Our top 10 Children of Bodom songs list looks at the catalog of a Finnish band renowned for its amazing melodic death metal sound. The band was established in 1993, beginning its musical pursuits under the moniker Inearthed. Led by lead vocalist and guitarist Alexi Laiho, the band released three demo tapes in hoping to attract the attention of major record labels. Eventually, the band struck a deal with Spinefarm Records, a move that saw the members fake a split-up and a change of its moniker to Children of Bodom. Signing a recording contract with Spinefarm Records marked the band’s ticket to stardom.
Other bands that have been signed to Spinefarm Records include Nightwish, Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine, Seether, Venom, Nonpoint, and Dark Tranquillity. Children of Bodom went on to release its debut studio album, Something Wild in 1997, through Spinefarm Records. Something Wild’s sound is primarily melodic black-death with notable influences of heavy metal. The album was a success, peaking at number three on the Official Finnish Charts. “Lake Bodom,” “Deadnight Warrior,” and “In the Shadows” are some of the best Children of Bodom songs from the album. Something Wild would later achieve Gold certification in Finland, making it one of the best-selling albums by the band.
Other Children of Bodom Albums
After a successful debut studio album, the band returned with another studio album in 1999 under the title Hatebreeder. With Hatebreeder, Children of Bodom explored an amalgam of melodic death metal and power metal sounds. The album was a success in Finland, where it topped the album’s chart. Hatebreeder also managed to rise to the German and Japanese Albums Charts. The album was also a commercial success, having achieved Platinum status eventually. “Downfall,” “Warheart,” “Children of Bodom,” and “Silent Night, Bodom Night” are the most popular songs by Children of Bodom from the album.
Follow the Reaper, issued in 2000, marked the band’s third studio album. The album finds the band spicing its signature melodic death metal sound with extreme metal and power metal elements. Follow the Reaper managed to rise to number three on the Finnish Albums Chart, entering the Austrian, French, Japanese, and German Albums Charts. “Hate Me!” “Follow the Reaper,” “Kissing the Shadows,” and “Bodom After Midnight” are the best Children of Bodom songs from the album. Follow the Reaper was Platinum-certified in Finland while managing a few thousand copies sales in the US.
In 2003, Children of Bodom issued its fourth studio album, Hate Crew Deathroll. Hate Crew Deathroll was quite a powerful melodic death metal/power metal release, having it top the Finnish Albums Chart. “Needled 24/7,” one of the best songs by Children of Bodom from the album received some airplay on the MTV2 Headbangers Ball. Other notable songs from the album include “You’re Better Off Dead,” Angels Don’t Kill,” and “Hate Crew Deathroll.” The album has been Gold-certified in the band’s homeland, Finland.
Children of Bodom returned to the melodic death metal scene in 2005 with a new studio album entitled, Are You Dead Yet? The album was the band’s first release without its original rhythm guitarist Alexander Kuoppala. Alexander’s spot was filled by Roope Latvala, who has played with other notable bands including Waltari, Sinergy, and Stone. Are You Dead Yet? saw the band mix melodic death metal sound with power metal sonic influences.
The album topped the Finnish Albums Chart, rising to position one hundred and ninety-five on the Billboard 200. “Trashed, Lost & Strungout,” “In Your Face,” and “Are You Dead Yet?” are some of the best Children of Bodom songs from the album. Are You Dead Yet? achieved mild commercial success in the US, getting a Gold certification in the band’s homeland, Finland.
In 2008, Children of Bodom released its sixth studio album, entitled Blooddrunk. Unlike its predecessors, Blooddrunk saw the band combine some thrash metal sonic influences with its signature melodic death metal. “Smile Pretty for the Devil,” “Blooddrunk,” and “Hellhounds on My Trail” are popular musical gems featured on the album. Blooddrunk topped the Finnish Albums Chart, where it achieved Gold certification. The album rose to the third spot on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart, peaking at number twenty-two on the Billboard 200. Blooddrunk also managed to enter the UK Albums Chart, where it peaked at number forty-four.
Relentless Reckless Forever, issued in 2011, marked the band’s seventh studio album. This melodic death metal album brought Children of Bodom to yet another commercial and mainstream success. The album topped the Finnish Albums Chart, rising to number forty-two on the Billboard 200. Relentless Reckless Forever also managed to rise to number seventy-one on the UK Albums Chart. “Was It Worth It?” “Shovel Knockout,” and “Roundtrip to Hell and Back” are the most popular songs by Children of Bodom from the LP.
