by Daniel V. Garcia
Daily Lobo
As a kid, schoolyard politics and a woefully simple view of the world meant there were only two kinds of ways to be cool: be a rocker or a rapper.
As can be imagined, the two music genres from which these categories emanated, heavy metal and hip-hop, were mutually exclusive. At that time, one couldn't claim to enjoy both without public disdain (although there were plenty who enjoyed both in secret).
It wasn't until much later that they were integrated together in the many rap-rock incarnations that reinvented the marketing of popular music. Of course, this is old news - the combination has become as clichÇ as Dave Chappelle's racial humor.
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Yet, there are still remnants of the old days. Children of Bodom's album, Are You Dead Yet? features a pre-rap heavy metal band that weaves classic melodic metal reminiscent of Dream Theater with the industrial undertones that Static-X has brought to the mainstream.
If you enjoy metal with classic hooks like harmonized lead playing, Randy Rhodes-like guitar solos, plenty of double-kick beats from the drums and a vocal style that doesn't sound like an Iron Maiden rip-off, this CD is for you.
The keyboardist is the most amazing out of these musicians. We've all heard the shredder guitar solos, which are basically a showcase for how quick a person learned to play his or her scales. Often, like Chuck Palahniuk's writing, they lack a beginning, a middle and an end, and thus serve no real purpose in the song other than to demonstrate that the band has an amazing guitarist.
Children of Bodom not only avoids this pitfall by writing highly orchestrated parts for its two incredible guitarists - who are equally adept on their guitar riffs and who frequently harmonize their lead playing - but by showcasing a keyboard player who can emulate their shredding solos. In fact, his technique is so on-point that if one hadn't been a guitar player, one would have just assumed his solos were made by another guitar.
The effect is like how John Popper from Blues Traveler took the harmonica to a whole other level by trying to play Jimi Hendrix solos instead of Little Walter's "Juke," like every other aspiring harpist on the block. The keys set these guys apart, and give them an edge over typical metal.
Drawbacks to the CD include the singer's screaming growl. Like most repetitious music, one can handle singing of this sort only in small doses. He would do well to mix it up and sing a melody sometimes. While the music makes up for his vocal style, it can't overcompensate for it. These guys should hire a singer who is up to the same melodic par that they set with their stellar musicianship.
Overall, this is a pretty good album. Because it's classic metal, you may not find anything too original sounding, but when do you ever?
