Archive for Bodom After Midnight

Iza’s Highlights of 2021

Posted in Editorial/Opinionated with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 29th December 2021 by izaforestspirit

Another year of no gigs for me but thanks to the Covid 19 vaccine I was able to travel abroad and watch a movie at the cinema. Then new strain of the virus led to new restrictions and event cancellations. It remains to be seen whether I can go to any concerts next year but for now I’m happy with watching live streams and listening to music. Here are my highlights of 2021:

1. Cradle of Filth – Resistance is Futile
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal/Extreme Gothic Metal

Cradle of Filth - Existence Is Futile

It’s been many years since Cradle of Filth have made an album this good. It reminds me of their eerie Gothic horror masterpiece ‘Midian’. Best tracks: ‘Crawling King Chaos’, ‘Suffer Our Dominium’ and ‘How Many Tears To Nurture A Rose’.

2. Therion – Leviathan
Genre: Symphonic Metal

Therion is a band I used to like but I lost interest in their releases over a decade ago. Then I saw their video for ‘Tuonela (featuring Marco Hietala) and I decided to give their new album a go. It turned out to be everything that I love about Therion – mythical themes, operatic vocals and movie soundtrack -style atmospheric symphonic metal. In addition to ‘Tuonela’, my favorite tracks are ‘Eye of Algol’ and ‘Nocturnal Light’.

3. Bodom After Midnight – Paint The Sky With Blood
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Power Metal

Bodom After Midnight, Paint the Sky with Blood, 10" Vinyl - Backstage Rock Shop

This one is technically an EP but in this case I decided to make an exception. This is Alexi Laiho’s (ex-Children of Bodom) swansong, the last three tracks he recorded with his new band before he died last year.

4. Helloween – Helloween
Genre: Power Metal

Helloween - Helloween

While it’s no match to ‘The Dark Ride’, Helloween’s self-titled is the most memorable power metal album I’ve heard this year. Very uplifting and energetic from start to finish. Best tracks: ‘Fear of The Fallen’, ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Best Time’.

5. Blue Stahli – Obsidian
Genre: Industrial Rock/Electric Rock

This album is the final part of the industrial artist Bret Autrey aka Blue Stahli’s Dead Channel Trilogy and my favorite one out of the three. Energetic industrial rock at its finest. Best tracks: ‘The Mountain’ and ‘One Last Breath’.

6. Lord of The Lost – Judas
Genre: Gothic Metal/Dark Rock/Industrial Metal

I had some serious doubts about Lord of The Lost being able to produce another good album after the masterpiece that was ‘Thornstar’. The reason why ‘Judas’ is so low down on this list is because I didn’t like the second disc as much as the first. I think that it would have been better if it was shorter. Best tracks: ‘Priest’, ‘For They Know Not What They Do’ and ‘Born With A Broken Heart’.

7. Hate – Rugia
Genre: Black Metal/ Blackened Death Metal

Hate - Rugia

Hate tend to get overlooked by many extreme metal fans and dismissed as a Behemoth clone. Whilst they also come from Poland and they play blackened death metal, the similarities end there. Their music is far less technical than Behemoth but it’s just as dark and bleak. I love the Slavic mythology themes on here. Best tracks ‘Rugia’ and ‘Resurgence’.

8. Lacrimosa – Leidenschaft
Genre: Gothic Metal

Finally a new album from one of my favorite Gothic metal bands. This one has the same melancholic ambience as their previous opus ‘Testimonium’ along with some heavier, more metal songs. Best tracks: ‘Kulturtasche’ and ‘Raubtier’.

9. Blutengel – Erlösung – The Victory of Light
Genre: Synthpop/ Darkwave

For those who don’t know I have a thing for vampires and German electronica which is what got me into Blutengel. The latest opus from the German darkwave duo features several really good dancefloor hits including: ‘The Victory of Light’, ‘Wir Sind Das Licht’ and ‘Darkness Awaits Us’.

10. Eisbrecher – Liebe Macht Monster
Genre: Industrial Metal

If you like industrial, Neue Deutsche Härte and you’re looking for some new exercise music then ‘Liebe Macht Monster’ is the album for you. Best tracks: ‘Es lohnt sich nicht ein Mensch zu sein’ and ‘Nein Danke’ and ‘Dagegen featuring Dero Goi (Oomph!, Die Kreatur).

