When I heard COB’s ‘Something wild’ (debut 1997 release) album in year 2000, I never expected a release like ‘Are you dead yet?’ in 2005 by the same band. I used to consider them as one among the tons of bands that originate from Scandinavian lands playing melodic death metal but eventually end in anonymity. The biggest challenge for bands belonging to this genre, is inability to consistently churn albums those offer uniqueness, progression and growth.

COB retains its stand-discharging remarkable progress with each subsequent album. And, it seems veteran guitarist Alexander kuoppola’s exit has done little dampening of spirits of frontman ‘Alexi Laiho’ (vocals/guitar), who’s seen playing some exorbitant riffs and simultaneously handling melodic leads on bulk of ‘are you dead yet?’ ‘s recording. Firstly, let me talk structuring, the average track length is a bit under 4mins,this makes it 2nd shortest album after their debut. Clear indication of lessening of out flowing Bodom sound. More stress is given to breaching the gap between only instruments! and lyrical parts. Call it the absence of the signature guitar player or better control by keyboard to hold things together. However, all this might be minuscule in nature, and for Christ sake don’t start judging it too much over this point. Best thing is that it does not have exceedingly inclined melodic parts that drip you too much in the juice. Moreover, the riffs aren’t too delicately built, hitting and gripping straight away, is another absent characteristic. It will surely take you a couple of spins to actually start swaying to the songs. Hummabale tones are done away with and more bulldozering appeal is caressed out of Alexi’s compositions. An genuine step forward from their last outing ‘Hatecrew deathroll’.’Punch me I bleed’ (track4) is an intermediate toast slowly built on doom-heavy metal styling. Hatsoff to COB primarily for playing such a song and, to recording engineers/mixers, for accommodating such a song in the overall mix-mind you it isn’t easy. This is a perfectly timed pit lane driver’s song. Pace is not what takes the album forward, it’s the comfort that mesmerizes, to get best of this listen to ‘In your face’ (track5) and album opener ‘Living dead beat’. Pinch harmonics, lashy tone, catchy leads, and a combination of haunting lyrics and keyboards makes it- Absolutely spot on!

I will conclude this in the words of”Alexi’- from the intro of 2002’s Tokyo warhearts Live-‘We are CHILDREN OF BODOM, we come from FUCKING FINLAND’!