In 2013, Children of Bodom released its eighth studio album, Halo of Blood. Halo of Blood was the band’s first studio album to be issued entirely through Nuclear Blast Records. While it managed to sell a few thousand copies in the US, Halo of Blood failed to reach commercial success in Finland. However, the album charted at number two in the band’s homeland, peaking at number fifty-four on the Billboard 200. “Transference,” “Halo of Blood,” and “Your Days Are Numbered” are the most popular musical gems from the LP.
I Worship Chaos, issued in 2015, marked the band’s ninth studio album. Additionally, the album was the band’s second release issued entirely by Nuclear Blast Records. The band was without Roope Latvala who had been dismissed after the release of Halo of Blood. Alexi Laiho took on the guitar role making Children of Bodom a four-piece ensemble for the first time. “Morrigan,” “I Hurt,” and “Horns” are some of the best Children of Bodom songs from the album. Despite its poor sales, the album managed to top the Finnish Albums Chart, rising to number ninety-two on the Billboard 200.
In 2019, Children of Bodom issued its tenth and last studio album, Hexed. The band’s attempt to rekindle its commercial success failed, with the album only selling a few thousand copies. While Hexed topped the Finnish Albums Chart, it failed to make it to the Billboard 200. “This Road,” “Under Grass and Clover,” “Platitudes and Barren Words” are some of the best Children of Bodom songs featured on the album, Hexed.
Children of Bodom’s Influences and Legacy
Children of Bodom is one of the most commercially successful outfits in Finland, having sold over two hundred and fifty album copies sold in the country. Other notable best-selling Finnish bands include Nightwish, The Rasmus, HIM, Eppu and Normaali. Together with Arch Enemy, The Black Dahlia Murder, Soilwork, and Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom pushed the melodic death metal genre through the ‘90s, at a time when alternative rock had taken over. The band has cited multiple artists/bands as its influence including Stone, The Ramones, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Poison, and W.A.S.P., among others. Here we present the ten best Children of Bodom songs of all time.
#10 – Morrigan
Opening up our top 10 Children of Bodom songs list is the outstanding hit “Morrigan.” The song is featured on the band’s ninth studio album, I Worship Chaos. “Morrigan” has its title reminiscent of the Celtic goddess who holds power over war and the underworld. Lead vocalist Alexi Laiho revealed that the song alludes to a mortal human who is in love with the goddess, Morrigan. This dark love song is among the successful hits that featured lead vocalist Alexi on the guitar, who took on the entire guitar roles following the departure of Roope Latvala.
Alexi uses D-flat tuning, a style seen especially with songs on the band’s debut album. Other notable bands that heavily make use of the D-flat tuning include Nightwish, All That Remains, Cradle of Filth, Soulfly, and Sepultura. “Morrigan” had its music video directed by the Swedish director Patric Ullaeus. Patric has also directed music videos for other notable artists/bands including In Flames, Europe, Arch Enemy, At the Gates, and Lacuna Coil.
# 9 – Was It Worth It?
“Was It Worth It?” is one of the timeless melodic death metal ballads ever released by the band. The song is featured on Children of Bodom’s seventh studio album, Relentless Reckless Forever. Lead vocalist Alexi Laiho cited the song to be a complete party ballad! The singer also noted the heaviness of “Was It Worth It?” mentioning it to be among his best songs by the band. Rhythm guitarist Roope Latvala and lead guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho deliver killer guitar riffs that authenticate this track as a true masterpiece! “Was It Worth It?” managed to rise to the sixth spot on the Finnish Official Charts.
# 8 – Blooddrunk
Coming in at number eight on our top 10 Children of Bodom songs list is the hit “Blooddrunk.” The song serves as the album title track of the band’s sixth studio album. “Blooddrunk” has its guitar riffs deeply distorted yielding a more thrash-influenced sound. However, the song features an amazing keyboard melody that makes it a little less aggressive compared to other hits on the album.
“Blooddrunk” has its lyrics allude to self-destructive actions, whereby one is addicted to doing harm to himself. The song debuted atop the Official Finnish Charts. “Blooddrunk” went on to peak at number seventy-eight on the UK Singles Chart, making it the highest charting song in the UK by Children of Bodom.
#7- You’re Better Off Dead!
Before the original lineup of Children of Bodom split up, the members released the album, Hate Crew Deathroll, home to our seventh pick, “You’re Better Off Dead!” The song was penned by the band’s lead vocalist Alexi Laiho. “You’re Better Off Dead!” feels a little more aggressive thanks to the combination of melodic death metal and power metal sonic elements. The song was issued as the first and only single of Children of Bodom’s fourth studio album, Hate Crew Deathroll.
