Metal Storm logo
Children Of Bodom - Hatebreeder review



Reviewer:
9.2

1367 users:
8.63
Band: Children Of Bodom
Album: Hatebreeder
Release date: April 1999


01. Warheart
02. Silent Night, Bodom Night
03. Hatebreeder
04. Bed Of Razors
05. Towards Dead End
06. Black Widow
07. Wrath Within
08. Children Of Bodom
09. Downfall
10. No Commands [Stone cover] [2008 re-release bonus]
11. Aces High [Iron Maiden cover] [2008 re-release bonus]

From now on we are enemies, you and I.
What a great opening statement to a great album. Hatebreeder is Children Of Bodom's second album, and was released two years after their debut release, "Something Wild." However, Hatebreeder is considered to be by many a Children Of Bodom fan their best work. That is because it is riddled with Neo-classical passages, great guitar and keyboard melodies, flawless technique and outstanding musicianship. I have no idea why this album is called Hatebreeder, besides it being the title track, because I love it, and it certainly breeds no hatred within me.

Like I said, I love this album. It's insanely catchy and railroads itself all the way through. All the rhythms, vocals, compositions, everything is almost without flaw. One thing that particularly tickles my fancy though, is the harmonies with the guitars and keyboard. I love how they play together in different octaves, using a variety of scales and arpeggios. The lead work on the album is also very nice, as there are an insane number of memorable solos, also coupled with keyboard melodies. I would use a song as an example for this, but I can't, as every single song on the album retains that characteristic.

The rhythm section on the album is very well done as well. Something that is usually overlooked in Children Of Bodom is the solidarity that they incorporate behind all of the melodies and harmonies of which they are best known for. The rhythm guitar for this album is quite creative, and that is one pain I will always feel with the loss of Alexander Kuopala. He locks into each root of the harmony in a scale so he creates a solid background for the music to stand on. He also got creative with chord progressions, and went beyond the simplicity of a power chord. The drums are of course fantastic. With Jaaska on drums, it can't be helped but add to the catchiness of the album. He used great double bass technique, and the cymbal work is magnificant as well. The bass for the album is mediocre, but what do you expect from most melody heavy solo crazy metal bands? This however, does not mean that we are completely at a loss here. There are a few songs that have good bass intros and interludes. Some examples of this are the songs "Warheart" and "Downfall." Warheart has a fast paced bass intro right as the song picks up, and Warheart has a very prominent and creeping bass line when it makes a transition to the chorus. Yes indeed, the Children Of Bodom rhythm section is not to be overlooked.

The album is very good, and I would suggest it to any melo-death or extreme power metal fan. If you're in the mood for catchy riffs, good harmonies, and well produced rhythms, then I would pick it up ASAP.

Album Highlights: Silent Night Bodom Night, Bed Of Razors, Black Widow, Downfall.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 9

Written by Arian Totalis | 24.07.2007




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 23   Visited by: 262 users
24.07.2007 - 22:45
Rating: 10
Katatronik
Angel of Lust
Absolutely masterpiece IMO!
Maybe their best album ever, together with "Follow the Reaper"... Incomparable with their last weak works...
I'd rate a 10 in songwriting. Great review anyway man!
----

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear,
and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."
Howard Phillips Lovecraft
Loading...
24.07.2007 - 22:57
Abattoir

Indeed, great album. I would rate it after the Follow The Reaper alubm, but anyway I like to listen this album every day...it's realy great work
Loading...
24.07.2007 - 23:34
Rating: 9
Arian Totalis
The Philosopher
Haha thanks guys
----
"For the Coward there is no Life
For the hero there is No Death"
-Kakita Toshimoko

"The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.
Loading...
25.07.2007 - 00:21
Rating: 9
Sunioj

Yes, for me, this is Children Of Bodom's trve kvlt album, and I agree with Arian, the rythm is pretty strong with Hatebreeder less so on other albums now that I think about it..the bass is mediocre, nothing too special..just mainly follows the rythm and no real character on its own..Black Widow is my favorite song off this album..
Loading...
27.08.2007 - 21:48
Rating: 9
matthioso

great album, good review to
still, I prefer 'follow the reaper' over 'hatebreeder'
----
www.seedofrock.be
Loading...
09.02.2008 - 04:41
Rating: 7
+{Jonas}+
I R Serious Cat
Cool review... although my fav. will always be Hate Crew Deathroll
----
"Nobody wants to be the weird kid, you just end up being the weird kid. You don't know how you ended up getting there" - Rob Zombie

http://jonas-bs.deviantart.com My dA, mainly photography, go check it out!
Loading...
20.02.2008 - 03:23
Rating: 10
NortheRnmost

