Children of Bodom /Chimaira

Setlist :
Are You Dead Yet?
Bastards Of Bodom
Follow The Reaper
Needled 24/7
WarHeart
Angels Don't Kill
Deadnight Warrior
Hate Me!
Towards Dead End
Chokehold
Every Time I Die
In Your Face
We're Not Gonna Fall

Encore:
Living Dead Beat
Hate Crew Deathroll
Downfall

Within the past few years I have seen the Bodom boys from Finland go from being openers for big boys like Dimmu Borgir and Iced Earth, to now becoming one of the big boys and headlining sold out shows. Incredible if you ask me. There were so many people packed into the Starland you could feel the heat once you walked onto the main floor.

Chimaira is not bad and were a fitting opener for Bodom to get the crowd all pumped up. They are from the batch of that current metalcore sound, where vocals are screamed and the music is a mix of hardcore and thrash metals. How they arrange their music and the use of guitar harmonies and solos is what makes Chimaira standout a bit. While many from this genre all basically sound the same because they have a singer with no real style backed by constant brutal music, the musicianship of Chimaira is to be taken note of which makes them more appealing.

With frontman Alexi and his Randy Rhoads/ Yngwie style of playing guitar, Bodom have taken the metal world, and now the States by storm. Rooting their sound in Speed Metal, Iron Maiden style harmonies with Neoclassical keyboards ( Stratovarius ), add touches of modern sounds, these guys have been able to attract both young and older listeners like myself.

Opening their set with “Are You Dead Yet?” off their latest, and most “commercially” geared album, the steaming crowd instantly became ignited by the bands music. As I took pictures from the photo pit I regularly turned around to be sure no crowd surfers fell onto of me as they were hurled over the barricade. The guys mixed up their set a bit which was good, I like when bands do that and more should, adding “ Warheart ”, “ Deadnight Warrior” and “Towards Dead End”. Still I am waiting to hear “Black Widow” and “Bed of Razors” off “ Hatebreeder ”, two outstanding tunes.

Next up for Bodom , more touring in the States in the next few months with Slayer, need I say more? Everyone should be paying attention to these guys and a band I have supported since their second album.