I have to agree with Ninja here although I can see where you both are coming from. Paul Gilbert continuously strives to be better at his instrument and plays probably daily. Alexi on the other hand I'm sure did the same thing at one point but he finally just kind of let all of the praise go to his head and spends too much of his free time doing stupid shit because he knows that there will always be fanboys at his shows who won't care how he plays. The cleanest I've ever heard him play was Tokyo Warhearts and I'm sure the reason for that is because the band was still trying to break out to people more and considering it was one of their first live recordings they took it a little more seriously than going on stage piss drunk. They also played really well in the old live in Chili vids. Alexi has done some amazing things in the studio, but people fail to realize that even a long time ago he was still pretty sloppy. This for example comes to mind, which they still can't play well until this day. My point here is that while Alexi pulls off amazing stuff in the studio, where he is sober (or atleast more so than usual), being put in a situation where he has to play a lot and do the same licks probably hundreds of times, of course it's going to sound good on the album. Live though is a different story. By your logic I could argue Dragonforce as good musicians.
Also, Arcane, I'm about 98% sure that the reason there AREN'T more covers of Downright Dominate is because not a lot of people realize Alexi is even on that song, the same way a lot of people probably don't cover his Guitar Heroes stuff. It's not because it's impossible, no discredit to him, but those are guest appearance type of things. It's the same way that if I went to a friend of mine tomorrow who loves Bodom and asked what his favorite Kyllahullut song is he wouldn't be able to give me an answer lol.
I think the number one silly statement I've read here is that no one could reach Alexi's level of playing which you said a little ways up there. There are DOZENS of players who have ascended so far past being better than Alexi that it's hard for me to get excited about Bodom anymore. Anyone here who thinks Children of Bodom songs are hard, I challenge you to go learn songs like Scorched, or Swarm of the Formless (There is a reason there are no good covers of these two songs) by Spawn of Possession, or just about anything by Necrophagist. Muhammed Suicmez is literally the Yngwie of death metal in that he's pretty much spot on live and in the studio. His playing is on such a high level that I can honestly say I don't think I've ever heard an album with as clean of a sound as their first album. Also, Jari Maenpaa. I don't think there is too much else to say there. Here are some other examples:
Phil Tougas. He's in countless bands and has wrote some the sickest music I've ever heard. I don't think he's even 21 yet.
This guy. I don't even feel I should have to explain here.
This guy.
Ryan Knight.
Also, I'm not going to go into a debate as to what you consider musical but this is miles beyond anything I've heard Alexi pull off.
And this.
I would even go as far as to say these two bass players impress me more than he does.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRWVkg9jeRc&feature=relmfu[/ame]
Enough videos though. I like Alexi too, don't get me wrong, but to insinuate that no one has surpassed him musically or technically is absurd, and in a live situation Bodom does okay now days pending what songs they play. When I saw them last year they played great, but I can't say that it was still as perfect as what I see these guys pulling off. You can try to argue the singing bit but that still doesn't work for me. He never plays anything that complicated other than basic chord progressions and maybe a few melodies in some of the older stuff, whereas someone like Muhammed is singing and playing way more technical shit, and Yngwie is doing half of his shredding while jumping around, doing karate kicks and spinning his guitar around him, which Alexi tries to do and ends up playing sloppy because of it.
I understand music is personal taste and point of view, but Alexi has long been surpassed in terms of intensity, technical ability, and musicality.
/Rant.
Also, just realized this is in response to stuff on page 2 from a year ago
.