Gorehound666
New Metal Member
translation of the Metal Hammer interview:
With RELENTLESS REKLESS FOREVER CHILDREN OF BODOM will release their seventh regular studio album. Despite musical molts the Finnish troops around singer and guitar wizard Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho have always remained on the road to victory.
METAL HAMMER researched after the recipe for success in a detailed interview.
The dialog partners couldn't be more opposed : on the one hand, Alexi Laiho calls from Los Angeles. The front man is always a bit covered and remains in a certain distance with his ironic
nature. At the other end of the line the thoughtful bassist Henkka "Blacksmith" Seppäla calls in from Helsinki and grants a thoughtfully and emotional insight. In contrast to the audition in London Alexi acts any time wide awake in this conversation. "I was completely finished in London" , admits the singer and guitarist. "Behind me were five months of hard work without any interruption, and before that we were on tour for three months. Then there was the jetlag. But now I'm in Los Angeles again."
At first glance, it's strange when a Finn moves to the crazy and very superficial U.S.-metropolis. But Alexi points out that it is not only Hollywood, the Sunset Strip and the Rainbow Bar and the Whisky A Go Go. But the places he listed are the reason for the dense rock star population of the city, to which the blonde guitarist in turn not only visually, but also with his relaxed attitude and legendary drinking ability fits in perfectly. "Of course, I hang out there with friends too," the Finn smiles. "But the most relevant reason for moving to L.A is my girlfriend." Hard to believe, but in the party animal suggests a romantic streak. The band doesn't seem to have a problem with this. "If we need Alexi in Finland, he is immediately here," Henkka says. "He spents half the year in Helsinki anyway. The risk that the surprisingly modest and always friendly Alexis ego swells to Axl Rose Memorial dimensions tends ,in spite of his regular dose of Hollywood, to zero. The word "Rock Star" fits to the Finn in its positive meaning: On stage and in life, he acts at all times larger than his body length should allow. its Besides his charisma dominated the guitarist and his instrument with exceptional virtuosity. As a solo artist Alexi is quite alone in his generation: Today solos are frowned upon, and the times in which guitar players were the big numbers seem over.
At least since the grunge movement in the nineties new styles of hard Guitar music usually develop without a guitar wizard . Sometimes the electric instrument is even degraded to a banal crashing rhythm generator. "Guitar heroes are somehow out of fashion," nods Alexi and points out. "There are, even in my generation, many excellent guitarists: Right away Gus G comes to my mind, who is now playing with Ozzy Osbourne. But in the end I don't care what people think of me. I just do what I do best." He adds in a mumbled sentence that he sometimes enjoys to show off a bit with his playing.
While the guitar heroes in the musical development were recently pushed to the edge, their appeal remains unrelieved . The myth of these legends apparently inspired a well-known console game. Some, however, seem to not be able to differ between game and reality. Alexi also has a story about that: together with other Finnish guitarist, he was invited to the release-party for the second part of that game. Of course, Alexi needs to be there to compete with his colleagues on the plastic buttons and manages to end up on the last place. A radio reporter at once keeps him a microphone under the nose and disparaging remarks that he seems not to be a good guitar player. "I just replied: Lady, give me a real guitar and I'll show you," Alexi laughs. The video game is great, although I myself act really bad. But it has absolutely nothing to do with the sense of a real musical instrument." The truism has hit the nail with the enhancement of feeling on the head. For Alexi the technique is only used to express boundless. His distinctive magic guitar playing influenced Children Of Bodom lasting. "I was initially not a fan of guitar picking," Henkka laughs. "But in this band you have no other choice than appreciate the solos. They make up a large part of our sound. But a solo has to be really good. Out there there's too much bullshit from wannabe-heroes. Alexi has that certain something." So one ingredient for the success of the Finns is detected: the solos. It is striking that the guitar and keyboard solos and melodies on RELENTLESS RECKLESS FOREVER have more free space, in contrast to the brutal predecessors
Are You Dead Yet? and Blooddrunk. On the new album, the guitars come back more in the classic sense of importance,"Alexi declares. ,,It has a much greater proportion of Judas Priest than Slipknot. Janne has also recorded his best solos ever on the new album." Keyboardist JanneWarman " Wirman was already extremely pleased with his recaptured free space at the audition in London. And the key man is not alone with his happines:"I'm glad that these epic melodies, I missed on our last two albums, have returned," Henkka says. "We had no plan, as usual, but when all the songs were finished, I realized that it sounded like before (before AYDY) from the feeling." "Our evolution is quite natural," Alexi adds. "We never set out beforehand and talk about in which direction a new album should go. Too much planning is boring.It works better spontaneous. Henkka explains the normal operation for a new COB album: After the last tour for their particular album Alexi composes all the melody lines and riffs but no complete songs. Then the whole group works together on his ideas and arrangements. "But there is a lot of trouble too," the bassis lets us know. Which always rotate around the same old themes: One wants to try this, the other whants to change that, until someone is freaking out. But at the end the pieces fit together like a puzzle."
