CHILDREN OF BODOM Members Discuss New Album With SoundShock.com (Video)

Faye Coulman of SoundShock.com conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho and keyboardist Janne Wirman of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM on December 10, 2010 at Metropolis Studios in London, England. You can now watch the chat below.

CHILDREN OF BODOM will release its new album, "Relentless Reckless Forever", on March 8, 2011 via Universal Music. Recorded in Finland's Petrax Studios with famed rock producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, MONSTER MAGNET),the CD is the seventh studio album of COB's illustrious career and the first new record from the band since 2008's "Blooddrunk", which debuted at #22 on The Billboard 200 chart and scored the quintet its third consecutive No. 1 debut in Finland.

"Relentless Reckless Forever" track listing:

01. Not My Funeral
02. Shovel Knockout
03. Roundtrip to Hell and Back
04. Pussyfoot Miss Suicide
05. Relentless Reckless Forever
06. Ugly
07. Cry of the Nihilist
08. Was It Worth It?
09. Northpole Throwdown
10. Party All the Time (EDDIE MURPHY cover)

Check out the cover artwork below.

"We worked super-hard on this album, at least for me it was pretty much no sleep or rest for six weeks," stated Laiho. "But we were determined to make the best COB album ever, so we were willing to do whatever it took. Of course, having our producer Matt Hyde kicking our asses 24/7 definitely made the results even better, so obviously we're more than anxious to get this album out there"

"Relentless Reckless Forever" summons and synthesizes everything CHILDREN OF BODOM has earned and worked towards over the course of its successful, storied career. The band's high-energy hooks and electric energy forge stadium-sized heavy metal anthems that seethe with both marvelous musicianship and a phenomenal pop prowess. COB's unique union of haunting melodies, rhythmic sensibility, guitar-and-keyboard interplay and king-size solos is supercharged to the maximum on "Relentless Reckless Forever", and the resulting record is poised to push the band — already on the brink of breakout success in the U.S. — to an altogether new pinnacle.

On October 6, CHILDREN OF BODOM filmed a high-energy music video for the brand new song "Was It Worth It?" on location at central Pennsylvania's residential action sports compound Camp Woodward with director Dale Resteghini of Raging Nation Films (MUDVAYNE, HATEBREED, ANTHRAX, SHADOWS FALL). In the video, the band joined forces with two-time X Games gold medalist and two-time Thrasher magazine "Skater of the Year" Chris Cole as well as noted pro skaters Jamie Thomas and Tom Asta (the current #1 amateur skateboarder in the world). The clip was shot guerrilla style, sans treatment; honing in directly on CHILDREN OF BODOM's high-spirited fire and the skater's eye-opening execution.

A trailer for the video can be viewed below.

"The single 'Was It Worth It?' is a total party song, said Laiho. "It's not your typical BODOM sound, but it's one of my favorites and heavy as hell."

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, Laiho said that he was happy with the decision to work with Hyde. "Our management was pushing the idea," Laiho said, "so eventually it was, 'All right, fuck it. Just to shut them up, let's do it.' We liked the way [Hyde] talked about music and the way he was already so fucking committed. He wanted to do the best fucking CHILDREN OF BODOM album ever and was pretty serious and convincing about that. After five minutes of talking to the dude, we knew he was the guy."

Regarding the musical direction of the new CHILDREN OF BODOM material, Laiho told Revolver, "It's maybe a little more melodic than [2008's] 'Blooddrunk' was. It's maybe more guitar riff-oriented, really '80s guitar and stuff like that."

According to Laiho, the recording sessions for the new CHILDREN OF BODOM album produced nine originals and one cover song that he says is "gonna be fucking funny as shit. I don't think it's something anybody would necessarily want to cover — not a metal band, anyway."

Regarding the subject matter covered in the "Pussyfoot Miss Suicide" lyrics, Laiho told Revolver, "I've been involved with stupid chicks who were trying to get attention by being, 'Oh, I'm so fucking depressed. I'm gonna slit my wrists with a cheese grater...' And it's so fucking boring, like, 'Just let it go. You're really not gonna do it, anyway.' It's kind of harsh, but it's fuckin' black humor." "Ugly", on the other hand, is "really just venting and screaming stupid stuff. Nobody should expect anything deep and poetic and sensitive and intelligent, y'know?"

Interview:

"Was It Worth It?" video trailer: