Finnish melodeath superstars Children of Bodom have gone through several identity crises. Starting off as neoclassical melodic death metal, they had a lot of success. Their album Hatebreeder is indisputably a classic of the genre. But over time, they turned their sound into a more groove-oriented version of themselves with shred sections. This sound still had a lot of acclaim, as their fourth album Hate Crew Deathroll was also received very positively, even though some lamented the loss of their older influences. With their next few albums, they kept slightly changing their sound to be more accessible while simultaneously trying to capture their spark from their earlier days, but it never clicked, even though slog the way they had some great songs. After several disappointing albums, and the loss of famed guitarist Roope Latvala, Bodom are faced with their deciding moment. They could either pick themselves back up and make a comeback, or risk forever being written off. Thankfully, their ninth album, I Worship Chaos , is more the former than the latter. What really makes a Bodom album tick? If we’re talking post- Hate Crew, it’s basically solid grooves, chantable choruses, angry one-liners from Laiho and cheesy lead sections. Well, I Worship Chaos has got all of those covered. Each song is full of memorable little licks, be it some aggressively-nod-inducing riffs, earworm melodies or just proclamations screamed by Alexi (who sounds angrier than he has in a while). But what’s really important isn’t just that these elements are thrown in to tick boxes, it’s that they all come together in a way that makes for an enjoyable listening experience. And that’s definitely the case here. Roope Latvala’s departure was definitely concerning as his lead playing was thought to be a big part of the band’s sound, but Alexi seems to be managing just fine without him. Perhaps the solos are a bit less intense, but there isn’t a noticeable drop in songwriting quality overall. In fact, the album feels better written than several of its predecessors. Everything is in lockstep, riffs carry tension and resolution very well between each other, and they don’t feel tired. This is an especially impressive feat if one considers the fact that melodic death metal has been around for quite a while and the template has been “figured out” long ago. Even Bodom have contributed to that process in the past, and nine albums deep into their career, it would be easy for them to feel like there’s not much left to say (in fact many though that was the case even seven albums deep into their career, so in some ways I Worship Chaos is a resurgence of quality). Sure, Alexi doesn’t sound like he feels as rife with angry creativity as he did fifteen years ago, but he sounds a lot more invigorated than he did five years ago. The benchmark for success in melodeath isn’t necessarily innovation anyway, it’s polish. And polish is in abundance on this album. It’s hard to underline in words the specific tightness that makes this album tick. This isn’t something that one can identify on paper. It’s the feeling of genuineness and effort conveyed by the tone of the writing. To the careful listener, that the songs were put together not by haphazard cobbling of ideas that were left on the drawing board after a writing session but were carefully put together to ensure every cog clicks properly with everything else, is obvious, and that is when the heart put into the album is apparent. Overall, I Worship Chaos is a polished, heartfelt album that makes it sound like Children of Bodom are enjoying their own music again; and fans should join in on that as well. The band are better than they have been for several albums, and new life has been breathed into their music. In a way, they’re back from the dead, telling us that we were wrong to write them off. ? Children of Bodom- I Worship Chaos gets… 4/5 -NT
Posts Tagged ‘a-lot-more’
Sevendust Frontman Lajon Witherspoon Plotting Solo Album
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Sevendust are currently ramping up to their latest studio album, ‘ Black Out the Sun ,’ but singer Lajon Witherspoon is also mapping out his future beyond that disc. The frontman will follow in the footsteps of some of his bandmates by planning a side project during the group’s next break. Speaking with AlternativeAddiction.com , the vocalist explained, “Once this album has taken its course and Sevendust slows down again, I’ll start working on my solo stuff. I feel that life and music is like a chess game, and so I’m waiting to make my next move.” Talking about the sound, he explains, “I think it will always have that Sevendust sound to it. When I sing and people hear my voice, I have to believe they’ll compare it to Sevendust, which I don’t mind because that’s where my roots are. But I think my stuff will definitely have rock and a lot more soul. Sevendust has a groove, but I think I’ll be a little bit different, and I plan on not shutting the door to anyone who would want to work with me. I’m a lover of music and it doesn’t have to be just one way for everything.” But before a Witherspoon solo effort comes to fruition, he figures on spending plenty of time touring in support of the ‘Black Out the Sun’ album. The disc drops March 26, featuring the lead single ‘Decay.’ The band just shot a video for the track this past week. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/sevendust-coal-chamber-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Next: Sevendust – Must-See 2013 Rock Concert” align=”center”]
Corey Taylor Discusses Slipknot’s Future, Dave Mustaine + Phil Anselmo
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Slipknot / Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor has heard the question before, and he’s getting a little tired about those asking about Slipknot’s future . The vocalist tells Metal Sucks that he feels no matter how often he explains his stance on the band’s continuation, it’s not truly taken to heart. Taylor tells Metal Sucks, “It’s like the more we try to explain it, no one hears the answer. It’s like they’re waiting for the answer they want to hear. We go out of our way to make sure our fans know everything, but at the end of the day, the fans have got to trust us. The worse it gets, the more we want to push away — we’re still dealing with the fact that our brother is dead. It can get hectic when all that people want to know about is when we’re getting back together. Don’t they realize that we’re never, really, ever going to get back together? One of our founding members is gone. It’ll never be the same, y’know? People don’t understand it. I try not to be bitter and lash out, but it’s getting harder and harder. Brutal, man.” During his interview, Taylor weighed in on several other topics, including the controversial political commentaries of Megadeth ‘s Dave Mustaine . The singer says, “The thing that bothers me is no one should ever put a microphone in front of Dave Mustaine’s face unless he’s on stage. Every time he says something, I cringe. People have asked me — there was this big thing on Twitter where people we’re going, ‘Dave Mustaine makes me ashamed to be a metalhead,’ and I’m like, ‘Screw that! For every Mustaine, there’s a Hetfield . They’re his beliefs, let him talk s— all he wants, and don’t let him discourage you.’ Just because there’s one guy who doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about, doesn’t mean there aren’t twenty more who do know.” Taylor also revealed that he’s doing his best to stay healthy on the road, though his register seems to get lower as the years go on. When asked if he thought he was morphing into Pantera ‘s Phil Anselmo , Taylor explained, “Umm… not really, no. I can walk upright, so I’m fine. I think Phil has a lot more problems than a deep voice, let’s put it that way. But my voice has been the same timbre for 15 years, so I’m not worried. Plus, I don’t drink any more — I don’t smoke any less, but I don’t drink anymore, so I’m trying to stay as healthy as I can.” These days, you can hear Taylor and his low register fronting Stone Sour on their newly released, ‘ House of Gold & Bones, Pt. 1 ‘ album. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/corey-taylor-says-slipknot-are-on-hiatus/” title=”Next: Corey Taylor Says Slipknot Are on Hiatus” align=”center”]
Motley Crue and Kiss Donate 100K to Relief Fund for Aurora Shooting Victims
When Motley Crue and Kiss pulled their two-headed rock ‘n’ roll monster simply known as ‘The Tour’ into Englewood, Colo. last night (Aug. 9), they had a lot more than music on their minds. In the wake of the tragic movie theater shootings, the two bands announced their plans to donate $100,000 to the Aurora Victim Relief Fund. The bands hope that the money not only aids victims, but inspires