Honorable mentions:

Ex Deo – The 13 Years of Nero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSVkjiUxW0M
Theatres des Vampires – In Nomine Sanguinis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XCn6mihi6s
Powerwolf – Call of The Wild
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf5SMqG-JHk

Most anticipated albums of 2022 – Sabaton – The War To End All Wars, new albums from Suicide Commando and Agathodaimon.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Iza Raittila


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Bodom After Midnight – Paint The Sky With Blood

Posted in Review with tags , , on 23rd April 2021 by izaforestspirit

Bodom After Midnight
Released 23rd April 2021
Melodic Death Metal/Power Metal
Released via Nuclear Blast

Bodom After Midnight, Paint the Sky with Blood, 10" Vinyl - Backstage Rock Shop

The tragic death of Alexi Laiho late last year meant that his new band’s album was never finished. He did however manage to record a few tracks with Bodom After Midnight. His bandmates decided to release these as an EP dedicated to his memory. So here we have Alexi Laiho’s swan song – ‘Paint The Sky With Blood’.

The title track is by far the highlight on here. Laiho’s vocals sounds as sharp as ever and the guitar work is simply flawless. The keyboards work well in the background. Next up is Payback’s a Bitch, another solid melodic death metal track which reminded me of Children of Bodom’s mid-career work. Once again the guitar work is the prime focus. Last but not least is a cover of ‘Dissection’s Where Dead Angels Lie. This is not the easiest of songs to cover but they did a pretty good job of it. They successfully managed to capture the original atmosphere of the track.

In summary, as a long time Children of Bodom fan I am very happy that Mr. Laiho left his fans with one final parting gift. RIP Alexi Laiho. One wild child gone far too soon…

9/10

Iza Raittila

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Bodom After Midnight EP coming this spring

Posted in Misc., News with tags , , , , , on 22nd February 2021 by izaforestspirit

Good news for Children of Bodom fans. Before his death last year, front-man and guitarist Alexi Laiho managed to record three songs with his new band Bodom After Midnight. Now his band-mates have announced that they will be releasing these tracks on an EP called ‘Paint The Sky With Blood’.

Here’s the cover art and tracklisting:

May be an image of text

01. Paint The Sky With Blood
02. Payback’s A Bitch
03. Where Dead Angels Lie (Dissection Cover)

‘Paint The Sky With Blood’ will be out in both physical and digital formats on 23rd April 2021 via Napalm Records.

For more information visit:

https://www.facebook.com/bodomaftermidnightofficial

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Bodom After Midnight enter the studio

Posted in Misc., News, Studio Report with tags , , , , , on 11th November 2020 by izaforestspirit

Good news for Children of Bodom fans. When the band split up last year, their front-man Alexi Laiho formed a new band called Bodom After Midnight with rhythm guitarist Daniel Freyberg (also ex-Children of Bodom), drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (Paradise Lost) and bassist Mitja Toivonen (Santa Cruz).

Now after a handful of small but successful shows in their native Finland the quartet have entered Finnox studio in Helsinki to record their debut album. The latest update is that the drum work is complete. The album has no title nor has there been any mention of whether there will keyboard player joining the line-up. They have yet to announce when the new album will be released but it will most likely not happen until 2021.

Photo by Mika Jussila
Image may contain: 1 person, indoor

For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/pg/bodomaftermidnightofficial/

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Alexi Laiho’s book now available in English

Posted in Misc., News with tags , , , , , on 22nd April 2020 by izaforestspirit

So we may have to wait a while for the debut album from Alexi Laiho‘s new band Bodom After Midnight but there is some good news for his fans. The former Children of Bodom front-man’s autobiography ‘Alexi Laiho – Chaos, Control & Guitar’ is now available in English.

The book was ghost written by Petri Silas, a music journalist and personal friend of Mr. Laiho. The original version (in Finnish) came out last year.

Alexi Laiho - Chaos, Control & Guitar, Book - Backstage Rock Shop

The international, English edition is available from the following online stores:
Alexi Laiho – Chaos, Control & Guitar (Book in English)
https://www.recordshopx.com/book/laiho_alexi/kitara_kaaos_kontrolli/

For further information go to:
https://fi-fi.facebook.com/AlexiLaihoOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/bodomaftermidnightofficial/

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Meet Alexi Laiho’s new band Bodom After Midnight

Posted in Misc., News with tags , , , , on 16th March 2020 by izaforestspirit

So it’s official… Children of Bodom is no more. The well renowned Finnish melodic death metal group played their last show in Helsinki, Finland in December last year. With their front-man Alexi Laiho loosing the rights to the name, a decision was made for the band to call it a day.

Luckily, there is some good news for their fans. Alexi Laiho has recently formed a new band called Bodom After Midnight. He will be joined by former CoB band-mate guitarist Daniel Freyberg, drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (Paradise Lost) and bassist Mitja Toivonen (Santa Cruz). The band have yet to find a full time keyboard player, but for now the keyboards will be performed by a session musician called Lauri Salomaa.

Bodom After Midnight are scheduled to play their first show at Tuska Open Air Festival on 27th June 2020 with other festival dates to follow this summer including John Smith Rock Festival and Summer Breeze Festival.

For now check out their new Facebook page for more details:
https://www.facebook.com/bodomaftermidnightofficial/#

 

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