The Next Chapter: Bodom After Midnight

[Sinthoras_96]

I have still some quite different "problem" with the song/video than you guys...for years I couldn't wait for the first snippets of a new COB album and listened to it as soon as possible. Same with other favourite bands of mine - I'm always very curious and can't wait to finally hear it. The very long wait for "Hexed" was killing me and I actually got a little mad at Nuclear Blast because from the interviews it sounded like they were the problem it got delayed so much. In retrospect, I assume it already had something to do with what happened later...

The first time listening to new songs is always special to me, and especially with Bodom. You know all their albums and the style, but still, Alexi always managed to surprise me and come up with something new I hadn't heard like this before, but loved instantaneously. It was such a great feeling hearing most of those songs for the first time.

But now we're in the situation that no more than 2 new songs are left...and that's it, forever. I actually didn't manage to listen to the song yet...on the one side I'm of course curious what it sounds like and I read all your impressions here with big interest. On the other side I hate to know that after this there is only one song left and then that's it. I've never been in a situation like this where I kinda "feared" to listen to new music, it baffles me. From what I've read I don't know if I should watch the video at all...I don't wanna see Alexi in a bad state again. I'll probably only listen to the song, not watch the video.

Well, I don't know when I'll finally be in the right "mood" to listen to the song, could be later today, could be in 4 weeks, no idea. I want to hear it, but I know it probably won't give me that usual feeling of joy...actually, the better the song (and the new band) is, the more it will suck that this is all he could do.

I almost wish there happened nothing after COB...it would still be tragic and sad, but it's just fucked up how we had to get over the sudden end of COB, then slowly grew anticipation for his new band, they had their first (good) concerts, they went in the studio, were excited and had big plans for the future...and then after 3 concerts and recording only two songs it was all over again...and now for good. Sorry if this all sounds a little melodramatic, but those last 2 years (since he looked really sick on the Hexed tour) really bummed me out again and again.

I can perfectly understand your feelings.

That being said, this new track is very good. Like Hexed or Hatecrew Deathroll Level good. Atleast it is for me after listening to it a lot of times now.

Your comment sounds like you're one of those fans that enjoy all the albums and not just the first 3. So I guess that even if you might fear listening to it now, you will really love it when you can finally overcome your fear. No reason to be sad, Alexi went out with a bang. I can't wait for the other two tracks now.

 

[dthmtl3]

For me the experience of listening to Paint the Sky with Blood was like listening to Hexed. I didn't connect with it right away. But the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It's lovely little song. Even though it starts with the dark black metal type riff, if quickly turns very upbeat and it also ends up an enthusiastic note. But that does make it more infuriating that the production is so shitty.

Watching the video of course wasn't pleasant at first because of Alexi's unkempt appearance. But he does something special I think. He performs for the audience, for us. He throws the guitar over the shoulder, flips the guitar upside down, plays back to back with Daniel. Alexi never was much of a performer; he played, recited the same lines every show, every year, and that was it. Here he is adding some extra energy, which makes me now enjoy watching the video. Although, I'm sure the director/editor could have done more to make Alexi look a bit better.

I don't know if he was drunk or not, sounds hard to believe, given his health, but if he's been drunk during other videos, perhaps that was part of his ritual. He wasn't the most extroverted person out there, so I can understand that the would reach for a bottle to calm the nerves before the whole drama of filming something in front of cameras. Be that as it may, I appreciate the song and the video a lot more now than at first.

 

[COB-666]

For me the experience of listening to Paint the Sky with Blood was like listening to Hexed. I didn't connect with it right away. But the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It's lovely little song. Even though it starts with the dark black metal type riff, if quickly turns very upbeat and it also ends up an enthusiastic note. But that does make it more infuriating that the production is so shitty.

Watching the video of course wasn't pleasant at first because of Alexi's unkempt appearance. But he does something special I think. He performs for the audience, for us. He throws the guitar over the shoulder, flips the guitar upside down, plays back to back with Daniel. Alexi never was much of a performer; he played, recited the same lines every show, every year, and that was it. Here he is adding some extra energy, which makes me now enjoy watching the video. Although, I'm sure the director/editor could have done more to make Alexi look a bit better.