I too have to agree with the rhythm guitar work. I personally need good rhythm section to really get into music. Soloing is just one thing, but without solid rhythm there is no song at all. Especially "Silent Night, Bodom Night" sounds great. Roope Latvala is a great guitarist, but Alexander Kuoppala truly left his mark. Hatebreeder is one of the very few albums to which you REALLY can give all ten points!
Loading...
25.02.2009 - 23:34
AngelOfDisease

Good review... I'm thinking of listening to this...
Loading...
26.02.2009 - 21:06
Rating: 9
Arian Totalis
The Philosopher
Written by AngelOfDisease on 25.02.2009 at 23:34

Good review... I'm thinking of listening to this...

That is advisable. Bodom is one of those bands that you need to at least hear at some point in your life
----
"For the Coward there is no Life
For the hero there is No Death"
-Kakita Toshimoko

"The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.
Loading...
20.04.2009 - 21:42
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
One of the best CoB albuns... althought not as great as the review claims. It's good, the always nice catchyness, the quality solos, the decent song structures, the horrible vocals, it's all there.

''Children of Bodom'' (the song) presenting an amazing riff from the beggining to the end. ''Towards dead end'' would be better if it was shorter. And ''Bed of Razor'' is the best track in the album. The rest is forgettable.
----

----
member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
Loading...
02.09.2009 - 23:35
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
My expectations were high and maybe this is the reason why i was kinda disappointed with this album
----
My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


Loading...
14.09.2009 - 10:57
Death Pickle

Agree completely with this review. This was the era when CoB were writing music
to push their creativity, not to become a commercial success.
Loading...
23.11.2009 - 19:41
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
Loading...
14.02.2010 - 21:18
DIO Is God
Account deleted
Amazing album. "Silent Night, Bodom Night" is still one of their best tunes, if not the best.
Loading...
14.02.2010 - 21:19
DIO Is God
Account deleted
Amazing album. "Silent Night, Bodom Night" is still one of their best tunes, if not the best.
Loading...
09.07.2010 - 21:44
loler6

I like it.:banger2:
Loading...
02.09.2010 - 18:55
Rating: 10
Windrider
Raureif
One of the great albums ever, containing my all-time favourite song Downfall, the best piece in metal ever created!!
But CoB deserve in "Performance" nothing less than a clear 10 for they are as huge talented as even possible, imo.
Loading...
17.02.2011 - 15:46
Rating: 10
Sword_Chant

Written by Windrider on 02.09.2010 at 18:55

One of the great albums ever, containing my all-time favourite song Downfall, the best piece in metal ever created!!
But CoB deserve in "Performance" nothing less than a clear 10 for they are as huge talented as even possible, imo.


Agree with this comment. Children Of Bodom aren't my favourite all time metal band but on stage they are (without a doubt) the best band i've ever seen. Alexi's and Wirman technique is very precise on solo passages and the musicianship just seems to really piece together very well.
Loading...
01.11.2012 - 18:15
apostleintriumph

They are awesome live but their lyrics are just too emo imo..
Loading...
05.11.2012 - 09:30
Rating: 9
Arian Totalis
The Philosopher
Written by apostleintriumph on 01.11.2012 at 18:15

They are awesome live but their lyrics are just too emo imo..

lol back in the day their lyrics were pretty raw, but yeah now its all kinda weak. man, the way they got their name though, thats pretty metal.
----
"For the Coward there is no Life
For the hero there is No Death"
-Kakita Toshimoko

"The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.
Loading...
30.07.2015 - 20:24
plasmodesmata

My initation album of melodicore. 7 year has passed, but i still cannot forget how much i was amazed and shocked. damn this album is masterpeice.
Loading...
26.06.2021 - 00:03
Rating: 9
BlankFile

It´s an amazing record, really fast, creative and melodic. One of their best, for sure.
Loading...
26.06.2022 - 19:00
Rating: 10
Ahmya Keiko

Amazing. i liked it at first listening
Loading...

Hits total: 10584 | This month: 11