Customer Reviews

Follow The Reaper

5 star:		(111)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Children of Bodom are a band that has recently caught my attention. I purchased this album after watching the music video of the song 'Everytime I die,' and I was waiting for Follow the Reaper to arrive in the mailbox! When I first put the cd in the stereo, I was incredibly happy with the awesome sound and quality that this cd has.

Follow the Reaper opens strong with the title track, and I absolutely love the keyboards. Their keyboardist has immense talent, along with Alexi, the lead singer, and the rest of the band. Bodom After Midnight is a fast-paced rocker that sounds like Iron Maiden leads mixed with death metal style vocals! The song, Everytime I Die is an awesome song, and I loved it when these guys played it live when I saw them with Iced Earth. The rest of the songs rock, and the riffs are amazing. Children of Bodom are here to stay, and I highly recommend this album! Metal fans will enjoy this release due to the fact that Children of Bodom are a fun band to listen to.

"Follow the Reaper" contains few surprises for those who are familiar with Children of Bodom's two previous albums, "Something Wild" and "Hatebreeder." For those not familiar with Children of Bodom, shame on you! This band is one of the more exciting metal bands around today, combining harmonies derived from Bach and Vivaldi with an aggressive guitar and (especially) vocal sound.

The synthesizers tend to be a little more diverse on "Follow the Reaper," both in terms of tones used and the sorts of harmonies played. Children of Bodom have moved slightly away from the strictly baroque approach of their first two albums into traditional progressive and melodic metal territory - "Bodom after Midnight" is a good example of this trend. But the way Children of Bodom combines these elements is certainly UNtraditional. This is pretty much breakneck, Dionysian music for those moments when you just want to jump up and air-guitar madly until out of breath.

I have to note that the lyrics are basically terrible. Children of Bodom have never been known for their poetic expertise, but "Follow the Reaper" sets new lows with random profanity and cliches about how great alcohol and suicide are. I doubt the band takes these lyrics seriously - in interviews they tend to see themselves just as over-the-top entertainers. Some will not be so entertained.

Overall, I would rate this album slightly below "Hatebreeder," but it still makes my "top ten metal albums of 2000" list. There are slightly fewer great musical moments, and as mentioned, the lyrics are worse. These best parts of this album, in my view, are the extended guitar-synth harmonies, as found on songs like the title track and "Children of Decadence."

... Fans of Opeth, Cradle Of Filth and/or In Flames who think that those bands are brutal yet melodic, Children Of Bodom (while not sounding like any of those bands) are the kings of mixing elegance and beauty with sheer brutality. My only complaints are that "Every Time I Die" falls below the standard of the others (but considering how great they were it's not that bad - oddly enough the 2 guitarists think it's the best song they've written!) and that the lyrics are bad. Other than that, an almost perfect album.

They also have a sound that makes me hesitate to call them death metal (albeit melodic death) or black. It's more like 80s power metal (incidentally, done well without the cheese) but faster, heavier and with aggressive vocals. It also has keyboard solos (I think that's a first for a death band) and influences ranging from nu-glam and electro-pop to neo-classical music, as well as the likes of black metal such as Dimmu Borgir (who don't have keyboard solos but still have very prominent synths like Bodom) and power metal like Blind Guardian. Sound a bit dogdy to you? Probably. Put off? Don't be. Describing this would probably make it sound bad but beleive me when I say that this is an absolutely great album.

Not only is this my new favourite album, it's also the first black/death metal album to get full marks (although I think Cradle's "Cruelty And The Beast" and Satyricon's "Dark Medieval Times" deserve full marks as well - I was in a stingy mood). What we have here is an album that is original (how often can you say that about a black metal band?), intelligent and ALMOST perfect. I can't recommend it enough. The best songs include "Follow The Reaper" and "Mask Of Sanity".

I'll admit, this is my first foray into the realm of the Gothenburg/Nordic melodic death and/or black metal sound that's all the rage these days with satanists worldwide.

One word to describe my feelings: THANK GOD I BOUGHT THIS. Okay, that's 5 words, but you get my point. I was so worried about getting past the vocal growling that often overshadows this amazing genre of music that I nearly shot myself in the foot before giving the entire disc a listen. I think it took roughly 13 seconds of the first track before I was hooked. By the time the pulsating, driving riffing and keyboard work on "Children of Bodom," I had an early entry (for me) for best album purchased this year.

