Paint the Sky with Blood
EP review (9/10):
https://metalwani.com/2021/03/revie...bOnYj_DjJ3fqbkYiXF4nxDR_RKz_ktGLGR1WHMUTJNmYM
" For the second track
Payback’s A B*tch, you get a less melodic song that doubles down on a deeper thrash/groove tone. The melody is still there, but the chuggy nature of the riffs in the verses gives the track a much heavier quality overall. It’s still got a barrelling rhythm section, and the keys on this track really shine through (much more than on the first track). Opting for a signature guitar/keyboard duel in its solo/instrumental section this track does really well, with a higher-pitched tone leading listeners to think it’s going to be a higher-pitched duel before a lower-toned guitar solo sweeps in to finish the shred off. The transition between the two is a thing of pure magic and really highlights how Bodom After Midnight weren’t afraid to experiment with these sorts of techniques.
A cover of Dissection‘s
Where Dead Angels Lie rounds out the EP, and it remains very true to the original song, but the more melodic nature of the cover definitely makes it a more ‘Bodom’ oriented experience. It’s done in a way that maintains the dark nature of the track, but removes some of its grittier elements to really modernize the track for 2021.
This EP is a fantastic offering and is perhaps bittersweet in being the only offering from Bodom After Midnight we will receive. While there is no denying that the other band members — guitarist Daniel Freyberg, bassist Mitja Toivonen, and Väyrynen — would make a fine combination in a band together given their chemistry on this EP, there is just no pushing ahead underneath a Bodom After Midnight banner without Laiho.
While Alexi may no longer be with us, his music will live eternally. With these final three tracks, we are left with the closing chapter of a legacy spanning three decades that will be revered for years to come. The release of
Paint the Sky with Blood should be viewed as a celebration of Laiho’s life — and as upsetting as it is to see someone go out at the top of their game, I couldn’t think of a more fitting collection of tracks to be part of his final release to the world. "
