Album Details

• Artist: Children Of Bodom
• Album: Relentless Reckless Forever
• Label: Spinefarm
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2011-12-16

With our end of the year lists coming soon (or already done and gone, by the time most of you will read this), I felt compelled to go back and check for any releases that may have slipped by my (somewhat malfunctioning) radar over 2011. Behold, a new Children of Bodom release had come and gone. Why wasn't I informed? Maybe I was and just forgot. Who's to say? Regardless, Relentless Reckless Forever is another incredibly well-polished and delightful dose of the melodic blackened thrash COB is well known for. And while it doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel, it fits snugly amongst the band's catalog of high-end material.

When it comes down to unfolding a Bodom album song by song, I typically end up finding two catagories to help me along. "Great" and "Good". Those songs qualifying as "Great" include the high-octane "Shovel Knockout", the comedic and driving "Pussyfoot Miss Suicide" and the darker, more sinister "Was It Worth It?". Everything else is good, damn good, but these are the true highlights to me. I fear repeating what must be common knowledge to any fan of the band, but what should be noted by newcomers is that this band is mostly frontman Alexi Laiho's showcase. His vocals have improved by notable amounts over the years, and he's more than adequate at this point. His guitar work, on the other hand, is some of the best you're going to find in a metal outfit. While his band more than fills the space with epic riffage, the occasional notable bassline and solid drumwork, it is Laiho who steals the show time and time again. This hasn't changed at all, and is the biggest selling point in making any Children of Bodom album a part of your collection.

That being said, there may be those out there who grow tired of what has slowly become an encore of similar material from album to album. I think progress in the true nature of the word was halted a few albums ago, but that doesn't necessarily negate the idea that everything since can't be enjoyed and enjoyed for the long haul. Reckless Relentless Forever is far from their masterpiece, but contains all the familiar elements, all the twists, turns, fists and burns we're accustomed to without disappointing anyone looking for anything different. The service to their fans is bar-none, but to those uninterested prior? Don't bother, it's the same beast with a different title. 

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