Do yourself a favor, don't bypass this just because you're afraid of black/death metal like I almost did. Is this even black/death metal? I have my doubts. It's more like Jericho/Keeper era Helloween mixed with Saga/Asia style keyboard work mixed with well, guttural screaming vocals. I'm sure there's some purists out there who are experiencing rising blood pressure at my amateur analysis, but that works for me. I was shocked that something this hard, this BRUTAL could be so instantly hummable. I've had numerous songs going through my brain like a 5,000 mph sledgehammer all day long, causing more than one person to look at me strangely, let me tell you.

Alright, enough of me. Just get all this!

I admit that I may have bought this album on a nostalgic impulse, but I'm glad I had it. Considering I'm someone who mainly listens to stuff like Radiohead, Yes, and Pink Floyd, you'd think the last album I'd buy is this. But whatever. Lately I've been checking out some "tr00" metal (like Opeth and In Flames, along with metal bands I looked into a while ago like Alice In Chains and Queensryche), and it's awesome. So far, this is the only COB album I own, but after listening to it, I'm looking forward than buying more of their albums. Anyway, enough of my rant, now onto the album.

COB's Follow The Reaper is full of awesome instrumental passages, ear-shredding vocals, and even audible bass! Wow! These guys are definately some of the most talented musicians out there; especially Alexi Laiho. He has great solos throughout the whole album. The title track opens up with a passage from something you'd hear in an Edgar Allen Poe tale: "Death be not proud, though some have called me mighty and dreadful, hard not so." Then Alexi, Alexander, Henkka, Janne and Jaska hit you with their instruments all at once. There's even a little bass solo in the beginning! During the chorus, there's some great keyboard effects by Janne. Then he and Alexi have solos with each other near the end. Janne is definitely the best keyboardist out there right now along with Jordan Rudess. The song is obviously about death, and in a very humorous way. At the end you hear someone say, "I was only 21 when I diead", which is a line from the Exorcist pt 3. Bodom After Midnight is an equally great song. I like the creepy guitar and keyboard effects that lead up to the lyrics. The chorus is also really catchy with "Bodom after midnight! Bodom after midnight YEAH!" It's another one of my favorites off the album. There's another mind-blowing guitar and keyboard dual solo near the last 2 minutes. It ends with guitars and keyboards that are almost reminescent of the theme music of the Exorcist. It just shows you how talented these guys are. Children of Decedence twist, grinds, and is yet another great track. The lyrics "C'mon mothaf**ka, gimme your best shot!" are funny yet empowering. The musicianship during the chorus is some of the fastest off the album. Once again, Alexi gives a great guitar solos that tears through you, and Janne also delivers some great keyboards. And you just have to love the chorus: "You really thought you'd see through what I am and what I need! We're children of rebellion, we'll fight, we'll bleed! Don't try to come to preach over us, over me! We're children of decadence, we're right, we're real! We will fight we'll be bleed! We'll fight we'll bleed! We'll fight we'll BLEED!" It's one of the longer songs off the album, being 5:34. Everytime I Die is slower and more melodic than the last 3 tracks, but just as heavy. The musicianship very creepy in the beginning, until Janne rips your face off with a keyboard solo. Then it slows back down with some creepy keyboard effects. A very exciting and standout track. Probably my 2nd favorite off the album. The song is about, well, dying continuously. Mask of Sanity is, in my opinion, not too much of a standout track, but still awesome and it's still more than enough to blow an Ashlee Simpson album out of the water any day!.. The keyboards in the beginning are great, and in my opinion, it has some great dual guitar solos by Alexi and Alexander. It's about going insane: "Piece of Mind you run away from me! So make me lose my mask of sanity!!!!" Taste of My Scythe has someone yelling "Rip and cut and mutilate the innocent, his friends, again, and again, and on, and ON!", which is also a line from the Exorcist pt 3, further showing the sense of humor the Children of Bodom have. However, it's probably my least favorite track off the album. Still a pretty cool song though. Hate Me is another one of my favorites. I think it's about letting go of all your concerns and worries. The chorus is also really catchy: "I don't give a f**k if ya hate me!" A very empowering track, and I think the moral of it is something everyone needs to learn! I.E. not worrying so much about what others think of you. There's, once again, some great guitar solos. Northern Comfort is a severely underrated track. I mean, listen to Jaska's drums! They shine on this track. The lyris make you feel like you're running from something: "Now running out to forever alone! Sweating and shivering, cold right to the bone!" It gets VERY heavy at the end. Kissing the Shadows is easily my favorite. It has the best solos and coolest lyrics on the entire album. Like Northern Comfort, the lyrics make you feel like you're running from something: "I'm running after you throughout the valleys of tormented shadows! Don't be afraid of me only kissing your shadows! You're so far away I can smell your scent when it carries your shadow! And if you truly want I'll cross the line I'll follow!!!!!" Like I said, it has the best solos on the entire album. Alexi and Janne have great dual guitar and keyboard solos at the end. Seriously, they're over a minute long! Everything here works beautifully. My only complaint is that it seems to have the least lyrics on the album, but even so, that complaint is very, very minor! Hellion starts off with sound effects that sound like someone opening a beer. From what I hear, the song is a cover. By what band I have no idea, but whatever. This song is without a doubt where Henkka shines the most. In the beginning is where he plays the bass best, but it's great throughout the whole song.

