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Children Of Bodom - Alexi Laiho Passed Away At The Age Of 41


Official statement from Children Of Bodom's Henkka, Janne and Jaska:

"One of the most renowned guitarists in the world, Alexi Laiho, has passed away. The musician, most notably known as the front man of Children of Bodom, died in his home in Helsinki, Finland, last week. Laiho had suffered from long-term health issues during his last years."

"More than 25 years of friendship. We lost a brother. The world lost a phenomenal song writer and one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Memories and Alexi's music will live forever. Our thoughts are with Alexi's family during this difficult time."




Furthermore, his Bodom After Midnight bandmates have shared the following massage: "It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Alexi Laiho. We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken for the sudden loss of our dear friend and band member. Our journey together as a band had only just begun so there's no words to describe the shock and the bottomless grief that all of us feel.

"May your soul rest in peace, you will be eternally missed. We love you brother.

"Our deepest condolences go to his family. No further announcements nor interviews will be given at this time. We kindly ask to respect our need to process and go through this terrible situation in privacy. Thank you for your understanding and support."

Source: cobhc.com
Band profile: Children Of Bodom
Posted: 04.01.2021 by Abattoir


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Comments: 77   Visited by: 565 users
04.01.2021 - 16:44
JoHn Doe
41 is way too young...
may he rest in peace
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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04.01.2021 - 16:55
Opethian
Holy fuck, dude. Just blindsided by this sad news. May he be at peace and much love for his family and friends.
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04.01.2021 - 17:07
omne metallum
Contributor
After getting sober a few years ago I had assumed he would be playing for many more years to come; shocked by his untimely departure, R.I.P.
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Just because I'm not listening doesn't mean I don't care
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04.01.2021 - 18:02
metalbrat
RIP
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In the beginning I was made of clay. Then I bit the apple and they changed me to metal 🤘
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04.01.2021 - 18:30
IBlackened
CoB was one of the bands that got me into heavier types of metal. RIP Alexi. Listening to Downfall right now.
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Their old stuff is better.
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04.01.2021 - 19:05
BlackMetalDay
Very sad. He will be remembered for excellent albums like Hatebreeder and Follow The Reaper.
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04.01.2021 - 19:24
Lanthros
I haven't really cared for any of his work after Follow The Reaper but one could never take away from his talent and dedication. RIP
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04.01.2021 - 19:26
Captain Laika
I'm so sad right now. During high school Needled 24/7 was my introduction to metal music. I'd never heard something like that before. The energy, screams, and the music all together blew my mind! CoB had such a big impact on me and I still regularly listen to their music 15 years later. The plan was to finally see Alexi Laiho play with Bodom After Midnight, now I regret I never got to see him live. R.I.P. guitar hero.
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04.01.2021 - 19:30
Abattoir
Staff
Today is exactly 15 years (4.1.2006) since my attendance of the very first club show, where COB were headlining.

Rest in peace and follow the reaper.
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04.01.2021 - 19:37
Iceland_Norway
Alexi Laiho you will be missed a lot. I have seen Children Of Bodom in Tolmin at metaldays Festival and Rome at a Summer Day in Hell Festival. It were fantastic your performance. Rest in Peace. I have your first 3 albums at home on CD that i Like so much.
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Føroyar mítt land

Tú alfagra land mítt

Føroyar mín Móðir
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04.01.2021 - 19:51
tempoklad
Devastating news, seen CoB live four times in the past decade as it is the main band of my youth

Bright stars are burning fast.

Rest in pease Alexi <3
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04.01.2021 - 20:04
Zap
Guest
Wow this is weird to read. As BCO said, it's one thing to read this about old rockers, but somehow I still imagined this guy to be in his early thirties.
RIP "Metal Hero" logo man
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04.01.2021 - 20:32
skelator
So young...
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Best Metal Albums of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9jaZJRBeBw

