Children of Bodom — the Finnish melodic death-metal band led by the late, great Alexi Laiho — formed in 1993 and quickly made their place in heavy-music history, leaving behind a vital catalog of 10 studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, two compilation albums and one DVD. In 2019, CoB held their last concert, in their hometown of Helsinki, after which Laiho and guitarist Daniel Freyberg carried on as Bodom After Midnight.
Sadly, this new undertaking was short-lived as the singer-guitarist died on December 29th, 2020, following long-term health complications. To pay our respects to Laiho, master shredder and talented songwriter, we asked you the fans to pick your single favorite Children of Bodom cut — see your top-five picks below.
5. "Banned From Heaven"
This epic standout from 2008's Blooddrunk is something of a hidden gem. Faster and thrashier than much of Children of Bodom's previous output, "Banned From Heaven" is a brilliant showcase of the power of Laiho's chugging riffery. It's also an inspirational hymn to fighting your way back: "Did you think that I would right now/Show you things I have lost?/Swim if you're diving for a human being."
4. "Hate Crew Deathroll"
The closing cut to 2003's melodic death-metal barn-burner Hate Crew Deathroll quickly became an anthem for Children of Bodom fans everywhere. It's an absolute rager from start to finish featuring thunderous guitars, blast beats to snap necks and nasty screams. No wonder the words "Hate Crew" were emblazoned on the band's live backdrop for a time, Laiho had "COBHC" tattooed on his hands, and CoB fans are, of course, known as the Hate Crew.
3. "Hate Me!"
With 2000's Follow the Reaper, the Finnish band earned a wider audience and evolved their sound with elements of power and symphonic metal. Many songs became set-list staples and fan favorites, including "Hate Me!," a single that went platinum in CoB's homeland. "To me, it's more of a rock & roll song than anything death or black metal, and it gave us a new direction to head in," Laiho said of the cut. "'Hate Me!' was our first song to capture that rock & roll vibe."
2. "Everytime I Die"
Another stomper from Follow the Reaper, "Everytime I Die" is a quick, simple and perfect Children of Bodom number. From it's haunting, dizzying opener, it swells to vicious, galloping verses and an explosive ending, taking the listener on a rip-roaring journey that complements its dark lyrics: "The faint blaze of the candle of my life/Slowly dying like a fire in a pouring rain/No sparks of hope inside/No shooting stars on my sky/On broken wings, no flying high."
1. "Are You Dead Yet?"
While fans may be split over their favorite CoB album, the clear winning song in this poll was "Are You Dead Yet?" As legend goes, Laiho came up with the title after an alcohol-related injury — he drank a lot of the cheapest vodka, climbed on a car, fell off, broke bones and, many stitches later, woke up in the hospital, asking himself, "Have you had enough? Are you dead yet?" Thankfully, he lived long enough to leave behind this incredibly pulverizing yet super catchy sing-along, among many other classic tunes. RIP.