Is this COB's best? Well, I can't say for sure, because like I said, this is the only album I have by them so far. But I can tell you that it's an amazing album with fun and humorous lyrics and god-like musicianship. Follow The Reaper is, overall, a very addicting and infectious CD that you'll have difficulty not listening to over and over. So if you've been striving to find some fun, awesome metal that will rip your face off and never bore you, these guys are definately worth a look. All hail the Children of Bodom!!!!!!!

This is hands down the best melodic death metal album ever created. The blistering guitar and keyboard solos in songs like Bodom After Midnight and Follow the Reaper will blow you away. I'm too lazy and tired to write a full review, but trust me. This CD belongs in every metalhead's collection.

Follow The Reaper is one amazing album. God, what a band. This has got the absolute best guitars I've ever heard. Alexi's vocals and guitars come close to that of Dave Mustaine. If you want to hear some truly talented guys, get this album.

This album is amazing in my opinoun Cob pulled out all the stops on this album every track just flows right after eachother and make you realize how talented and amazing bodom really is. This cD AND hatebreeder are the best light to see bodom in not that their new stuff is bad but its diffrent and the agressiveness and amazingness that these back to back albums had is very hard to beat. Pick up hatebreeder and this one and you will know the magic of children of bodom

I'm not going to write a big long review on the band's bio, but I am going to write what I think of this album. I use to listen to nu-metal(and I still do it bit because most of it is just angry music it helps let my anger out), but then someone introduced me to this band and so checked out this CD.

I didn't get my face blown off at first because I'm not use to this music, but I tell ya, it got my attention. The growling I must say wasn't appealing to me because I was more use to the screaming/shouting stuff, but now I realize how skill it takes to maintain such voice through out a whole concert and not lose their voice.

The guitars... there's no way of discribing how talented they are and how good they sound. They are not boring solos that never end, but catchy symphony sounding. I checked these guys out more throughly, and they are so young! I started playing guitars, and this stuff gave me something to practice instead of the usual boring chords.

Even though I didn't go like "wow this the best stuff ever" when I first listen to it, it kept me going for more listens.
Now I've had this CD for 3 years and every time I listen to it it blows my face away. I never get sick of this CD, and this has helped me into the REAL metal category.

Before I leave this review, must say: Kissing the Shadows is the best song I've ever heard, and any Bodom fan should feel the same, or at least acknowledge it's greatness.

First off what the hell is brutal about good charlote or godly about linkin park. (dont care if the spelling is wrong). Children of bodom is a wonderful band. They are amazing. Alexi Laiho is an amazing guitarist. Iespecially like the hellion track. O and if you want to listen to some "tru Metal" some bands are Nile, Slayer, Children od Bodom, In Flames, Lamb of God, and Metallica. Dont listen to the fagget who said to go into abercrombie for good reviews for metal bands. He can go to hell and burn.