I always wondered how many liters of alcohol Alexi can assimilate (resistance is futile - does this ring any bells?). Apart from that however, this good looking fellow has managed to make a huge name with his band - Children Of Bodom - and his sidekick, Sinergy (when will we hear a new album from them?). Somehow their Power Metal meets Death Metal meets guitar frenzied parts recipe hit the jackpot and since their kickstart in 1997 with Something Wild the band keeps on gaining reputation (as well as sales numbers).
Their latest attempt is the first one without longtime fellow guitar player Alexander Kuoppala, who departed for personal reasons. I don't know if this had a certain impact but for sure Are You Dead Yet? sounds a lot different than all their previous works. Care to explain, Michael? Well, without losing their technical parts it is quite obvious form the very first listening that the melodic parts have been scientifically reduced. No, there are still good melodies in this one but somehow it seems that the outcome is more in your face (there's actually a song called like that). Also the sound (and the keyboards) is more modern, up to date if you prefer.  
I always founded Alexi's playing a bit too blabby. Don't get me wrong - I am a bit old school and I adore bands that consider guitar solos / licks and tricks essential for survival (have you noticed that most modern Death Metal bands avoid guitar solos?) but at times Alexi was overdoing it. Well, somehow this time this constant riff/solo/riff/solo/licks/etc fits like a glove in the music of C.O.B.; maybe it's the fact that everything has been amplified.
The production is also a bit rawer than the previous (a bit) polished ones. All in all Are You dead Yet? sounds like a successful experiment to me.
- Album Highlights: Living Dead Beat, Are You Dead Yet? and Next In Line.