Album Reviews : Children of Bodom – I, Worship Chaos

Children of Bodom, a band that hail from the dark frosty depths of Espoo, Finland, bring with them music that is unlike any other. Yes, there are a number of melodeath , progressive bands and the like but none which truly match that signature haunting-melody-meets-elegant-aggression of the Finns. That being said, their latest offering, ‘I, Worship Chaos‘ further validates their musical ingenuity, especially with the absence of Roope’s rhythmic shredding following his departure from the band after 12 years, seeing them continue as a four-piece after a very long time. But what’s different about this release?

The album wastes no time in obliterating your eardrums with the choppy riffs of  ‘I Hurt‘ creating a thrash-like vibe throughout, setting a rather catchy pace for the rest of the album.  Alexi’s vocals hit you straight in the cranium in an instant, as an underlying melodic line teases your senses relentlessly, something Bodom have mastered. That aggressive stomp continues on ‘My Bodom: I Am The Only One‘ with another appearance of an element of thrash and tasty bass lines making for a smooth progression on this track. In all honesty, it feels materilike it should’ve been the kind of music coming from the flame-throwing guitarist in Mad Max. The background drawl of Janne Wirman’s keyboards do not cease to provide the majesty of the music throughout, his versatile skills adding an interesting, folksy bounce while proving to be more haunting on the atmospheric, mid-paced ‘Morrigan‘, another brilliant piece of work from the band. It is one of the ‘slower’ tracks so to speak but I found myself furiously windmilling in the confines of my room to this as well.

A quick breather with the intro of ‘Prayer For The Afflicted‘ slows things down for a few moments with a symphonic background, mid-tempo drums, more guttural vocals and a really cool tone doesn’t lose its headbangable quality even once.  The vocals seem to lead the melody on this track or vice versa while the title track begins magnificently courtesy of Henkka’s consistent chugging  and builds up into an absolute monster, full of glorious double bass. ‘Hold Your Tongue‘ kicks off in true rocker fashion with an upbeat tune and a few progressive elements sounding like the perfect 90’s rock anthem but with a Bodom twist.

The departure of long-time guitarist Roope Latvala doesn’t seem to have affected the band or lessened the intensity of riffage from them, especially Alexi, that occurs on tracks like ‘Horns‘ and the fast-paced ‘Suicide Bomber‘, the latter having a hypnotic melody that melds well with the heaviness of Bodom’s sound. A gradual change of pace keeps this track interesting. ‘All For Nothing‘s gasping-for-breath vocals and morose atmosphere are intriguing as the eerieness from the keys float around, the album ending on a blistering note with  ‘Widdershins‘.

I Worship Chaos really is a culmination of everything Bodom stands for – maddening solos, evocative melodies and  an overall crushing,  melancholic style. From start to finish, they have masterfully created an album with a much darker aura,  that will make you want to go back to it over and over again, keeping in mind the fans who fell in love with Bodom’s older material and experimenting just enough to in some new ones. A cheesy end to this article but Chaos has certainly been worshiped.

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