Children of Bodom
Chaos Ridden Years - Stockholm Knockout Live DVD

November 2006
Released: 2006, Spinefarm Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

Here it is... the first live DVD from the Finnish ´neo-classical´-whatever metallers Children of Bodom that the band´s fans have so eagerly been waiting for....probably even some years already. After many albums and several tours (Hell... the band has been constantly on the road!) it could rightfully be said that CHAOS RIDDEN YEARS – STOCKHOLM KNOCKOUT live-DVD was just a matter of time when it would have been released. Actually it can also considered as a wise move from the band (and the label, I assume?) to delay the release of this DVD for this long just to give more time to band to become to that intense and very experienced live band that Children of Bodom obviously is nowadays from top to toe.



CHAOS RIDDEN YEARS not only contains Bodom´s live concert from Stockholm that was shot this spring, but also the Children of Bodom –documentary, “Behind the Scenes” –section (which is sort of making of Stockholm “Knockout – Live” thing), the band´s 7 promotional videos (minus “Needled 24/7”), so-called “Deleted Scenes” –section as well as kind of a mandatory “Photo Gallery” –section, too. So talk about some package here...



Children of Bodom´s live section is naturally that thing on the DVD why the fans of the band buy this; everything else on the DVD is simply an extra material for the fans. The live recording is top-notch from every single aspect and very entertaining to watch, although those so-called somewhat mandatory (but I guess still ´necessary´) drum,- guitar,- and keyboard solos would have been left out from their set. I mean, don´t we all already know Alexi “Wildchild” Laiho is one hell of a guitarist, or how talented Janne “the goddammit keyboard man” Warman is behind his keys. Also, Alexi´s way to talk to the audience is a bit corny. “Man this - and man that”, “motherfuckin´this – and motherfuckin´ that”, wished he couldn´t repeat himself that much while communicating with the crowd. Nevertheless, as a more positive side of note, the Bodom crew´s setlist is absolutely killer, covering songs from their first album (SOMETHING WILD) to their latest album (ARE YOU DEAD YET?). Much to my own surprise, even the songs off of ARE YOU DEAD YET? sound much better live than they do on the album, which is of course cool. C.o.B. are definitely in their own element onstage; a highly professional and entertaining live act, so all the credits for them for what they have become by touring around the world and playing hundreds of concerts for people. The C.o.B.´s ´hate crew´ truly rule live, no fuckin´ doubts! As for technical details, the cameras also offer a variable enough amount of different angles that made the whole thing even more entertaining to follow. There´s no way you get bored by watching the DVD for possibly not covering the show from variable enough camera angles. The sound quality is also very good. Alternatively there are either Dolby Digital 5.1., or stereo sound to be chosen, so make your choice and enjoy! ;o)



The documentary sections on the DVD are also somewhat cool to watch, if you are hungry to know something about the history of each member involved in the Bodom –crew. The guys basically tell things about their own childhoods what instruments they were into playing back then, how their musical career got started in the band eventually, and proceeded from there up to this very day. It would have been nice if the band´s ex-member Alexander Kuoppala had had a few things to say in these short interviews, too. But guess obviously his interest to be interviewed for this particular DVD just felt unnecessary, so it was left undone. Naturally there are lots of crazy drunk,- vomit,- pissing,- shitting,- getting wasted - getting nuts, etc. scenes featured for this DVD, too – the way only some crazy Finnish motherfuckers can do it the right way. One of the funniest shots on the DVD is absolutely that part where Alexi plays his acoustic guitar in one street in the downtown of Helsinki as some sort of troubadour, and then a couple of the Finnish polices come to tell him he should stop playing because he´s ´disturbing´ ordinary citizens by his annoying singing and playing. And what was the end result of this episode then? A police station was calling for Alexi...



Since this is the first official DVD from C.o.B. –team, it was relatively expected that all of their promotional videos (with exception of “Needled 24/7”) were included for this DVD, too. These videos are assumable pretty much mandatory stuff for the Bodom –fans, so it´s cool that they are included for this DVD –release, too.



Finally, to sort of conclude the DVD, there are more than 70 pictures from the band in the photo gallery section, showing mostly pictures taken from the road, but also some of the rare photos from the guys´ private childhood´s photo albums are shown in this documentary section. Something cool for all the Bodom –fans to browse through, I assume.



For every true C.o.B. –fan, CHAOS RIDDEN YEARS is definitely an essential purchase. X-mas is coming, so you can always buy this for yourself as a X-mas present, don´t you? ;o)