i liked a select few CoB tracks early on in my Heavy Metal Journey ("downfall" was always my favourite and honestly i think still it's got something special in terms of atmosphere) but never listened to them after reviewing "hate crew deathroll" for RC back in the day and, as i recall, not being very kind to it (because it sucked)
that said, 41 is too early to go and by all accounts he seemed to have been a decent guy. it starts getting a little weird when you're five years younger and you've grown up in the same span that this guy went from nobody to rockstar to dead.
i'm soon to be 36 and it's been a real eye opener how fucking fast it goes from being a 20-something rockin wild child who's immortal and can drink and rock like there's no tomorrow, and then wham! you're 40+ -- washed up, terminally uncool and possibly: dead
i mean, i was never a party animal exactly, but in a way this shit hits close to home