Best Metal Demos: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HtsgSQjV44
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04.01.2021 - 20:37
Enemy of Reality
Account deleted
Going to binge some COB tonight.
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04.01.2021 - 20:48
Veertje
Dude, what? I was expecting people like Ozzy to leave us this year, not Alexi. What the fuck man. I remember the first time a friend let me listen to Follow The Reaper and I was just hooked immediately. Went home, downloaded the album and bought it a few days after. Hardcore Bodom fan for years and the early albums still spin regularly. This guy was such a big part of me discovering music, so weird to know he's gone now.
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04.01.2021 - 21:34
musclassia
Staff
This was shocking to hear, still haven't quite processed it. It's not like I'm even much of a CoB fan (the song Downfall does slay though, and I do like those second and third albums), but their influence as a gateway band to heavier styles of metal was huge, and Alexi was an iconic figure (he recorded Something Wild when he was 18 - helps make sense of how he was only 41 despite seeming to have been around forever). Particularly sad given that he'd talked about trying to move past the heavy drinking/touring/etc lifestyle; even though the likes of Ozzy, Lemmy, Keith Richards managed to grow old, that heavy lifestyle can have real lasting effects. Maybe it caught up with him, but we won't know until when/if more details are shared. RIP Wild Child
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04.01.2021 - 22:23
Rovdjur
Everytime I Die by Children Of Bodom was one of the songs that got me deeper into metal music back in 2000. In later years I haven't played their stuff as much but I sure will tonight.

This is devastating and as so many others say, 41 years old is far to young. RIP Alexi.
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Rovdjur Iskall
"We've painted all doors bible black,
vi hade gett oss utan strid...
"
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04.01.2021 - 22:44
DeathMetal
Fuck, that really sucks. COB was the first concert I ever went to. We shared the same birthday and I always thought that was kind of cool. RIP
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04.01.2021 - 22:49
Yossarian
R.I.P. what a crazy f***ing period of time for everything. A genius and much too young for dying
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04.01.2021 - 22:49
Gothic Metalhead
Pro Introvert
Revisiting COB after hearing about Alexi's death. Last time I listened to them was when I saw them live for the only time back in 2016 when they were touring with havok, suicidal tendencies, and megadeth and they were good live act. Some of COB songs were the soundtrack of my high school days and I just now finally listening to full albums from them. Truly a talented melodeath band and it's a shame because that means they won't be coming back. May Alexi rest in power, gone too soon...
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04.01.2021 - 23:02
Metren
Dreadrealm
What a loss... damn. I can still vividly remember the day I picked up Follow The Reaper and listened to it all evening and deep into the night at my best friend's place. My taste in music was never the same, I loved that album and still do. R.I.P. Wildchild.
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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04.01.2021 - 23:06
OpethFlames
Such terrible news to wake up to this morning, 41, way too young, wow. Definitely a band that got me into heavier music, I'll be blasting Hatebreeder for sure! RIP!!!
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04.01.2021 - 23:59
Blasting some CoB today in celebration of an incredible musician. Alexi was the reason I got my first guitar at 16, which was of course and ESP. Still my favourite guitar. Sad day. Fk you again, 2020.
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05.01.2021 - 00:09
Eternity'sChild
Wow, that's sad... While I never really clicked that well with full albums from CoB (with maybe some exceptions) there were always some songs that I really enjoyed... plus CoB was one of the first bands that got me into the more extreme fields of metal (at least it was what also got me into MeloDeath, which turned to be a my fav. subgenre back in school). RIP Alexi.
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05.01.2021 - 00:15
kaiserphoenix
I was so sad to hear this. Alexi has always been my favorite guitarist and COB was one of the first metal bands that I ever got into. Are You Dead Yet is still my favorite metal album to this day. Really glad I got to see Bodom live 3 times before his passing. RIP
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05.01.2021 - 02:41
Ocean Sage
RIP Alexi Laiho.

He really was a guitar god. Every single Children of Bodom song has a killer riff, leads, and solo from him. I'm devastated.
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05.01.2021 - 02:52
yagami01
I... I'm shocked all day. I can't believe this.
RIP... :/
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05.01.2021 - 02:58
Ismarmlp
RIP Alexi Laiho
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05.01.2021 - 03:01
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
Not that I like comparing the dead, and I mean no disrespect to those previously deceased, but it helps to understand the impact this guy had on such a massive scale when looking up threads of other musicians who have passed away before they retired. Even some of the more influential, entrepreneurial, inventive, and charismatic musicians of their time haven't received the outpouring of affection and well-wishing on display for this legend today, both in the confines of MS and across all forms of social media where this news has circulated.

I don't have much to share as everything relevant to my own experiences with CoB and further exploring the world of metal because of them has been repeated ad nauseum by others already. All I can add is that he'll live on for generations in the form of memories in everyone he managed to impact, myself included.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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05.01.2021 - 04:29
SAY10
I am without words atm. CoB are one of the reasons I fell in love with metal / more extreme types of music. Can't say I liked any of his most recent works, but being one of my introductory bands I always respected them to the most. Also have no idea he was sick so this comes equal parts shocking and surprising. Don't really know what to say...

RIP Alexi...
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