If you have read the interview on this very site then you will realise that as far as studio album number five is concerned it is very much business as usual for Children Of Bodom. They did not have any master-plan but just went into the studio and thrashed out ten short, sharp and very punchy numbers, rejected one on the way and here we have 37 minutes of aggression, very much in your face!
‘Hellhounds On My Trail’ gallops off and you can imagine Cerberus chasing souls down to the underworld, frothing at the mouth and spiked collar crusted with the blood of those who have not quite been fast enough. This has all those Bodom chops that you would expect. Lashings of keyboards and fast guitar strimming, that unmistakeable crunchy sound that hits like a manhole being dropped on your head, squealing guitar solos, raspy vocals and backing gang shouts. It’s good to be back and this is akin to slipping into a pair of comfortable old slippers perhaps ones with squishy eyeballs hiding in the toes though.
Keeping up the momentum it’s the single and title track next, there to cut and scythe like the reapers weapon of choice. This does flow somewhat calmly after it settles down and breathes as it meanders along with its zealous classical keyboard refrain. The prog laden mid-section sounds like a death metal Rush and the instrumentation is really allowed to flower around you before the sharp sting in the wasps tail is brought back into play. ‘Lobodomy’ has a schizophrenic feel to it and drills in like a trepanning operation with the singer strapped down and frothing at the mouth. If the sharp implements don’t cause havoc with your head, by now banging of it should have given you a good neck ache.
‘Smile Pretty For The Devil’ creates a perfect Kodak moment and the drumming here really slaps you about something silly. This one flails about all over the shop giving you an electric shock therapy rather than a head pounding; I can imagine this being a good pit pounder. ‘Tie My Rope’ virtually goes EBM as it twists turns and tightens completely in line with the gallows humour of the title. If there is time for a slow dance on the album it is in the form of ‘Banned From Heaven,’ by this band’s standards it slothfully oozes out but there is little compromise in force and heaviness as it casts you down from the gods with a good hefty swipe. As it starts so does it end with ‘Roadkill Morning’ burning rubber, splashing brains with wild abandon as it cuts a mad dash for the Finnish (sorry) line.
There is little on Blooddrunk that is going to take you by surprise but then again why should there be? This is a cracking album in line with everything else that COB have released. If you have been with them since ‘Something Wild’ you are obviously going to have grabbed this at the 1st opportunity, if it’s your first album it will have you wanting to pick up the back catalogue. Job well and truly done.
http://www.cobhc.com
http://www.myspace.com/childrenofbodom
