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No one has rated this album. You can be the first. | Children of Bodom - Trashed, Lost & Strung Out EP | Children of Bodom – Trashed, Lost & Strung Out EP
Release Date: February 22, 2005
Record Label: Century Media
Overall Score: 7.1
Masters of metal Children of Bodom have just released a teaser EP to tide fans over for the time being. The EP consists of two new songs and two cover songs, clocking in at just under 15 minutes. The new songs sound extremely similar to songs from their last full length, Hate Crew Deathroll. Fast, intense, and full of keyboards and guitar solos, Children of Bodom have picked up right where they left off – straight up metal. There’s always a lot going on in their songs, guitar lines are matched with keyboard effects that make the background noise sound dramatic while still unified. While the main riff melodies are played out, there are excellent counter-riffs that drive songs forward into the constant screaming. The title track provides a nifty keyboard solo in the midst of the song, leading into a great chorus. The thing that has always stood out to me about Children of Bodom is that many of their choruses are driven by great melodies – from the instrumentation. The vocals are mostly unvaried, and the vocal meter is far from original. But the harmonies between keyboards and guitars make songs catchy in a different way than most bands, you’ll find yourself humming guitar solos and harmonies in your head instead of what is being sung. It’s a true testament to how talented of songwriters Children of Bodom are. “Knuckleduster” is another solid track, though it’s nothing special. It’s a bit slower and the keyboard is featured more than the guitars. The song is laden with profanities and the occasional gang vocal shout. It’s a good song, but disappointing from a band is best shredding at breakneck speed. Guitar squeals are overused, although there is a really sick guitar duet with harmonizing lines in it.
The final two tracks on the CD are cover songs, both of which are extremely familiar. One might think they’d be hard to cover, but Children of Bodom really does justice to both songs. First comes Alice Cooper’s “Bed of Nails,” and Children of Bodom really nail this song (pun intended). From the driving rock riffs to the truly epic chorus, the band manages to add their own flair to the song without drastically changing the structure from the original. While a relatively safe choice by the band, the song still stands on its own as a solid cover. It’s not outstanding simply because it’s so much like the original. The same goes for the second cover song, “She is Beautiful” by Andrew W.K. In fact, this track is really not different from the original at all, I just prefer Children of Bodom’s production and interpretation of the song. The structure is the same, the tempo and that steady beat of the drum that Andrew W.K. is well known for marches the song all the way through. Overall, this is a fun little EP from a super talented metal band, but it’s nothing close to what the band is capable of. Hate Crew Deathroll is a great album, and I have faith that the band’s next full length will be even better. But if you need your metal fix for now, definitely check out this E.P. for a few solid tracks from an awesome band. |
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04:49 AM on 08/15/07 | Awesome, there's a CoB review on here! :-D
Nice review man. | | |
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