Despite the success of their method, the band chose a fresh approach for their seventh regular studio album. "We had less time for the recordings and wanted to work more efficiently," Alexi says. After some discussion we finally agreed to work with a producer for the first time in our history." The choice is Matt Hyde: He worked for bands like Slayer, Hatebreed, Monster Magnet and The 69 Eyes before. "At first it felt strange," Henkka says. "But we needed a change from the old ways. Matt proved to be not only a master of his work, but also a very nice fellow. "In the phase of getting to know the Finns an icelandic volcano came to the aid. Because of ash clouds hanging over Europe Matt Hyde had to stay there for nearly two weeks. "We have taken him in our rehearsal room where Matt was able to quickly familiarize himself with the details," the bass player is happy about this blessing in disguise. "Later in the studio he was very familiar with our new songs. Matt also came up with some interesting suggestions." The fundamental openness to new concepts and methods is also one of the spicy ingredients of Children Of Bodom. Henkka is even a step further: "We are aware of any risk.For us its important to listen only to our own voice and make it our own way." As an example he mentions the debut album SOMETHING WILD (1997). The band was first sitting between the chairs with their idiosyncratic mix of styles. "We liked Darkthrone but also Yngwie Malmsteen," Henkka says. "We fell on deaf ears at the record companies. We were told continually that we should look for someone with a clear voice like Michael Kiske. We didn't want to do it."
Their stubbornness pays off. Their continued worldwide success is just as right as the many imitators. In addition to their outstanding technical skills and the courage to take risks, Children Of Bodom have another positive feature that they unfortunately don't share with many bands: humor. Both personally and in their songs you can find much self-irony and humor. "We is Finns are blessed with black humor,"Alexi says. "It is unhealthy, if you take yourself too serious." This relaxed attitude is particularly evident in the song titles that seem to be inclined with each album. "Alexis ideas let us smile" Henkka smiles. "In the beginning a title like" Bodom Beach Terror "was a bit weird, but now we don't even notice something like this." One of these songs on RELENTLESS RECKLESS FOREVER is called 'Pussyfoot Miss Suicide'. "In my youth I had to witness, unfortunately,how someone wanted to cut his wrists with a cheese slicer," Alexi says. This sight hurted me in every way. But Ultimately, this Song is inspired by several people that only want to get some attention with their dramatic performances." Also 'Shovel Knockout" is to understand clearly sarcastic: It handles the singer's own experience that he has sometimes employed rarely stupid to impress someone else. "I was so ashamed that I'd like to get beaten in the face with a shovel", he adds, laughing. A feeling that he probably shares with most people on this planet. Bottom you can find all the ingredients, that make the sound of Children Of Bodom so süecial, on RELENTLESS RECKLESS FOREVER. Wild duels between guitars and keyboards, wide melodies and healthy hardness, but also musical gravity and wonderful black humor "This album can be defined as a sum of our experiences," Henkka ends the conversation." We are indeed far away from our debut, but finally we don't want to go back there. Some of the old spirit still lies in our new songs, as well as anything that was added in the last years.We have fun with it, and hopefully our friends as well." That is what it's all about even in heavy music: entertainment. And with this Children Of Bodom please their fans for 18 years now.
maybe I translate the other interview later
With RELENTLESS REKLESS FOREVER CHILDREN OF BODOM will release their seventh regular studio album. Despite musical molts the Finnish troops around singer and guitar wizard Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho have always remained on the road to victory.
