The Dark Harmonies Of Alexi Laiho

[@AidanHalm]

My No-Cost Guitar Class: aidanhalmmasterclass.com/registration Edit: Apologies for not doing Hatebreeder. Must’ve missed it in the research/script. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 3:50 Synergy 4:39 The Power Metal Lick and Bach 5:45 Strange Chords and Chromaticism 6:36 Thesis on Alexi's Genius and Mozart 7:20 Jason Becker and Diminished Stuff 8:19 Children Of Bodom - Deadnight Warrior(pure darkness) 8:50 Chord Borrowing 9:14 The Modulation God 10:38 Everytime I Die 10:56 Kissing the Shadows 11:34 Tunings 12:38 Are You Dead Yet? 13:00 How To Modulate 14:18 Blooddrunk 14:49 Metallica fans are all fans 15:20 Hate Crew Deathroll 15:58 Angels Don't Kill 16:20 Sus-pense 17:21 Party Songs 17:50 Black Metal Elements and Music Theory 18:05 Chromatic Mediant 18:59 I Worship Chaos 19:48 Hexed 20:40 Bodom After Midnight and Outro

[@tonym5715]

Hatecrew Deathroll came out in 2003, which was the first time they toured in the US, opening for Dimmu.

[@FL0RIS0]

You missed hatecrew deathroll as well, probably their second most populair album

[@georgigoluke9997]

My favourite part of Alexis career is the fact that he inspired me to play the guitar 10 years ago. This guy changed my life, rest in peace brother

[@neoclassic09]

He was one of my main influences to take the instrument seriously

[@MikaTarkela]

@@neoclassic09 same thing here. I was 12 years then. Now I'm 34 lol.

[@Hadouken5150]

@@MikaTarkelasame, I’ve been listening to him/them since 2004. He definitely has one of the best lead styles out there. It’s sad what he became the last half of his career. He didn’t value his life.

[@LtHavoc]

He inspired me to pick it up 16 years ago too. Completely gutted when he passed and wish he knew how much he meant to me and many others.

[@betovn8777]

Same. We are numerous that's just crazy awesome.

[@Stephen-fp1lo]

I was lucky enough to see COB 8 times from 2008-2016. My favorite memory of them was waiting outside the Fillmore in Denver in the freezing cold, I was in the back of the line and was standing next to a tour bus and saw the entire band warming up and laughing in the reflection of the bus mirror. It was so surreal to know I was standing right next to my favorite band. To see how them warming up before the show and having so much fun doing it was such a rad memory… still can’t believe it’s over. Alexi was the guy who got me to want to learn metal guitar, and even though it was way to advanced for me at first, I pushed through for all these years and can now play the majority of there music! Wish I could of met him.

[@Steve_Rotter]

cool memory

[@AIIICH]

Hey there man, great video! I do have minor critiques but that will be addressed at the end. Alexi was cool because he was passionate about his musical craft. He even created/hosted the 100GuitarsfromHEL concert in Finland back in 2015 featuring 100 guitar applicants through out the world. There even was claims from people who didnt make the cut that Alexi took the time to reply and politely critique their video submissions. He even played other genres, crossover (punky-thrash) in Kylahullut, making pop songs into hair-metal style covers (The Local Band) I recall seeing him and his Bodom bandmates walking around my city when they were going to play at the local venue that night and im yelling at Alexi from the passenger seat in my friends car yelling he rocks or something along those lines, it was fun. Alright, now the critiquing. - It is pronounced GOSS, not gross, for Kimberly Goss - Hatecrew Deathroll came out in 2003, not 2008, it was produced after Follow The Reaper and before Are You Dead Yet. Thanks again for the wonderful video!

[@SpurOfMoment]

He got confused by spotify on the release year of hcdr lol

[@JoshRiffMonster]

Trashed, Lost & Strungout is one of the most underrated songs, he literally does a lot of modulations through the song using the same melody in different scales.

[@noopbloop5051]

Yeah the 'main melody' is a diff key all 3x it's played, but he does it so subtly. I never noticed it until I just skipped around the song and listened to each part side by side.

