On You’ fit surprisingly well into a hard hitting set, providing a bit of mellowness. It would have been nice to hear the vocals more clearly during this song, but it may have been an effect of where I was standing in the venue, as vocals for all bands were difficult to distinguish at times. 

Several songs from Are You Dead Yet? manifested during the set, proving that the Finns have a good idea of what their fans enjoy hearing live and were prepared to deliver. A few former staples, such as ‘Angels Don’t Kill’ and ‘Needled 24/7’ were omitted, slightly to my disappointment as I always thoroughly enjoy those two tracks live. ‘Bodom Beach Terror’ was accompanied by projected footage of a police investigation, perhaps leaving some to wonder if it was stock footage of the Lake Bodom murders that took place years ago. A large cheer erupted when vocalist Alexi Laiho asked the audience if they wanted to hear some older material followed quickly by near-dead silence when he asked if anyone like an album titled Hatebreeder. (Apparently few in the crowd know about this album?) This was the intro for ‘Towards Dead End’. As a whole, Children of Bodom’s set was a reasonably well-rounded mixture of well-executed material. It seems that the efforts to save the beverages for until after the show have really paid off for this band, as the last two times I have caught a live show, they have pumped out technically solid sets. There was no encore played, which seemed a little strange, but may have had to due with the set-up of the stage itself. 

Again I found myself wanting a longer set. Even for a headliner, Bodom’s set seemed a little on the short side in comparison to some of the other times I have seen them live. While each band had a beautifully executed set, they all seemed a bit short on this night. Whether that was by their own volition or something to do with the venue, I do not know. All together, it was a very solid night of high energy metal, giving many fans something to talk about for the next several days. Oh, and by the way, Canada’s hockey team did manage to beat Sweden in the Olympic gold medal game, just as Alexi had sincerely hoped for. 

Children Of Bodom - Halo Of Blood Review

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. 

Manicure From Beyond The Grave?

As the release date for the album approaches, Children of Bodom have been promoting Halo Of Blod by releasing a few tracks and a new music video. Based on what I’ve heard so far, this album has more promise than Relentless, Reckless Forever and Blooddrunk. Those are admittedly my least favorite COB albums, which seems to be a similar sentiment to many long-time Bodom fans. Anyways, time will tell what Halo Of Blood holds. 

The video for Transference is the darkest yet from these Finns. If the goal was to make something disturbing, they’ve nailed it. The reaper character, present in all of Children of Bodom’s artwork, is a sinister touch in this video. I only wonder about the fingernails...  They appear to be some sort of perfect manicure from beyond the grave. (Am I the only once who notices things like this?) Another very minor annoyance that I have is also present. As someone from somewhere where we do have months of cold weather and snow, I find myself picking apart the authenticity of fake snow in videos. Usually the presence of snow indicates temperatures cold enough to see one’s breath, and this little detail is so often left out. Then again, not many people would want to film for hours in such conditions. Overall, random questions aside, I do quite like the video and the song itself, which reminds me of the material found on the Follow The Reaper album. 

Children Of Bodom - Transference music video

The title track from the album has also been released. This one has a bit of a thrash-y feel to it, with some subtle undertones of black metal. In other words, pretty characteristic of Bodom’s style, with their influences being melded together. Take a listen: 

Halo Of Blood title track

I have my fingers crossed that the local CD shop has this one on order and ready to be put on shelves on the release date, as I can not wait to get my hands on a copy without having to wait for a pre-order package to arrive. In the meantime, I might have to keep myself content with the upcoming issue of Terrorizer magazine, featuring COB. You can’t go wrong with such a sick cover shot, right?

Throwback to Older COB?

With Children of Bodom's new album being released in June, they've decided to release a single. While I'm always somewhat excited to check out new Children of Bodom, this song sounds like a step in the right direction. Whatever could the 'right direction' mean? A throwback to the older Bodom sound that long-time fans seem to love.

While listening to this track, you can hear undertones similar to the material around and previous to Hate Crew Deathroll. Hopefully this is an indication of what the rest of the album will sound like.

If you haven't heard it, give it a listen.

Children of Bodom - Transference

'Halo Of Blood'

Several days ago now, Children Of Bodom posted an update regarding the progress on their upcoming album. The name, track titles and cover artwork have been revealed, as well as a release date (in North America) of June 11th, 2013. This announcement coincided with the release of the line-up for the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which I honestly do not care about since there is not a single tour date anywhere near my location. Seeing COB alongside Amon Amarth and Rob Zombie would be pretty decent, but in my opinion, the rest of the bands on the bill are not worth considering making any travel plans for. (Besides, COB and Amon Amarth seem to realize that they have a strong fan base in western Canada, therefore touring here on a semi-regular basis). 

I must say that I like the cover artwork more than I have on the last handful of releases. It is a bit of a throw back to the early Children of Bodom albums. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering that the artist who designed the front also designed the album artwork for Follow The Reaper, Hate Crew Deathroll and Are You Dead Yet? (Although I am not a fan of the Are You Dead Yet? cover). It’s a cold, unforgiving piece of artwork, which I’m hoping will describe the atmosphere of Halo of Blood. I love the touch of having bodies trapped under the ice, without them being too noticeable. Plus, the familiar version of the reaper figure from the first several Children Of Bodom albums reappears, instead of the more contemporary, city-scape version of the reaper. While I think my favorite Bodom album cover is still from Hatebreeder, this one is in strong contention for a top-three ranking of favorite Bodom album covers. 

Halo Of Blood Tracklisting:

1. Waste of Skin
2. Halo of Blood
3. Scream for Silence
4. Transference
5. Bodom Blue Moon (The Second Coming)
6. The Days Are Numbered
7. Dead Man’s Hand on You
8. Damage Beyond Repair
9. All Twisted
10. One Bottle and a Knee Deep

With comments from the band members alluding to this album being Finnish and Nordic sounding, I am excited. Comments about the album being fresh and new make me a bit wary, considering I have been disappointed in the past, as this usually means that the band in question has attempted to capture more of a mainstream American audience. In all honesty, I’d rather hear something that does not always appeal to the stereotypical American listener of metal, as bands who appeal to these audiences are not generally to my liking. I have high hopes for this album, but I have not enjoyed the slight change in direction the previous few Children Of Bodom releases have contained in comparison with the albums including, and previous to, Are You Dead Yet?. Secretly, I’m hoping that ‘Bodom Blue Moon (The Second Coming)‘ will be somewhat of a sequel to ‘Bodom Beach Terror’.   I suppose we will just have to wait and see what Halo Of Blood holds in store...

Image and reference from http://www.cobhc.com/

The Year of Metal

It always seems the metal artists I get excited about release albums in a horde that comes all at once. Or relatively all at once, if you consider within months of each other all at once. This year seems to be the year that it happens again. What upcoming albums am I looking forward to? 

Destruction - ‘Spiritual Genocide’

Thyrfing - ‘De Ödeslösa’

Wolfchant - ‘Embraced By Fire’

Sodom - ‘Epitome of Torture’

Bands Currently In the Studio:

Månegarm 

Amon Amarth

Children of Bodom

Finntroll

Turisas 

 I might have to check out the new Hypocrisy album, dependent on how much cash I manage to spend on these releases and the numerous promising shows that are coming through town in the next few months. I believe Arkona is also releasing an album, which I might have to pick up as well. Surprisingly I don’t own anything by Arkona, although I do enjoy seeing them live. 

 I also hear that Behemoth, Satyricon and potentially Slayer will be releasing albums this year as well. 

I suppose I can add these to the list of previously released albums by various other artists that are on my “to purchase” list. Oh, the woes of having so much music to check out and so little cash to do it on. I’m sure all you other metal heads know the feeling. 

(Wolfchant - Embraced By Fire image from Wolfchant's Facebook page)