Children Of Bodom - Halo Of Blood (2013, CD+DVD)



Year & Label: 2013, Nuclear Blast Records GmbH | CD#: NB 2953-0
Flac (image) | MP3 CBR 320 Kbps | Artwork (JPG, 300 dpi) | File-hosts: Uploaded.net
Melodic Death Metal | FLAC: 370 MB | Artwork: 100 MB | MP3: 110 MB | 5% WinRAR Recovery
DVD-5 | PAL | VOB | Screen 16:9 (720x480) | Total Duration: Approximately 25 Min | All Regions

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They finally got it right. Finally. It’s been a long time since there’s been much
excitement regarding the release of a new Children of Bodom record; a
band largely pegged as the Metallica of melodic death metal. That is, a
band that made a profound impact with their early albums, but divided
the metal community following later releases in a more commercial
format; exchanging black metal roots and neo-classical compositions for a
more riff-oriented, Lamb of God style and a place on the Hot Topic
shelf. Let’s get something straight guys: Children of Bodom are NEVER
going back to Hatebreeder, no matter how much you bombard them through
YouTube or fan-mail. Nonetheless, it’s painfully clear that the band
needs a huge breath of fresh air following the rather stale and very
forgettable Relentless Reckless Forever. Their latest offering in Halo
of Blood gives us just that, and is hands-down Children of Bodom’s
strongest offering since 2003's Hate Crew Deathroll.

There are many “what-if” questions in the timeline of heavy metal. What
if Randy Rhoads never got on that plane? What if Metallica didn’t give
Dave Mustaine the boot? What if Jari didn’t take 8 years to release half
of Time? Probably asked frequently amongst half of the polarized CoB
fanbase is what if Bodom didn’t jump on the commercial bandwagon after
Hate Crew Deathroll? Well, the answer can be found on Halo of Blood,
which effectively combines the heavier, power thrashing style they’ve
become accustomed to, with their early black metal influence and sense
of melody that made them so loved in the beginning. Die-hard fans will
be teeming with excitement upon hearing the lead-off track, Waste of
Skin (think “Hate Me!”), which kicks things off with one of their
trademark catchy melodies and is the first of many old school Bodom
moments to come. Right away the listener is thrown into the comfort zone
of the glory days, which is great considering the lack of those moments
in the band’s recent work. Bodom Blue Moon, All Twisted, and One Bottle
and a Knee Deep are all trademark Bodom tracks that will quickly become
fan favorites.

Funny how they choose to release an album with a winter atmosphere in
June, but it’s a presence most welcomed and gives Janne’s keys some
meaning again. You can thank him for the black metal feeling, as its
influence is definitely felt. Alexi’s guitar-work is ace as usual, and
even makes some room for Roope, who is a brilliant guitarist himself, to
throw in a solo or two. It would be refreshing to see a little more of
him though, perhaps in a more tag-team role as he and Alexi shared in
Sinergy. Then again, Sinergy didn’t have Janne Warmen. It’s always great
to hear him and Alexi going at it with the vigorous, yet friendly
competition they have. Henkka’s bass is in the mix doing its thing, and
ahhhh, blastbeats… Jaska serves them up for the first time in ages and
is the typically excellent backbone of the music of Children of Bodom.
The actual musicianship of these guys has never been questioned, and
they continue to produce in peak form.

Halo of Blood is littered with pleasant surprises, using elements both
familiar and new to the CoB style. First and foremost is the title track
that is borderline black metal, and stands out as one of the heaviest
Bodom tunes ever. Then there’s the dark ballad “Dead Man’s Hand on You,”
the slow song that everyone has been talking about. Hearing Children of
Bodom coming out with, I shit you not, a grand piano, clean guitars,
and (what sound like) sensitive lyrics should be flabbergasting. But
like Chuck Schuldiner’s famous kitten shirt, it doesn’t feel one bit out
of place and can even be considered a transcending point for the band.
Given their typical aggressiveness, it’s great to hear them take a step
outside their usual domain and take a risk.

Possibly the most diverse music in their catalogue, Halo of Blood is
without a doubt, the most innovative and exciting record Children of
Bodom has released in a decade. Sure, there’s still going to be those
nose-picking naysayers who will bitch and moan that it isn’t Hatebreeder
II. If that's what you're expecting you might as well just throw on
Hatebreeder and not waste your time; indeed, it would be wrong to call
Halo of Blood a full-on back to roots album. What it is however, is the
fine product of a fantastic band that has established growth in their
sound righting the ship and resuming course. Safe sailing Alexi and Co.
just stay afloat this time please...

~ www.metal-archives.com
Musicians:

Vocals, guitars : Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho
Guitars : Roope Latvala
Guitars : Janne Warman
Bass : Henkka T. Blacksmith
Drums : Jaska W. Raatikainen

Produced by COB and Mikko Karmila
Recorded at Petrax Studios, Hollola, Finland by Mikko Karmila
Mixed and mastered at Finnfox, Helsinki in February 2013 by Mikka Jussila

Track List:

01. Waste Of Skin [4:16]
02. Halo Of Blood [3:12]
03. Scream For Silence [4:10]
04. Transference [3:58]
05. Bodom Blue Moon (The Second Coming) [4:14]
06. Your Days Are Numbered [3:41]
07. Dead Man's Hand On You [4:58]
08. Damaged Beyond Repair [4:21]
09. All Twisted [4:52]
10. One Bottle And A Knee Deep [4:05]
11. Sleeping In My Car (Bonus Track) [3:19]

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