[@JoshRiffMonster]

@@noopbloop5051 And suits so well, you don't feel like something weird, it makes a lot of sense

[@awguitarroom8033]

Amazing video. You left out the Hatebreeder album though. It was their second album with Bodom. Hatecrew Death roll came out in 2003 and Blood drunk was 2008

[@jackoconnor6797]

Also says Halo of Blood was the first time they used drop c..

[@lakabaka]

nice video !1 but kinda screwed up some releases of the albums. Beware the heavens was Sinergys 1 record and Hate Crew Death Roll was not 2008 after Blood drunk. it was from 2003-2004 if i remember correct

[@noopbloop5051]

Until this day I still have a hard time wrapping my head around some of their song structures, especially on Hatebreeder because although they have embedded verses and choruses they're all strung together by bridges, solos, and C parts. Alexi's key changes and modulations are very cryptic as well which I think adds to the catchiness. He doesn;t do the big build up of a key change half step up for a final chorus like a lot of rock and power metal bands do, but there's just constant key changes going on from riff to riff that don't present themselves that way to the casual listener.

[@lukehewko260]

Warheart and the title track are absolutely wild

[@StefanNorlin]

@19:03 - their first album to have in DROP B, their first Drop C song was on Hatecrew deathroll

[@jakedavis5522]

Dude the Hatebreeder album had some of his best stuff on it.

[@awguitarroom8033]

Yeah not sure how he missed that one.

[@SpectralUltra]

Has the best riff in metal. Downfall.

[@JaeTLDR1]

This was great. He was also the master of covers and his localband shows are a great way to relive some non metal classics

[@temunen]

THANK YOU for talking about this aspect of Alexi's legacy!

[@kashy490]

This comment nailed it. Its true I take it for granted sometimes myself. I've no idea why

[@TriumphWithoutGlory]

I became addicted to metal and playing the guitar thanks to Children of Bodom. Alexi was clearly my main influence during several years at the guitar. I'm so sad to have only seen them playing once when I was in high school but I'm definitely marked for life by this band I can't deny it. COB is maybe the main ingredient of who I'm as a musician today.

[@EM-zj1xm]

My the most fav parts of Alexi's career is the song Translucent Image (band "Inearthed"), especially solo in that song, and Hate Crew Deathroll album (because it's my first COB album). To me, Bloodrunk is basically a darker and heavier version of HCDR.

[@consonaadversapars]

Thank you for the video! COB is, to me, the easily best metal band ever! Shame Alexi couldn't be with us for some 40 more years to show us where would his music writing go. It's interesting that the most known COB songs are from the more recent albums, since I'd say their first 4 albums are by far their best.

[@Batsinthebelltower]

Dude from one music theory buff to another, this video was excellent and covered so many elements , its not often you find competent musicians into theory in the metal scene great viewing rock on !

[@scattaredlight]

I can’t watch this video right now but I will come back. I can’t wait for this Children of Bodom deep dive! RIP Alexi Edit: thank you for the video it was very interesting!🖤

[@JP_Hatecrew]

I'm happy you mentioned Children of decadence. The intro melody is so catchy and the solo is awesome. When it comes to solos I think the Mask of Sanity solo(s) is (are) not mentioned enough.

[@JLchevz]

Alexi shines because of his creativity. Such an incredible musician.

[@u7angbe]

Solid video. Respect for the research. Subscribed 🔥💯

[@dianketo6663]

awesome video dude. big fan og alexi and his work with cob and sinergy. his solos with roope in sinergy are crazy and any bodom fan who doesnt know to much about sinergy should check them out

[@0_3_6_9]

Thanks for educating us. He really was a true composer.

[@xjt9787]

I have been a massive fan of COB and especially Alexi Laiho for the last 4 years now. I really lack in music theory knowledge so this video was really interesting to watch and even though I didn't think it was possible, painted Alexi even more as a genius than what I already regarded him as. The only complaint I have about this video is that there are just too many facts wrong. 15:17 Hate Crew Deathroll is from 2003. 19:03 this is not the case. Sixpounder from HCDR was the first song Bodom made in drop C. 14:18 Blooddrunk was released in 2008, it was recorded 2007. Also like you mentioned in the description, you missed Hatebreeder which I consider to be a crime because the album is just too good haha. Also it would've been cool to hear your thoughts about Sinergy's Suicide By My Side album since it was the first album that the band members saw as "their sound". At least according to Kimberly Goss. Wish you a great day!

