Children of Bodom
Something Wild

THE REVIEW

Although I have been following this site for a long time, only today did I decide to register and start posting comments, reviews, rankings, etc. This is my first review: I hope you'll be lenient with me and that you can give me various tips to use in the future. But without further ado, here's the review!

The record in question is "Something Wild," the first LP dated 1997 from the Finnish band Children of Bodom. The 5 members of the group, at the time just eighteen years old, led by Alexi Laiho, released an album of short duration (just 36 minutes), but very violent.

As soon as we press the play button, we hear thunder and a malevolent laugh; and after a minute the music starts, immediately making things clear: there's no joking around here. The track in question is "Deadnight Warrior," in my opinion the worst of the bunch, as it never really inspired 'violence' in me.

However, already with the next one, the quality level rises significantly: "In The Shadows" is a 6-minute mini-suite where the neo-classical influences are already felt, especially in Wirman's keyboards, combined with death metal. Excellent here is the work done by the bass and the rhythm guitar, which strongly support the 6 minutes and beyond of the song.

The following are wonderful: "Red Light In My Eyes, Pt. 1" and "Red Light In My Eyes, Pt. 2" are the songs where the neo-classical influences are most felt: the intro of the first is taken from "Invention No. 13" by J.S. Bach; while the intro of the second is from "Symphony No. 25" and later we can hear the 'Confutatis' from the "Requiem," both compositions by W.A. Mozart. Skillful here is the blending of these melodies with the harshness of the tracks, at times truly violent (in 'Pt. 1' the blast beat is used). The result is truly curious and intriguing.

The fifth track is the most famous of the album, and also the most melodic, as we can guess from the intro: "Lake Bodom" conceptually summarizes the entire album, and I find it perfect for introducing the band to a newcomer of the Espoo quintet. It feels like breathing the air of death from that cursed lake a few kilometers from Espoo, where a gruesome massacre took place.

The next song is my favorite of the band: "The Nail" is also a mini-suite of over 6 minutes where Alexi and company showcase all their skill and talent. The intro is curious: the sounds heard come from the famous horror film "Nightmare," while the words come from "Ben Hur." Of course, classical music can't be missing here either, as this time the superb ''Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565'' by the master J.S. Bach is used; while for 5 minutes the group creates apocalyptic and devastating atmospheres, drawing from their entire repertoire; memorable are the fast gallops throughout the song, and Alexi's final sweeps.

The seventh and final track of the LP is "Touch Like Angela Of Death," the only one with lyrics in the booklet. The keyboard still takes center stage, in a whirlwind of notes and bell sounds. A particularity of the song is that it contains a ghost track: after a few minutes of silence, we can hear some simple yet evocative keyboard phrases, played by Alexi and Alexander drunk in the studio.

In conclusion, I can say that this is undoubtedly my favorite album by the Finnish band. The only note of regret is the fact that from the next LP onwards, the neo-classical influences disappear, making way for a more 'Iron Maiden-like' sound. The drums do their dirty work as you can see, the bass and rhythm guitar support the whole work excellently, the keyboard and lead guitar unleash all their skill to create perfect solos; and sudden silences of the other instruments in which only the keyboard is heard (the entire album is filled with these moments). A downside is Alexi's voice, which is annoying at certain points.

The lineup that composed the album is as follows:

-Alexi Laiho (vocals, lead guitar);

-Alexander Kuoppala (rhythm guitar);

-Janne Wirman (keyboards);

-Henkka Blacksmith Seppala (bass);

-Jaska Raatikainen (drums).