Time is winding down! You only have until midnight this Saturday, appropriately Halloween day, to submit your best impersonation of Alexi for a chance to win his sick-ass ESP guitar. In case you forgot what the deal was here’s a snippet from the contest page:

Between now and October 31, you’re going to film yourself doing your very best impersonation of Alexi Laiho. What does that mean? Exactly what it sounds like; you’re going to do whatever it takes* to create a video where we can’t tell you apart from Alexi. You can wear a wig, you can adopt Alexi’s stage moves, or anything you want within reason. But to win, you’d better make us laugh, or blow our minds with your ability to be a clone of Alexi. In any case, our panel of judges will watch each video, and the one we deem the coolest will be selected to win an ESP Alexi Laiho Signature Series LTD AL-600 Scythe guitar!

So what are you waiting for? We’ve already got a ton of funny entries. Get to recording and enter the contest!

If you read this site regularly you know I’m fascinated with temporary team-ups, like Dave Lombardo playing drums for Metallica or Doc Coyle playing guitar for Lamb of God. I just love these little glimpses into some alternate reality where great bands traded great musicians.

So here’s a good one: according to Metal Underground, Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho will be playing guitar with Hypocrisy on their upcoming North American tour.

Says Hypocrisy mastermind Peter Tagtgren:

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Speaking of Decibel: their, um, let’s call it an “electronic division,” The Deciblog, has gotten Children of Bodom main man Alexi Laiho to supply his top five metal riffs of all time. (Thus the headline. Ah-duh.) If somebody asked me to do that, I’d probably blow my brains out, so props to Alexi for giving it a shot.

As we know first hand here at MS, posting any list like this is an open invitation for a shitstorm to rain down upon your head, but I suspect that Alexi’s list especially will cause arguments. I believe this will be the case for two reasons:

1. He’s Alexi fuckin’ Laiho, not some blogger.
2. He put a Black Label Society riff on the list.

Read the entire list here, then come back and get embroiled in some good old fashioned name-calling.

And don’t forget that we’re currently running a contest where you can impersonate Alexi for a chance to win an ESP Alexi Laiho Signature Series LTD AL-600 Scythe guitar! Enter that shit now!

-AR

Don’t lie; we know you’ve grabbed your guitar (or a tennis racket, or a broomstick, or the like) and pretended to rock along with your favorite musicians. Hey, we all play guitar too. We know how it is. Normally, you probably don’t want anyone to see you imagining yourself onstage in front of 50,000 screaming fans. But we’re going to give you a good reason to let the whole world watch.

Between now and October 31, you’re going to film yourself doing your very best impersonation of Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho. What does that mean? Exactly what it sounds like; you’re going to do whatever it takes* to create a video where we can’t tell you apart from Alexi. You can wear a wig, you can adopt Alexi’s stage moves, or anything you want within reason. But to win, you’d better make us laugh, or blow our minds with your ability to be a clone of Alexi. Our panel of judges will watch each video, and the one we deem the coolest will be selected to win an ESP Alexi Laiho Signature Series LTD AL-600 Scythe guitar!

Click to read more…

This is my third Children of Bodom post in as many days. And while I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about Bodom’s new covers disc, Skeletons in the Closet, this commercial is pretty funny. It was directed by Doug Spangenberg, who you might know as the director of videos for artists such as Lamb of God and Job for a Cowboy. Definitely give this a look-see:

-AR

Yesterday I wondered aloud, what Children of Bodom covering Creedence Clearwater Revival would sound like? And now I have my answer.

Here’s the video for “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.” It comes off the band’s new cover album, Skeletons in the Closet, which drops September 23 on Spinefarm.

-AR

I’m usually anti-cover album – what’s the point, really? – but I have to admit that I’m more than a little curious to hear Children of Bodom’s Skeletons in the Closet… but mostly for non-metal or not-really-metal reasons. I mean, I’m sure that COB can pull off Slayer and Sepultura songs without breaking a sweat, but what’s it gonna sound like when Alexi and company do Creedence? Kenny Rogers? Pat Benatar? Their Brit-Brit cover (which will be on the new disc) sounded surprisingly Bodom-like, as though the Reigning White Trash Queen of Pop had never even existed. And can you think of another melodeathrash band more suited to do hair metal covers of Poison and W.A.S.P.?