[@AidanHalm]

Hey thank you. I feel my history is lacking in these videos, so I’m likely gonna stick to theory mostly in the future. It seems Wikipedia and a general google search I’m getting different dates of album releases. But thank you very much

[@JaeTLDR1]

I worship chaos was the first to have drop B tuning.

[@hiltunen_ea8660]

great video. i am just a COB fan and don't have a clue about music theory and this video really opened it up. Thanks

[@DrVikingrMD]

Great video, now ill be listening to Bodom non-stop (again) for who knows how long

[@velshu]

Very informative video! Maybe you did on purpose, but those mistakes on their album order or song names were weird.. You got a comment so if it was intentional, well done! :D

[@monstercadaver]

This is magnificent! I’ve been looking for someone competent to dissect Alexis music for me for ages. One thing though Hatecrew Deathroll is their 2003 release.

[@polaris2610]

alexi is one of my biggest influences in guitar world, his work whit sinergy is by far the best work he ever did , cob is really good but sinergy is in another level

[@Terribleguitarist89]

I'll never forget seeing them via Uranium on Much Music as a kid... Blew my mind because up to that point I hadn't anything heavier than Metallica and made me an instant metalhead. My playing has shifted more to blues and jazz in my 30's, but I don't think I would have even began playing guitar without him. Even if I had, I doubt I would have dug into music theory and composition nearly as much as I did. As for the video, killer breakdown... Definitely subscribing and checking out a few more vids.

[@guitarshredddddder91]

I was lucky enough to see Alexi 4 different times. Miss him greatly, like Randy Rhoads. There was, & will be none other R.I.P. Alexi Laiho, & Randy Rhoads.

[@eerotamminen9325]

Saying that alexi had some experience and exposure at a young age is an understatement, his both parents were classical musicians and ecouraged him to pursue music as a career as young as 14yrs old

[@jani14jani]

Most of the praise Alexi gets revolves around his ability to play guitar etc... Don't get me wrong being technically good and to play fast isn't something that everyone can do, BUT technique can be built by just practicing. Alexi was able to do something very few guitar players are able to do. He was able to build his own sound and style. As much as I admire Alexi for his guitar playing ability. I much more admire him as a song writer and his style.

[@soulknight5330]

He’s my favourite musician tbh

[@tommyknaggard6298]

Man i really enjoyed this video, it reeks of passion for this subject. Commenting to hopefully push it to more people, way to small of a view count on this one for what it is.

[@mikesafronoff7528]

Very interesting research! I also think that including Synergy's 3rd album Suicide by my Side would be cool too. P.S. I think it would be cool to analyse Ozzy's first 2 albums with Randy Rhoads on guitar, because it is said that Randy was trying to write every track on Blizzard of Ozz in a different key. Cheers!

[@infinidominion]

Would love to see Dismember or Dissection dissected like this

[@JP_Hatecrew]

19:06 I think you meant drop B and I love the song I Worship chaos. Its probably a great song for pits(never saw them live)

[@ramkumar-gm5cn]

this guy made a lot of mistakes in the video like hatecrew death roll in 2008...seriously? it was released in 2003 and blooddrunk in 2008

[@a.g.4843]

Hey man I love your channel. Subscribed instantly

[@AidanHalm]

Thank you so much

[@DevilizerRemasters]

thx for this video i love Bodom so much

[@xjt9787]

Yo! Awesome to see you here. I love your work!

[@DevilizerRemasters]

@@xjt9787 thx bro cheers from Chile!

[@kvltbastvrd6726]

You should make a video on Jon Nodtveidt of Dissection. A melodic black metal band from Sweden, which has very interesting harmonic and melodic compositions.

[@johnnyghoul8100]

Listen to trashed lost and strung out loads going on with the dark melody ❤

[@SurfSari]

What a great video! Thanks a lot!