“You’re Better Off Dead!” was issued by the band along with a cover of The Ramones’ hit “Somebody Put Something in My Drink.” The song achieved mainstream success, topping the Finnish Singles Chart for two weeks. Additionally, the song maintained an appearance in the top twenties of the chart for sixteen weeks. Eventually, “You’re Better Off Dead!” was Gold-certified in Finland.
#6- Lake Bodom
Number six on our top 10 Children of Bodom songs list is the ferocious hit “Lake Bodom.” While the song might not have made it to the charts, it remains among the favorite picks for early Children of Bodom fans. “Lake Bodom” perfectly defines what the band is all about, from brutal guitar riffs, catchy keyboard melodies, and rip-roaring vocals. The song was later covered in 2016 by Sons of Northern Mist.
#5- In Your Face
Are You Dead Yet? is home to the fifth pick of our top 10 Children of Bodom songs, “In Your Face.” The song finds the band taking to more aggressive guitar riffs making it fairly heavy. “In You Face” also features some haunting keyboard tunes that make it quite melodic. While some of the song’s lyrics might feel repetitive, the song’s impact lives on having the song among the band’s best-selling singles.
“In Your Face” went on to top the Finnish Singles Chart, peaking at number eight on the Hungarian Singles Chart. The song also managed position one hundred and forty-four on the UK Singles chart, making it the second highest charting hit by Children of Bodom in the UK. “In Your Face” was Gold-certified in Finland. Other artists who have recorded a song with a similar title (but different lyrics) include Cat Power, Lil Wayne, and Ty Herndon.
#4 – Downfall
“Downfall” is among the fan-favorite hits by Children of Bodom featured on the band’s sophomore album, Hatebreeder. The song was issued as a single, with its side B containing Children of Bodom’s cover of Stone’s hit “No Commands.” “Downfall” was penned by the band’s lead vocalist Alexi Laiho. Laiho revealed that the song alludes to feeling suicidal, a theme evidenced by the self-destructive lyrics of the song including “I’m my own enemy; watching myself decaying.”
This pessimistic song proved to be successful after it managed to rise to the top of the Finnish Singles Chart. The song maintained the lead on the Finnish Singles Chart for two weeks. “Downfall” was among the earliest songs by Children of Bodom to be certified Gold in Finland. The song was among the last hits played live by the band at the end of its concerts. Thanks to the success of “Downfall” Children of Bodom scheduled concerts in Japan with In Flames and Sinergy.
# 3 – Needled 24/7
The third pick of our top 10 Children of Bodom songs list is the remarkable hit “Needled 24/7.” “Needled 24/7” is among the most popular songs from the band’s fourth studio album, Hate Crew Deathroll. The song achieved massive airplay on the MTV2 Headbangers Ball. “Needled 24/7” went on to be featured in the 2005 heavy metal documentary entitled Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. In 2012, the song would also be featured in the soundtrack of the video game Lollipop Chainsaw. “Needled 24/7” sampled the 1986 hit “Talking About Killing” by Platoon.\https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nx9WwMskgs
#2- Trashed, Lost & Strungout
“Trashed, Lost & Strungout” is yet another magical cut from the band’s fifth studio album, Are You Dead Yet? Initially, the song was issued as an EP and single together with a cover of Andrew W.K.’s hit “She is Beautiful.” The EP also finds Children of Bodom paying homage to Alice Cooper with a cover of the band’s hit “Bed of Nails.”
“Trashed, Lost & Strungout” is one of the band’s most revered hits thanks to its magical keyboard melodies and flawless guitar riffs. The song topped both the Finnish and Hungarian Singles Charts. It also made it to the German Singles Chart, peaking at number eighty-nine. “Trashed, Lost & Strungout” was a commercial success, managing a Gold certification in the band’s homeland Finland.
#1- Hate Me!
Number one on our top 10 Children of Bodom songs list is the alluring hit “Hate Me!” The song is among the fan-favorite hits by Children of Bodom from the third studio album, Follow the Reaper. “Hate Me!” showcases the brilliance of Alexi Laiho on the vocals and the magical instrumentation of the four other members of the then-five-member band. Like most of the songs on the band’s album, “Hate Me!” is one of the most melodic releases by Children of Bodom.
The song features a unique blend of keyboard melodies and magical guitar riffs that make this gem a divine masterpiece. “Hate Me!” went on to top the Finnish Singles Chart, while managing quite a substantial commercial response in Finland. The song remains Children of Bodom’s only Platinum-certified single in Finland.
Feature Photo: S. Bollmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Top 10 Children Of Bodom Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain creative commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.
![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
