CHILDREN OF BODOM Recruits Former NORTHER Guitarist DANIEL FREYBERG

Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM have announced the addition of guitarist Daniel Freyberg (NAILDOWN, NORTHER) to the group's ranks. The band says: "Look for him on all upcoming tours!"

CHILDREN OF BODOM last year recruited Antti Wirman, the younger brother of the band's keyboardist Janne Wirman, to handle second-guitar duties for their recent shows.

Antti, who has been a member of Janne's band WARMEN since 2001, made his live debut with CHILDREN OF BODOM on May 30, 2015 when the group played a surprise six-song set at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's first official concert with Antti took place on June 4, 2015 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

CHILDREN OF BODOM in May 2015 announced the departure of the band's guitarist of ten years, Roope Latvala.

Speaking about Roope's exit from CHILDREN OF BODOM, frontman Alexi Laiho told Artisan News: "Well, without going into too many details, you know, I think that… Well, basically, what it was… was that, you know, we had… We were at a phase where we wanted to, sort of, have a new beginning and reinvent ourselves, on a certain level. And everybody — all four of us — were pushing it harder and putting more effort on the band and just working extra, extra hard. And he wasn't quite there with us, you know, as far as the level of work ethics and, you know, stuff like that. So we felt like everyone's better off if we part ways at this point, and that's what happened. And, yeah, it [happened] three days before we hit the studio [to record the new CHILDREN OF BODOM album, 'I Worship Chaos'], but it was not… I mean, it was something that everybody was sort of anticipating already. And I had… To be honest, I had decided, a month or so before that, that I was gonna do all the guitars on the album. Because, like I said, it wasn't just working out with him."

He continued: "I don't wanna talk shit or anything; it's just that that happens. It's life. And you can't dwell on it. It sucks. It really does, man. He was around for twelve years, and, for us, the band, it really is a family, and losing a member, it's a big deal for us. 'Cause we're not the type of band [where] we change members every other week. But, you know, you've gotta move on. And that's that, really."

Following a trip on the high seas as part of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise (February 4-8),CHILDREN OF BODOM will start a headline run of North America on February 9 in Tampa, Florida, which will run through February 19 in Austin, Texas. The following night, February 20, CHILDREN OF BODOM will join up with MEGADETH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and HAVOK in Houston, Texas as part of the "Dystopia" world tour.

In addition to the shows with MEGADETH, CHILDREN OF BODOM will play select headline dates. HAVOK will provide direct support to CHILDREN OF BODOM on their headline dates.