children of bodom

Album Review: Children of Bodom - "Halo of Blood"

Submitted by M. Drew on Wednesday, May 22nd 2013

I’m going out on a limb, here. “Relentless, Reckless Forever” is one of the best fifty albums ever. EVER. And I know I’m going out on a limb by saying that because I know that the other two gentlemen who write about music for this site, whose opinions I very much respect, both heartily disagree with me. But that’s the way I feel, and that was my mindset as I encountered “Halo of Blood.”

The Best Metal and Hard Rock Albums of 2011

Submitted by M. Drew on Wednesday, Dec 21st 2011

I have long theorized that music in general works in cycles of twenty to twenty-five years, and that what's old can continually be made new again, like doctoring up that potato salad for one last go-around. To wit, in the 1990's, Pantera, Alice in Chains and the rest of grunge listed their influences as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and the classic rock of the 70's. In the 1970's, Led Zeppelin and their cohorts listed their influences as Chuck Berry, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and the blues and rock musicians of the 50's.

Album Review: Children of Bodom - "Relentless, Reckless Forever"

Submitted by M. Drew on Friday, Apr 15th 2011

It actually takes several listenings of “Relentless, Reckless Forever” to appreciate everything that’s going on. That said, if the listener has the patience to get over the initial confusion of what he or she is hearing, the album’s petals will unfold into a blooming heavy metal flower.

The Top 11 Heavy Metal Albums of the Decade

Submitted by M. Drew on Monday, Dec 28th 2009

Okay, with all the recent "best [blank] of the decade" going on, I decided it was high time I got involved. Seeing as how I can only proclaim myself to be an expert in a few things, and "best pork roast recipes of the decade" didn't seem terribly theme appropriate, I got to thinking about heavy metal, as I so often do.

Children of Bodom - "Skeletons In The Closet" Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Tuesday, Oct 13th 2009

Children of Bodom's covers album is both a tribute to artists the band loves, and a tongue-in-cheek mockery of artists they love to hate.

Unlike many of their Scandinavian brethren, Children of Bodom has an obvious sense of humor regarding their particular brand of black metal, and that sense shines through on "Skeletons in the Closet."

Children of Bodom - Concert Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Tuesday, Sep 22nd 2009

I was no mood to go to a show. It’s rare that I say that. It was a Sunday night following two hellish weeks at work, with a third on deck. I had no desire to drive the fifty miles round trip to the venue, especially for a band I’d seen before. I needed to sleep.

Still, I already had my ticket in my wallet, and I figured once I got over myself, pried my eyes off of televised football and got my ass to the club, I’d be happier for being there. So, I crammed myself into my car and away I went.