I don't know if he was drunk or not, sounds hard to believe, given his health, but if he's been drunk during other videos, perhaps that was part of his ritual. He wasn't the most extroverted person out there, so I can understand that the would reach for a bottle to calm the nerves before the whole drama of filming something in front of cameras. Be that as it may, I appreciate the song and the video a lot more now than at first.

Yeah, when I listened to the song I didn't like it so much. First time. But second, third (etc.) and with headset (!) it was much better and what I think now: Paint the Skye with Blood is amazing. I listen to it again and again and I'm really curious about the other song(s). I like it. The song it's diverse, not boring, and fills the 4,5 minutes.
Same the video. The first time I think it was bad (because Alexi), but viewed it several times... and it's better too. Not good, not amazing, but better. And yes, he bringing back the guitar flip (at last time), it was a good idea. The guitar flip - bridge - solo is the best part of the video I think. This part is good.

 

[COB-666]

@tragician @<Arcane> (@(__Joonas__) ?) what do you think about the new song?

 

[Sinthoras_96]

Yeah it really depends on how you listen to it. With my Headset I can hear everything very clearly. In my car it's hard to even hear the keyboards.

What I love the most besides the double guitar solo is Alexis Voice. It sounds so raw and unfiltered, even better than Hexed which was already great in that regard. It sounds like he stands next to you and screams in your face.

On Halo and also IWC I felt like his voice was too much edited somehow.

 

[Sany]

@tragician @<Arcane> (@(__Joonas__) ?) what do you think about the new song?

You should join us on Telegram, then you would know it

 

[<Arcane>]

@tragician @<Arcane> (@(__Joonas__) ?) what do you think about the new song?

The song is quite ok. However, nothing really knocks me off my feet.

6/10

 

[Ragehead]

I can perfectly understand your feelings.

That being said, this new track is very good. Like Hexed or Hatecrew Deathroll Level good. Atleast it is for me after listening to it a lot of times now.

Your comment sounds like you're one of those fans that enjoy all the albums and not just the first 3. So I guess that even if you might fear listening to it now, you will really love it when you can finally overcome your fear. No reason to be sad, Alexi went out with a bang. I can't wait for the other two tracks now.

Yes, I enjoy every COB album. Got to know the band when AYDY was new and this is still one of my favourites. I caught up the first 4 albums and loved them as well...to me those first 5 are all great start to finish, which makes it funny to me when I sometimes read about how different some fans perceive those albums.

With "Blooddrunk" and RRF followed their weaker albums though imo. "Blooddrunk" is the most "thrashy" sounding album and I miss the melodies in some songs. RRF has some weaker songs and a quite dry sound. Still, I like those albums, but compared to the rest they are the "least good" albums imo.

But then HOB was a return to form - I absolutely love that album and to me it's up there with the first 5. IWC was not quite as good, but still pretty strong. "Hexed" is somewhere in between those two albums...very good, but not as great as HOB. Tbh, I was surprised so many thought it was so much more back to the roots, just because it had a few classical parts again. Btw., I come from a classical background myself (play the piano since age 5) and I was more than surprised to hear parts of Mozart etc. in those kind of "extreme" Metal songs back then when I started listening to COB. But somehow Alexi made it work, really impressive.

I was still very new to Rock and Metal in general when I discovered COB, and compared to what I listen to else they' re pretty much the most "extreme" band I listen to. I don't usually like those kind of vocals, but I enjoyed the music immediately so I wanted to hear more and finally got used to Alexi's voice. Unfortunately I never saw them live which I deeply regret now.

About the new song...I didn't plan to write that much when I started writing this answer, but now I think it was good to reflect again my "journey" with the band's music. It's hard to accept it ends now very soon, but hey, better two songs than nothing. I think I'm gonna listen to the new song now.

 

[COB-666]

Happy Easter for everyone!

 

[COB-666]

 

[Ragehead]

I have finally listened to the song the last days multiple times and I'm really glad we still get at least those two songs. It really like the dark atmosphere of the song and the energy in general, it's a typical Bodom song the way I always loved that music! I agree with many of you that it reminds to "Halo Of Blood", both the song and the album in general. One of my favourite Bodom albums. Now we know that BAM would have been pretty much COB 2.0. I'm actually surprised there is barely any difference to notice...especially the drumming is great and could have easily been Jaska himself. I think this just shows again that Alexi was really behind pretty much everything on the record, not just the guitars and screaming.

