Interview with Children of Bodom
By Nyarlatothep

With special assitance of Frankster

The interview took place at Foufs with Alexi et Alexander


Edition Metallique: Welcome to Montreal! What's your impression of the city up to now?

Children of Bodom : It's our first journey through the american continent. We love the city, especially the energy and the enthusiasm of the fans! The local fans are really devoted to the metal scenel! This spectacle was an extraordinairy experience!

EM : Do you like to play in front of a smaller audience, in rather familiar halls as it was the case this evening?

CB : Yeah, while the fans support us the same as here! We were playing two successive evenings in Tokyo in front of more than 15 000 fans, this was our biggest concert, and we loved this experience!

EM : Now, that the metal scene becomes bigger and more important, of which importance is Children of Bodom there do you think?

CB :We think Children of Bodom has brought its own particular style in there, we have considered about how to get a common style that can only help the metal scene, with a mixture of black and power metal.

EM : You're often classificated as power metal. Do you agree with this classification?

Alexi : Actually I don't think that my voice resembes that one of the vocalist of Helloween! My voice is definitely black. We don't play like power metal, but it's obvious that you can find it in the sound of Children of Bodom, but also a mixture of other things.

EM : Alexi is a member of another band too, Sinergy. How do you appreciate this experience?

Alexi : I love to play with new musicians. It offers me new perspectives with a different vision of the musicians. I particularly liked to play with Charlie, the drummer of Mercyful Fate. We've got a second album with Sinergy, To Hell and Back, and I'm very proud of it.

EM : You're to play in Milwaukee this weekend as a part of the Milwaukee Metal Fest. What are your expspectations for this festival?

CB : I have no idea! We believe it's better not to have exspectations for a concert, this way you avoid to be disappointed! We just hope to have a great experience!

EM : Do you know that you'll play less than 30 minutese in Milwaukee?

CB : Yeah, we won't be surprised if they'd cut the act after 20 minutes! The important thing for us is to drink much beer! If the promotors are ready to pay us to come to Finland to play 3 songs, we have nothing against it, it's their money! As long as there is much beer!

EM : Which of your 3 albums, your live album included, are you most proud of?

Alexi : Definitely Tokyo Warhearts. It is a true live album, without anything than Children of Bodom and their fans. We've broken the rules through making a live album after only 2 albums, but we really love to break rules! My favourite song is Silent Night, Bodom Night, 'cause it's a very fast and technical track.

EM : What has made you being into metal? Which are your influences?

Alexi : I've been listening much to glam already when I was young, Poison and Cinderella among others. Then I changed to more extreme metal. I also very like Steve Vai.

Alexander : My influences as a guitarist are Steve Vai, Paul Gabriel and Yngwie Malsteem. I very like Judas Priest and Slayer.

EM : What are the plans of Children of Bodom for the future?

CB : Being very drunk and jumping off the roof! We're going to start recording our third album in august this year, it will be published in the debut of 2001. We're also going to do another Finland and Japan tour, and we'd like to come back to America for the next tour.

EM : If you think of some metal bands that have changed their style, may we exspect a new style of Children of Bodom too?

CB : It's okay to change the style if you're disgusted of what you do, but you should keep in mind that the style is decisive and means everything for the fans. If you want to change your style suddenly, it's better to quit the band and to start again with another name, it's a question of not leaving your fans behind. You will never hear Children of Bodom with elements of Frank Sinatra songs or the noises of Clavier's style of the 80's! We want to stay metal! We don't think we will ever be tired of playing metal.

EM : Finally, do you want to tell the readers of Edition Metallique anything else?

CB : We wanna thank all fans of metal, because without you, there would never have been Children of Bodom! Stay being devoted to metal like you have been this evening!

At last we have to mention that due to the fact we've forgotten our recorder, Frankster has written the whole interview by hand! By the way, Alexi has awarded him a medal for his efforts!


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