As Night Cascades ... Stars & Lights Ascend

I remember the first time i heard Children of Bodom, i was still in highschool. I got hooked on them so fast. I would listen to them first thing in the morning on the ride to school. I also told my parents to make sure whoever is picking me up to bring along with them my CD player so that i could listen to COB on the way back home. Downfall, Everytime I die, Needled 24/7, Follow the Reaper and Hatecrew Deathroll were stuck in a cycle of endless repeat on my playlist. By the time i graduated from highschool and entered Kuwait University in 2005, COB released Are You Dead Yet? although this album is less intense than earlier records, i consider it my all time favorite due to its lyrical content and overall musical sound. It is a heavy yet a very lite record to listen to. As the previous releases, Alexi’s performance is magnificent. Not only his development as a musician can be heard on records, it also felt in live shows. Alexi is one of the few musicians whose voice can hold up live. His performance is solid, both as a melodic death metal vocalist and an iconic guitarist.

It saddens me to realize that i will never get to see Alexi Laiho play live. I missed seeing them twice. The first in Australia,2014(had to fly home) and the second in Finland 2016(my vacation didn’t match the tour date). I was hoping that i would get the chance to see him play live with his new band Bodom After Midnight, after the split of COB in 2019. Unfortunately it is not possible now due to his untimely passing. Alexi - Follow(ed) the Reaper - way too soon💔