[@Hitemwhereithurtss]

Great vid

[@marcfavreauguitarist8788]

You skipped hatebreeder which might be their most interesting album theoretically speaking. Great work though buddy

[@MicheleGuzzini]

Really interesting thanks

[@Metalord874]

Just a correction here. Hate crew deathroll wasn't in 2008, but in 2003. It was released between follow the reaper and are you dead yet. So everything really went downhill after AYDY and felt like a band that had run out of ideas.

[@sheriff9026]

Bro the later albums had a bunch of new ideas!…? Thats why they sound so different compared to the first 4 albums😅

[@MartinezHernandezEduardo]

Excelente video bro

[@thedashdown7283]

super underrated video🤩

[@userunknozn]

Very interesting thanks! I've studied classical music as a teenager and whenever I listen to "modern" music I like, I wonder about the harmonies and the overall music construction. I find Children of Bodom's music very melodic and creative. For a future video, could you please analyse Nightiwish's old era music (pre-Dark Passion Play) ? I sometimes hear similar structures in Children of Bodom's and early Nightwish's albums. I know Tuomas and Alexi were friends and they could have influenced eachother at times. I believe The Carpenter was a B track on one of Children of Bodom's single album?

[@AidanHalm]

Oh heck yeah! I’m a huge Nightwish fan and I was gonna go through a ton of their music soon after the next one is out. Had no idea they were friends

[@aitokoojii1462]

It was a Children of Bodom-Nightwish-Thy Serpent split.

[@marttipohjonen432]

Thanks for this video. Cant follow all the aspects your pointing out due to lack in my theoretical knowledge but yeah, he was a great composer. My favourite part of his career is left unseen - what all he couldve explored in different fields and genres of music with these skills.. Bed of razors is my all time favourite

[@GreySectoid]

Hatebreeder was their second album, not Follow the Reaper though. I know this in my dreams since I remember being young kid and waiting eagerly for their third album (the reaper)

[@obdokk]

8:22 The intro sounds like a horror movie because the sample is taken from Stephen King's original movie 'IT'

[@itsKochon]

You kinda forgot about hatebreeder which is the album between something wild and follow the reaper

[@kirbster]

Seriously, what an oversight

[@gepic922]

You got some things wrongs but overall nice video. It was entertaining 👍

[@AidanHalm]

Thank you

[@soulknight5330]

10:19 I think smart asses like me probably already told you but their sophomore album isn’t actually Follow the Reaper it’s Hatebreeder (the green album) which is arguably their best one.

[@PetriAL]

Hey I'm sorry for typing this reply, but there were some parts, that were not quite correct, mostly, at least in this reply, I'm just gona focus on albums and their release times I will be putting CoB infront of Bodom records and Sin infront of Sinergy albums (Note, I'm focusing on the release dates here) CoB Something Wild (16/11/1997) CoB Hatebreeder (4/5/1999) Sin Beware the Heavens (21/6/1999) Sin To Hell and Back (8/8/2000) CoB Follow the Reaper (30/10/2000) Sin Suicide by My Side (5/2/2002) CoB Hate Crew Deathroll (6/1/2003) CoB Are You Dead Yet (14/9/2005 Finland, 25/10/2005 International) CoB Blooddrunk (7/4/2008) CoB Relentless Reckless Forever (8/3/2011) CoB Halo of Blood (EU 7/6/2013, NA 11/6/2013, JPN 29/5/2013) CoB I worship Chaos (2/10/2015) CoB Hexed (8/3/2019) The theory part of this video was a killer

5:32 that was probably Roope writing and playing that

[@skylinrg]

first drop C on IWC?? 19:05 what about 6pounder?