METAL HAMMER researched after the recipe for success in a detailed interview.
The dialog partners couldn't be more opposed : on the one hand, Alexi Laiho calls from Los Angeles. The front man is always a bit covered and remains in a certain distance with his ironic
nature. At the other end of the line the thoughtful bassist Henkka "Blacksmith" Seppäla calls in from Helsinki and grants a thoughtfully and emotional insight. In contrast to the audition in London Alexi acts any time wide awake in this conversation. "I was completely finished in London" , admits the singer and guitarist. "Behind me were five months of hard work without any interruption, and before that we were on tour for three months. Then there was the jetlag. But now I'm in Los Angeles again."
At first glance, it's strange when a Finn moves to the crazy and very superficial U.S.-metropolis. But Alexi points out that it is not only Hollywood, the Sunset Strip and the Rainbow Bar and the Whisky A Go Go. But the places he listed are the reason for the dense rock star population of the city, to which the blonde guitarist in turn not only visually, but also with his relaxed attitude and legendary drinking ability fits in perfectly. "Of course, I hang out there with friends too," the Finn smiles. "But the most relevant reason for moving to L.A is my girlfriend." Hard to believe, but in the party animal suggests a romantic streak. The band doesn't seem to have a problem with this. "If we need Alexi in Finland, he is immediately here," Henkka says. "He spents half the year in Helsinki anyway. The risk that the surprisingly modest and always friendly Alexis ego swells to Axl Rose Memorial dimensions tends ,in spite of his regular dose of Hollywood, to zero. The word "Rock Star" fits to the Finn in its positive meaning: On stage and in life, he acts at all times larger than his body length should allow. its Besides his charisma dominated the guitarist and his instrument with exceptional virtuosity. As a solo artist Alexi is quite alone in his generation: Today solos are frowned upon, and the times in which guitar players were the big numbers seem over.
At least since the grunge movement in the nineties new styles of hard Guitar music usually develop without a guitar wizard . Sometimes the electric instrument is even degraded to a banal crashing rhythm generator. "Guitar heroes are somehow out of fashion," nods Alexi and points out. "There are, even in my generation, many excellent guitarists: Right away Gus G comes to my mind, who is now playing with Ozzy Osbourne. But in the end I don't care what people think of me. I just do what I do best." He adds in a mumbled sentence that he sometimes enjoys to show off a bit with his playing.
While the guitar heroes in the musical development were recently pushed to the edge, their appeal remains unrelieved . The myth of these legends apparently inspired a well-known console game. Some, however, seem to not be able to differ between game and reality. Alexi also has a story about that: together with other Finnish guitarist, he was invited to the release-party for the second part of that game. Of course, Alexi needs to be there to compete with his colleagues on the plastic buttons and manages to end up on the last place. A radio reporter at once keeps him a microphone under the nose and disparaging remarks that he seems not to be a good guitar player. "I just replied: Lady, give me a real guitar and I'll show you," Alexi laughs. The video game is great, although I myself act really bad. But it has absolutely nothing to do with the sense of a real musical instrument." The truism has hit the nail with the enhancement of feeling on the head. For Alexi the technique is only used to express boundless. His distinctive magic guitar playing influenced Children Of Bodom lasting. "I was initially not a fan of guitar picking," Henkka laughs. "But in this band you have no other choice than appreciate the solos. They make up a large part of our sound. But a solo has to be really good. Out there there's too much bullshit from wannabe-heroes. Alexi has that certain something." So one ingredient for the success of the Finns is detected: the solos. It is striking that the guitar and keyboard solos and melodies on RELENTLESS RECKLESS FOREVER have more free space, in contrast to the brutal predecessors
Are You Dead Yet? and Blooddrunk. On the new album, the guitars come back more in the classic sense of importance,"Alexi declares. ,,It has a much greater proportion of Judas Priest than Slipknot. Janne has also recorded his best solos ever on the new album." Keyboardist JanneWarman " Wirman was already extremely pleased with his recaptured free space at the audition in London. And the key man is not alone with his happines:"I'm glad that these epic melodies, I missed on our last two albums, have returned," Henkka says. "We had no plan, as usual, but when all the songs were finished, I realized that it sounded like before (before AYDY) from the feeling." "Our evolution is quite natural," Alexi adds. "We never set out beforehand and talk about in which direction a new album should go. Too much planning is boring.It works better spontaneous. Henkka explains the normal operation for a new COB album: After the last tour for their particular album Alexi composes all the melody lines and riffs but no complete songs. Then the whole group works together on his ideas and arrangements. "But there is a lot of trouble too," the bassis lets us know. Which always rotate around the same old themes: One wants to try this, the other whants to change that, until someone is freaking out. But at the end the pieces fit together like a puzzle."
