CHILDREN OF BODOM
A Chapter Called… (Napalm)
In 2019, after 25 years and 11 albums, Finnish death metal band Children Of Bodom disbanded, leaving A Chapter Called… as their coda. It’s a recording of their last ever gig, in Helsinki, but if not for the occasional roar from the crowd – who seem to be enjoying themselves – and expletives from Laiho, the album could pass for a studio recording.
The 18 songs are loud and fast, with gnarly vocals and big drum/basslines, but there’s more here than the standard death metal fare – Bodom Beach Terror, for instance, has some pretty impressive lead guitar shredding and a background melody you can get lost in. No two tracks are the same musically but there’s a distinct theme of death and destruction running throughout, with some pretty bloody lyrics – which is all part of the COB persona. Sadly, founder and vocalist Alexi Laiho died in 2020, making their final offering bittersweet.
words LYNDA NASH