[@ramkumar-gm5cn]

Most songs in something wild are in c# minor only two songs are in F# minor lake bodom and red light part 1

[@philosopherofkaos8829]

'There are long term "fans" who didnt didnt listen to the similarities between a song like Deadnight warrior and then listened to banned from heaven and claimed they were not the same band. And i highly disagree. I had this conversation with Alexi on 70000 tons in 2012 and then again when we met again on the final US tour in 2019 (we just picked up the conversation 7 years later) but Between both of those songs you can still here the same children of bodom that was always there. its just that alexi and the rest of the band had ALWAYS been experimental and never locked themselves into a box. I was musically trained similar to Alexi. I played violin in 4 5 6 grade then moved onto piano 7 8 9 grade until 10 when i picked up the guitar on my 16th birthday and that was it. I was sold on being a musician for the rest of my life. and being a musician i can tell you less as a fan and more of a musican that we dont like being stuck in the same genre or ideas for too long or things get boring REAL quick. Some bands are okay with that and just find something that fits and that its and they grind that style or that scale down to the bone. others are more experimental. and that's a the difference between an artist and an entertainer I believe. both are in the business to create but one does so for the experiment and the fun of the art and the other does so for the accessability. and both are valid more or less, but i do believe someone like alexi made a larger and deeper impact on artistic form they way he created and performed rather than band like BFMV that might play it safe. BUT I will always regard Alexi as probably the greatest musican and artist and compare him to Mozart of our time I truley believe he was that good. When I first listened to them in 1999 and the single were dropping for follow the reaper I was blown away. I was 17 at the time and one of the few kids in so cal listening to them when LImp and Linkin and Korn where all the rage. Id go to tower records and grab as much stuff as i could. orginal pressings of something wild and hatebreeder. Such nostogic and awesome fucking times to be alive. I still dont believe hes gone. Its way to hard to accept it.

[@SylverANGL]

Often you got the year of album release off by 1, also the guitar tuning off by 1 ^^. I understand that from.a sheetmusic point of view they're really novels keys used in the 2015 album I Worship Chaos, but tbh they're tune to drop B and go for the open strings and usual positions on guitar. Those albums are great, but not for the reason of using news keys IMO.

[@jasonsmall839]

😮 To Hell and Back is Sinergy's Second album. Come on

[@abravanelherrera]

what about dimebag ? im waiting for that dimebag video!!

[@parkerthibault2871]

Where did you find the tabs for these tunes? I've always wanted to learn them!

[@kimmorintamaki4422]

Sure you should pick 100 guitars of HEL project, and album of finnish guitarists VA-Guitarheroes album. Specially that 100 guitars project.

[@tattooed_bard]

You make a good video, but as Children of Bodom fan from the Follow the Reaper days there a few things that really set me off. When you talk about the tunings used by Alexi you are very off. You stated that they started using Drop C tuning in I Worship Chaos, when COB had been using Drop C since the Follow the Reaper Album which would take a lot of the keys you explained and take them partial out of context.

[@MakoMusicYT]

3 second snippets of songs aren't enough to illustrate your points

[@perpetualapathyofficial]

hatecrew deathroll released in 2003

[@brandonharris9160]

I wouldn't call his harmonies "dark". I would consider his compositions to be the light within darkness.

[@PASHKULI]

Children of Boredom?

[@bigdla]

Triple Corpse Hammerblow! C’mon, AI...

[@dylanporter7154]

Triple corps hammer throw ? C’mon man. Great video but at least do your research on album release dates and song titles. Also don’t miss one of their greatest albums Hatebreeder.

[@ralfs9903]

what reddit thread?

[@Gramasz]

"temporary riff" it's a damn guitar solo....

[@jasonsmall839]

You screwed up the chronology so badly that is makes this video hard to watch. Bodom is my favourite band and this is such a insult LOL

[@dylanporter7154]

Yeah really

[@dylanporter7154]

Really love that song Triple Corpse Hammer Throw released on hcdr in 2008 🤷‍♂️

[@brandonharris9160]

He is more concerned about it from a theory perspective. Also Alexi had a lot of songs laying around for YEARS. Like LoBodomy used to be a Sinergy song before finally being used in 2008

[@yarbles69]

It's Laiho, not "Lejho".

[@Jhono370]

Laiho - (LIE-ho not LAY-ho)!

[@brandonharris9160]

Kimberly GOSS not GROSS. This video has a lot of mistakes

[@ElMakz]

Children of bodom is definetately not death metal or black metal.

[@_gabsantiagoo]

it is not power metal too... these guys just created their own style

[@spiderjerusalem6887]

please kill that typewriter effect you're using every 5 seconds

[@wiseman5409]

CoB isn't death metal, but still a solid metal band in general.