I also decided to watch the video and tbh, I wasn't THAT surprised by his appearance...I mean he didn't look really better in all of 2020 from the pictures we've seen and he unfortunately looked even way worse in 2019. Still, it's unbelievable to me that he would die 2 weeks after when this video was shot. It's so weird how his music was still so full of life and energy, yet himself was almost gone already. He gave all he could one last time, throwing the guitar once again was awesome and the music speaks for itself. He was far from done musically and I think he had lots of albums still in him.

Now one last song remains...looking forward to it, in 2 weeks from now we finally have the EP.

 

[COB-666]

EP review.

 

[Faffy]

New interview in the finnish press today:

https://www.is.fi/viihde/art-2000007917922.html

 

[COB-666]

Kaaoszine review (8/10) :
https://kaaoszine.fi/alexi-laiho-to...NcaCq8SAhI8zF8gfqYt74qF01yi9KddPr9fLzj6G3xask

" “Payback’s a Bitch” is a bit more difficult then. I immediately warmed up to it, and I do not even the second or third listening all at once, but gradually I learned to keep the rock until the bass and you can rytinästä another. If the opening track sounded like “Halo of Blood,” “Payback’s a Bitch” clearly follows the 2003-2005 Bodom. If I didn’t know this was on Bodom After Midnight’s EP 2021 (or I wouldn’t remember every single Bodom song and their timing from memory,) I would think I’m listening to “Hate Crew Deathroll”.

The EP concludes with a gorgeous “Where Dead Angels Lie” borrowed from Dissection. This coverage is almost complete. It respects the original with dignity and at the same time sounds adequate to Bodom. If Bodom After Midnight had become why it was meant to be, this would have been a guaranteed gig hit. Children of Bodom hardly played their covers live. It would have been a crime to leave this out of the set. All in all, “Where Dead Angels Lie” is a good ending to both “Paint the Sky With Blood” and Alexi Laiho’s story. " (google translate)



Time for Metal (9/10):
https://time-for-metal.eu/bodom-after-midnight-paint-the-sky-with-blood-ep/

Metalstorm:
http://metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=16804

" (...) But when the title track of this EP was finally released - with an accompanying music video that provided a captivating tribute to its central figure - I was blown away. This is 100% pure Alexi. A new band it may be, but this is the sound that history will remember Alexi Laiho for, and it is recapitulated with all the flair and conviction that could have fueled a full-scale comeback after years of vacillating quality with Children Of Bodom. "Paint The Sky With Blood" was a massive single to launch this band with, and for my money, "Payback's A Bitch" is just as killer. And the cover of Dissection's "Where Dead Angels Lie" - featuring one of the most vicious riffs ever written embedded in one of the most gloriously evil metal songs ever composed, given new life by an absolutely ferocious-sounding Alexi - is just icing on the cake. (...) "

 

[COB-666]

Interview with Mitja:

 

[COB-666]

Reaction & Review:

 

[COB-666]

Another review.

" The second original track “Payback’s A Bitch” is a more grooving and stomping affair with thick bass tones and pummelling drums, though the guitar melodies and synths haven’t been casted asunder totally. The song is probably more in keeping with “Follow The Reaper” though with a much more bass-driven production. Equally catchy to the first yet a very different direction, which insinuates to me that this project would have gone on to create dynamic and unpredictable music had the reaper not prevented this. A stunning finale to a wonderful career in songwriting and Heavy Metal excellence. "

" A triumphant closing chapter in the Children Of Bodom / Bodom After Midnight legacy that gives Alexi’s talent one last blast which will reverberate through time. While sad that we will not hear more from this band, it is at least a comfort that they closed the book with strength and victory. 9/10 "

https://nattskog.wordpress.com/2021/04/15/ep-review-bodom-after-midnight-paint-the-sky-with-blood/

 

[COB-666]

Interview with Daniel & Mitja:

 

[CharIie]

Just letting y'all know, the songs have leaked

 

[akamouzis]

where can i find these leaked songs pray tell?