Follow the Reaper

Turn of the millenium was a very chaotic time, but not exactly in a bad way. Sure, you can point to the bands like Linkin Park, Slipknot, Evanescence etc pumping out pretty simplistic records that were always headed by a moderately intersting singles to get the average middle-class American kid to get into the mall and buy the damn single or album.

But there was one band, dead set on resurrecting the shred spirit of Malmsteen, the bombastic balls to the wall attitude of metal as it was in the 80s and combine it with the harsh vocals of extreme metal acts of Norway and Sweden. The result of their efforts was a solid debut “Something Wild” which while being sloppy in places, dared to present something new while the deluge of nu-metal was drowning the charts. The formula was further improved on “Hatebreeder” which dramatically increased the neoclassical and amped up the power metal while harsh vocals still tied the band to the “extreme metal” term. Of course, since you can see the band and album I am talking about, it does not take a genius to figure out I am talking about Children of Bodom. At the time, what the Finns were doing was truly unique and special and to this day was never matched, not even by the band in question. This sound achieved it’s pinnacle not on “Hatebreeder” but on the band’s third and definite best work, “Follow The Reaper”.

Opening with a sampled quote from “Exorcist III” (not a bad movie, to digress a little) the thunderous and bombastic riff backed by the keyboards in first 15 seconds will tell you what you are getting here. And what it is just an absolute riff and shredfest played at speeds that would make the band’s preceding effort “Hatebreeder” blush in response and even have Malmsteen’s classic works nod in approval. The keyboards are also worthy of mention. While most of the bands from the 80s which Laiho claims as inspiration mostly used keyboards for atmospherics or simple one note enhancements, it seems that Bodom opted out for the Stratovarius approach to them. And that is to have dedicated melodies and even solos for them. However, where this album really sells itself to one’s ears, and I am even surprised is in the breakdowns, and I don’t mean those shitty early-mid 2000s metalcore “tough guy” breakdowns. For example, “Mask Of Sanity” has a good amount of melodic build up before the Laiho and company break down into one of the heaviest riffs I have heard. Similarly, “Everytime I Die” has one in the intro, which also happens after 20 seconds of melodic and atmospheric build up. Trying to pick a favourite on this record is a fool’s errand, everything is great, the band is at the top of their game. Laiho was especially a master at fusing the classic Iron Maiden, Priest and W.A.S.P. melodic leads with some death metal sensibility, creating an intense, heavy but also extremely catchy riffs. To get what I mean, look no further than the title track, “Mask Of Sanity” and “Hate Me!” but you can find it in every track here. Where he further cemented his reputation was the lead guitar melodies and solos. While the entire album is packed with sick solos and guitar licks, I think there is one song that towers over them. “Kissing The Shadows” is one of the best metal songs and a candidate for the greatest album closer ever recorded, up there with my favourites like “And The Story Ends”, “And Then There Was Silence” and “One Shot At Glory”. That shredding interplay in the final minute between Laiho’s guitar and Janne’s keyboards, not to mention Malmsteen-esque lead melody underneath the chorus has, and still does, leave my mouth agape in amazement. If there are people who call Laiho “overrated” just make them listen to “Kissing The Shadows” to shut down their arguments.

What Children Of Bodom crafted here is a truly special and influential release, one that many melodeath or extreme power metal bands have tried to match. Very, very few have come even in the spitting distance of it, but there is yet to come a serious contender, even after nearly 25 years after it’s release. While I was not even in the plans when Bodom were at their creative peak, I think it’s safe to say that “Follow The Reaper” is a truly timeless release and a one that has recently started to find itself hailed as much as the classic Priest and Maiden albums, a status I fully believe is earned.