Despite the success of their method, the band chose a fresh approach for their seventh regular studio album. "We had less time for the recordings and wanted to work more efficiently," Alexi says. After some discussion we finally agreed to work with a producer for the first time in our history." The choice is Matt Hyde: He worked for bands like Slayer, Hatebreed, Monster Magnet and The 69 Eyes before. "At first it felt strange," Henkka says. "But we needed a change from the old ways. Matt proved to be not only a master of his work, but also a very nice fellow. "In the phase of getting to know the Finns an icelandic volcano came to the aid. Because of ash clouds hanging over Europe Matt Hyde had to stay there for nearly two weeks. "We have taken him in our rehearsal room where Matt was able to quickly familiarize himself with the details," the bass player is happy about this blessing in disguise. "Later in the studio he was very familiar with our new songs. Matt also came up with some interesting suggestions." The fundamental openness to new concepts and methods is also one of the spicy ingredients of Children Of Bodom. Henkka is even a step further: "We are aware of any risk.For us its important to listen only to our own voice and make it our own way." As an example he mentions the debut album SOMETHING WILD (1997). The band was first sitting between the chairs with their idiosyncratic mix of styles. "We liked Darkthrone but also Yngwie Malmsteen," Henkka says. "We fell on deaf ears at the record companies. We were told continually that we should look for someone with a clear voice like Michael Kiske. We didn't want to do it."
Their stubbornness pays off. Their continued worldwide success is just as right as the many imitators. In addition to their outstanding technical skills and the courage to take risks, Children Of Bodom have another positive feature that they unfortunately don't share with many bands: humor. Both personally and in their songs you can find much self-irony and humor. "We is Finns are blessed with black humor,"Alexi says. "It is unhealthy, if you take yourself too serious." This relaxed attitude is particularly evident in the song titles that seem to be inclined with each album. "Alexis ideas let us smile" Henkka smiles. "In the beginning a title like" Bodom Beach Terror "was a bit weird, but now we don't even notice something like this." One of these songs on RELENTLESS RECKLESS FOREVER is called 'Pussyfoot Miss Suicide'. "In my youth I had to witness, unfortunately,how someone wanted to cut his wrists with a cheese slicer," Alexi says. This sight hurted me in every way. But Ultimately, this Song is inspired by several people that only want to get some attention with their dramatic performances." Also 'Shovel Knockout" is to understand clearly sarcastic: It handles the singer's own experience that he has sometimes employed rarely stupid to impress someone else. "I was so ashamed that I'd like to get beaten in the face with a shovel", he adds, laughing. A feeling that he probably shares with most people on this planet. Bottom you can find all the ingredients, that make the sound of Children Of Bodom so süecial, on RELENTLESS RECKLESS FOREVER. Wild duels between guitars and keyboards, wide melodies and healthy hardness, but also musical gravity and wonderful black humor "This album can be defined as a sum of our experiences," Henkka ends the conversation." We are indeed far away from our debut, but finally we don't want to go back there. Some of the old spirit still lies in our new songs, as well as anything that was added in the last years.We have fun with it, and hopefully our friends as well." That is what it's all about even in heavy music: entertainment. And with this Children Of Bodom please their fans for 18 years now.
maybe I translate the other interview later
