Album Review: A Chapter Called Children of Bodom by Children of Bodom (Spinefarm Records)

The curtain closes on the story of Children of Bodom with the final chapter, A Chapter Called Children of Bodom. The Finnish melodic death metal band will release the closing album of their career, a live recording from their final show at Helsinki Ice Hall in 2019, on 15th December via Spinefarm Records.

Children of Bodom need no introduction really, but, just in case, they were a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Seppälä (bass), Janne Wirman (keyboard), and Daniel Freyberg (rhythm guitar).

The band released ten studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, two compilation albums and one DVD.

The band’s third studio album, Follow the Reaper, was their first album to receive a gold certification in Finland, and subsequent studio albums acquired the same status. Their next four albums debuted at number one on the Finnish album charts and have also seen chart positions on the United States Billboard 200. They are one of Finland’s best selling artists of all time with more than 250,000 records sold there alone.

In 2019, Children of Bodom held their last concert in Helsinki named A Chapter Called Children of Bodom, before disbanding the band. Laiho and Freyberg carried on as Bodom After Midnight in 2020.

Alexi Laiho, one of the founding members of Children of Bodom as well as the main songwriter, died on 29th December 2020.

Released with the blessing of Alexi Laiho’s estate, the concert album, A Chapter Called Children of Bodom, completes the legendary band’s career. It will be a must have for fans, quite literally the last time Children of Bodom ever played, or ever will play again. What must have been a very emotional night for the band, playing while knowing it was the end and in their home country, I can only imagine how special it would have been to be there. Some of the quotes from the band members gives a bit more insight:

Daniel Freyberg states:

It’s great to have that final show transformed into a live album. For those who attended, it’s a time travel back to that moment. And for those who didn’t, it’s an opportunity to experience how the chapter called Children of Bodom was closed.

Henkka Seppälä states:

Needless to say that this night was very special. When In Your Face started, the reality hit me and I had to turn away from the audience cos I actually started crying. But the beauty is that the memories and Alexi’s music will live forever!

Janne Wirman states:

It felt surreal to be on that stage in Helsinki Ice Hall as I knew that I was probably not gonna play with the guys ever again nor get to perform for the amazing fans anymore. It felt sad but also somewhat relieving. It is great that the last show and its emotional rollercoaster can now be enjoyed by everyone who couldn’t make it to the show.

Jaska Raatikainen states:

When I got on the stage I felt calm, probably because I no longer felt the need to prove anything but to enjoy the music and the presence of all the fans. I was just so grateful to have been a part of all this, knowing that our music wouldn’t disappear even if we never ever played together again.

A Chapter Called Children of Bodom saw the band revisit nearly all of their vast catalogue in a true celebration of the band. You can see the full track listing below. It’s never easy to review a live album. We already know the songs, know the band, know the quality so instead what we tend to look for in a live album is how well it is recorded, how does it sound and make you feel, can you hear the crowd, do you feel the atmosphere? These are the things I get from the very best live albums and this is also what we get here with A Chapter Called Children of Bodom. Right from the building intro where you can really hear the crowd excitement building before it drops into Under Grass and Clover, you feel  and can envision what it would have been like to be there.

Musically it feels authentic, something esle that is important to me with live albums. I get some areas will be touched up a bit, and have to be, but I want to hear those live quirks and variances and you do here, sometimes in Alexi’s vocals or a little diversion on a solo. It really does capture that live authenticity very well. The crowd noise is good, adding to the atmosphere with some particularly loud appreciation shown for the likes of In Your Face and Shovel Knockout.

Brief moments of crowd interaction led by Alexi comes through nice and loud and musically, it sounds amazing. Really clear and carrying that slightly softer, muddier live sound, it’s one of the best live recordings I have heard actually. Just listen to that intro to Everytime I Die to really appreciate the work put in to getting A Chapter Called Children of Bodom to really do the band justice. Children of Bodom really brought the energy too with an almost relentless assault of speedy and popular tracks often coming in double and triple headers with little to no stopping between them. One such block sees Halo of Blood followed by Are You Dead Yet followed almost immediately by Blooddrunk and you can only imagine how intesne that pit must have been.

Follow the Reaper, Needled 24/7, Hate Crew Deathroll, Lake Bodom, this show had it all and while listening to A Chapter Called Children of Bodom is never going to match up to actually being there, it’s damn close, and as close as we are going to get. Really well produced, quite emotional to listen to knowing now what they didn’t know then, great crowd noise, great energy and great songs, this is as fitting an end to the book of Children of Bodom as anyone could hope for.

Pre-order A Chapter Called Children of Bodom here.

Track Listing:
1. Under The Grass And Clover
2. Platitudes And Barren Words
3. In Your Face
4. Shovel Knockout
5. Bodom Beach Terror
6. Everytime I Die
7. Halo Of Blood
8. Are You Dead Yet?
9. Blooddrunk
10. 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

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