Ten years ago, Children of Bodom were really hot new shit. The combination of rough Death Metal sounds with Melodic Metal elements and the superior playing skills were absolutely fascinating. Especially the competing scale runs on guitar and keyboard made the sound unique. Albums like Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper and Hatecrew Deathroll are good documents for this time.
Since 2005, the sound changed more and more: less melodies, less scale runs and less catchy choruses but more rhythms and Thrash. Alexi and co went this way until their last album Relentless Reckless Forever, which reminded more of an American Metalcore act than a Finnish metal band - a development, which made them a lot of new fans, but, on the other hand, drove many old fans away from the band.
But now, on Halo of Blood, the band is performing a backward roll. Everything has less groove, but more melody, everything sounds less brutal, but finer. Overall, Halo of Blood seems to be less American, but more Finnish again. I don`t know if Peter Tägtgren, who was already the chosen producer of Follow the Reaper, had much influence on this decision but it was definitely the right one! However, the band can not compete with their own classics from the beginning of the millenium. Although the songs sound much better than before, there are almost no catchy hooklines or choruses. One exception is Dead Man`s Hand On You, which has a similar doomy atmosphere like Angels Don`t Kill. But Bodom are on a good way, which they should walk further - but they are not (yet) back at their old strength.
Timo Päßler
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