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There was a Finnish invasion at the Bronson Centre last Friday as Children of Bodom and the band’s ‘Hexed’-tour came to town along with fellow countrymen Swallow the Sun and Wolfheart.

Finland’s extreme metal superstars Children of Bodom brought their 20 Years Down & Dirty to Ottawa on Wednesday night and things were bound to get crazy!

The progressive death metal band Uncured from New York opened the metal night at the absolutely packed Bronson Centre.

The second to hit the stage was Lost Society from Jyvaskyla, Finland. The young band has an insane amount of positive energy on stage, and their short but solid set was sure to warm up any trash metal fans in the audience with influences from Megadeth and Pantera.

Lost Society at Bronson Centre. Photo by Laura Collins.

The much anticipated Dutch horror metal band Carach Angren entered the stage surrounded by ghostly holograms was sure to be a memorable performance. The haunting synth combined with the heavy guitar riffs and some extreme drumming combined with singer Dennis Droomer’s guttural vocals left more than a few people collecting their jaws off the floor and wanting to see more of the theatrical band.

Carach Angren at Bronson Centre. Photo by Laura Collins.

It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since Children of Bodom released their debut album Something Wild. The front man Alexi Laiho seems to be in the best shape ever and making his larger than life guitar solos look absolutely effortless.

Children of Bodom at Bronson Centre. Photo by Laura Collins.

The band has been on the road most of the year, touring in Europe in the spring, and bringing in the North American leg of the tour in October, having only two shows left in Canada after the Ottawa show. There was no sign tiredness showing from any of the band members as they put on a show that turned the ecstatic Bronson Centre crowd into a giant mosh pit and a flow of crowd surfers going through the floor for most of the second half of the show.

It has been a while since I’ve seen such a passionate audience, singing almost every song from word to word. Laiho was clearly enjoying his time on stage as well, encouraging the crowd to be louder.

Children of Bodom is one of the biggest bands to come out of the promised land of metal bands, and showed us what it takes to conquer the world, over and over.

Setlist:

1. Deadnight Warrior
2. In The Shadows
3. Needled 24/7
4. Hatebreeder
5. Lake Bodom
6. Warheart
7. Hate Me!
8. Red Light In My Eyes Part 2
9. Downfall
10. Everytime I Die
11. Children of Bodom
12. Hate Crew Deathroll
13. Bed of Razors
14. Kissing the Shadows

Encore:

1. The Nail
2. Towards Dead End

By Laura Collins.

When Finnish love metal giants HIM announced earlier this year they would be calling it quits after 26 years, it was not really a surprise to many, but yet sad news for their loyal fans all over the world. The band soon announced a worldwide farewell tour Bang & Whimper, and luckily included its only Canadian stop in Toronto on Monday, November 13th.

Finnish love metal legends HIM will be stopping at Rebel in Toronto next Monday, November 13th as a part of their North American farewell tour.

The band announced earlier this year they will be calling it quits after 26 years.

“At the end of 2017 we will be released into the wild,” said bassist Mige. “Before this event of great transformation we would love to offer you one last chance to experience our live performances in His Majesty’s service. It shall not be a weepfest but a celebration of love metal in all its lovecraftian glory! See you there!”

His Infernal Majesty AKA HIM was formed in Helsinki, Finland in 1991 by front man Ville Valo and bassist Mikko “Mige” Paananen. Guitarist Mikko “Linde” Lindstrom soon joined as well as the drummer Mika “Gas Lipstick” Karppinen a few years later. Their debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 was released in 1997, and gained huge popularity in Finland with one of its biggest singles, the Chris Isaak cover Wicked Game.

The 2000 album Razorblade Romance launched HIM into the top of the charts in Finland and Germany, and eventually 2005 album Dark Light which reached the charts in fifteen countries.

HIM found its way to the North America audiences when Jackass alumn Bam Margera discovered the band and became good friends with frontman Valo. Margera ended up directing three of the band’s music videos, including Buried Alive By Love starring Juliette Lewis.

Countless live shows and eight studio albums later, the band is saying their goodbyes to there fans with an extensive tour. The North American tour finishes on November 17th in New York City, and continues to Europe, with one last show on New Years Eve at their home stage at Tavastia in Helsinki.

Tickets to HIM’s Toronto show with special guests CKY and 3TEETH are still available Ticketmaster.

Having spent over half my life in Northern Ontario seeing this week’s all-star announcement by the Stars and Thunder International Fireworks & Music Festival got me very excited!