| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Paint The Sky With Blood Payback's A Bitch Where Dead Angels Lie (Dissection cover) BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT IS: Alexi Laiho - Lead vocals & guitars Daniel Freyberg - Guitars & backing vocals Mitja Toivonen - Bass & backing vocals Waltteri Vayrynen - Drums Release Date: April 23, 2021 Label: Napalm Records Website: www.facebook.com/bodomaftermidnightofficial www.instagram.com/bodomaftermidnightofficial |  |
It goes without saying that the sudden passing of Alexi Laiho hit the entire metal world like a freight train going at full speed. I have to say though, that if you saw what Alexi looked like over the last couple of years while he was still here, he didn't look too healthy, and that started to put worry into a lot of fans. At the end of 2019, Children Of Bodom came to an end after Jaska Raatikainen, Janne Wirman and Henkka Seppala all announced their simultaneous departures from the band. Since the three of them are also the owners of the Children Of Bodom name, Alexi could not continue with that moniker. In 2020, Alexi and guitarist Daniel Freyberg announced a new band Bodom After Midnight, named after the song from Follow The Reaper. The lineup was rounded out by Mitja Toivonen on bass and Waltteri Vayrynen on drums. The band had some festival shows booked for the summer of 2020, but were ultimately cancelled due to the pandemic. However, they did play three live shows in Seinajoki, Finland in October 2020, and they were in the process of writing their debut album to be released on Napalm Records.
Alexi then passed at the tail end of 2020 on December 29th, but his passing was announced six days later, permanently ending any possibility of a Children Of Bodom reunion, and putting the future of Bodom After Midnight in question. However, the band announced that Alexi's final recordings would be posthumously released with the Paint The Sky With Blood EP, which features two original songs, and a Dissection cover. When you listen to these songs, they definitely carry so many old-school Children Of Bodom vibes. The two originals, which are the opening title track and "Payback's A Bitch" are not too different from each other in terms of style and intensity, which will find pleasure with many fans. Both tracks offer an onslaught of raging riffs, and writing that we haven't heard from Alexi in a long time. The Dissection cover of "Where Dead Angels Lie" is a pretty true-to-form version to the original, but they did a fantastic job with modernizing this black metal classic.
Remember, these are Alexi's final new recordings, so the opportunity we have to hear and get familiar with brand new music from the Wildchild is something that everyone should savor, as it will never happen again. Even though Alexi may no longer be with us, and there were only three new songs from his new venture with Bodom After Midnight, it's safe to say that he went out with flying colours, because as I mentioned above, this is some of the best material he has written in a long time. Alexi, thank you for all the great music you've given us and all the great memories. Rest in peace Wildchild.
Alexi then passed at the tail end of 2020 on December 29th, but his passing was announced six days later, permanently ending any possibility of a Children Of Bodom reunion, and putting the future of Bodom After Midnight in question. However, the band announced that Alexi's final recordings would be posthumously released with the Paint The Sky With Blood EP, which features two original songs, and a Dissection cover. When you listen to these songs, they definitely carry so many old-school Children Of Bodom vibes. The two originals, which are the opening title track and "Payback's A Bitch" are not too different from each other in terms of style and intensity, which will find pleasure with many fans. Both tracks offer an onslaught of raging riffs, and writing that we haven't heard from Alexi in a long time. The Dissection cover of "Where Dead Angels Lie" is a pretty true-to-form version to the original, but they did a fantastic job with modernizing this black metal classic.
Remember, these are Alexi's final new recordings, so the opportunity we have to hear and get familiar with brand new music from the Wildchild is something that everyone should savor, as it will never happen again. Even though Alexi may no longer be with us, and there were only three new songs from his new venture with Bodom After Midnight, it's safe to say that he went out with flying colours, because as I mentioned above, this is some of the best material he has written in a long time. Alexi, thank you for all the great music you've given us and all the great memories. Rest in peace Wildchild.
FINAL RATING
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