Children of Bodom have changed, get over it! (Blooddrunk - Children of Bodom)

Member Name: Tsportmat

Product:	Blooddrunk - Children of Bodom
Date:	28/01/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great album, very good keyboards, and very memorable chants.

Disadvantages: Not great mastering.

Well, upon reading the other reviews on this album, it seems to be getting a very hard time, which is unjustified in my eyes.

Now if people are familiar with Children of Bodom already they'll know that the previous album 'Are You Dead Yet?' was a complete change from their previous albums, the older ones were faster more thrashy and his voice was more kind of 'deathy'.

Anyway 'AYDY?' changed things about a bit, and they went for a more straightforward rock style, a lot slower, but very heavy, and still has a great voice although it's somewhat more understandable than before. 'Blooddrunk' is in the same vein as 'AYDY?', sticking to the new style. Personally I think yeah this album is different to before, and as much as I liked the old style stuff, I really quite like this new style too. And why shouldn't they change? If you are familiar with Dream Theater you'll know that they change the style of what they're doing every album. Let's be honest, what's the point in writing the same album with different words again?

While reading around I found myself reading things such as 'CoB' are getting more popular, appealing to more people. I don't know why this is such a terrible thing, there seems to be a culture of 'I can't like music unless it's METAL and makes me special to listen to it because no one likes it', I personally really don't like this sort of snobbishness, so what if people like it, if it's a good album it's a good album no matter how many people own it. People also seem to be saying Alexi and co are caving to pressure by Kerrang! and the like. I really don't think this is the case, I think they just fancied a change so good on them for doing what they want to do, I wouldn't be surprised if they had another change in a couple of albums time.

Onto the actual album...

As I've said it's in the same vein as 'AYDY?', which is very slow and heavy and provocative. It has many of the signature chants as heard in the previous album, which I think add something to the music, and they make for very good live performances. I've seen these a couple of times live now, and seeing them again in a few weeks. I think it improves the performance now that they have a few different styles to mix it up a bit on stage, and the newer songs certainly go down very well with the crowd, but then again so do the older songs, it just makes it a bit more interesting with some variation.

I don't think you can decide whether you'll like this album from listening to pre-'AYDY?' albums, but definitely listen to it and decide for yourself, please don't think you're too Metal for it, as some of these reviews would have you think.

I will say however, although their albums are hard to compare, I'd say it's not quite as good as great albums such as 'Follow the Reaper', but very good none the less, and has some really good keyboard work. If you liked 'AYDY?' though, you'll love this.

The only downside to this album in my opinion is the mastering, clearly it's the sound they're going for as it was present on 'AYDY?', but I don't like it, there just seems to be a lot of distortion, and personally I'd prefer the crisper mastering they used to use.

Don't let that put you off though, at least listen to a couple of songs before you rule out the purchase.

Summary: On par with 'AYDY?', get it bought.