So. Skeletons in the Closet comes out September 23 on Spinefarm. The band is now streaming two new re-makes, of Suicidal Tendencies’ “War Inside My Head” and Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” on their MySpace page. Throw back a few shots and play ‘em loud. That’s how COB would want it, motherfuckers.

-AR

My final interview at last month’s New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA was with As I Lay Dying guitarist Nick Hipa. I’d met Nick earlier in the day at an industry hang at which he told me he was a huge fan of the site. We instantly hit it off, so by the time our scheduled interview rolled around there were no awkward moments. When I approached him while he was warming up in the back lounge of the band’s spiffy tour bus we got right to it. Nick spoke about the band’s past appearances at Metalfest, touring with Lamb of God, partying with Children of Bodom, the advantages of having a nice tour bus, the band’s recently released DVD, and their plans for a new album in early 2010.

For more New England Metal and Hardcore Festival interview coverage, check out my festival wrap, as well as my interviews with J. Costa of Thy Will Be Done, Peter Dolving of The Haunted, Doc Coyle of God Forbid, Jonathan and Billy from Unholy, Josh and Troy from Cattle Decapitation, and Chris Arp of Psyopus.

My interview with As I Lay Dying’s Nick Hipa, after the jump.

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Congrats to the winners of our most recent funny photo caption contest. For the first time ever, one of our winners’ entries was actually a response to another, less funny entry (yay threaded comments!). The winners, captions, and prizes they will receive are as follows:

jimmy: “A nu-metal guitar hero would never have that many buttons.” in response to wags: “Guitar Hero: Nu-Metal! Now with your favorite hits from Stuck Mojo, Nonpoint, Saliva and MORE!!! *goatee and clown shoes sold separately*.” (wins: Longbox CD edition of Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s latest Agorapocalypse + CD of Brutal Truth’s latest Evolution Through Revolution and posters of both bands!)

jorbams: “BrokenCYDE adds live guitarist.” (wins: Regular CD editions of both of the above.)

Dane: “So metal, it’s plastic.” (wins: Regular CD editions of both of the above.)

This week we’re giving away a ginormous package of goodies from Spinefarm Records and Children of Bodom. Seriously, this is so much shit that when you get the box you’re not gonna know what to do with everything. Check it out:

Apocalyptica – S/T CD
Apocalyptica – Amplified: A Decade of Reinventing the Cello
Apocalyptica – Live (dvd)
April – Anthems for the Rejected CD
Brother Firetribe – Heart Full of Fire CD
Ensiferum: S/T CD
Ensiferum: Dragonheads CD
Ensiferum: Iron CD
Kalmah – For the Revolution CD
Kiuas – The New Dark Age CD
Moonsorrow – Tulimyrsky EP CD
Rotten Sound – Cycles CD

Children of Bodom:
Are you Dead Yet?
Blooddrunk
Chaos Ridden Years (DVD)
Chaos Ridden Years (CD)
Follow the Reaper
Hatebreeder
Something Wild
Tokyo Warhearts

Spinefarm Hoodie
Spinefarm Logo T-Shirt

Holy crap! Just come up with a funny caption to the below photo and it’s all yours.

At this point in the annals of MetalSucks history, an official interview with God Forbid is weird. Interviewing Doc Coyle “on the record” is kind of like interviewing your mom about her performance as your mother; like, are you truly getting the full skinny? But God Forbid are like family to us, and Doc was his usual self; honest, level-headed and frank. At New England Metal and Hardcore Festival last month, Doc told us what led to Dallas’ split from the band, how things with his replacement Kris Norris (of Darkest Hour) are going, the band’s current and future touring plans, critical response to Earthsblood, and breaking into the European market. Our chat, after the jump.

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Fuck off and die.

-AR

Between the Buried and Me are one of those kinda-polarizing metal bands; you other love ‘em or you don’t get ‘em. But judging by feedback on this site, it seems like most of you love ‘em, and I’m 100% certain that more of you would love them if not for the fact that they’re on a record label not exactly known for its quality metal output. And what’s not to like? Their 2007 opus Colors ranked on not only the year-end lists of Kip Wingerschmidt and yours truly, but sent shockwaves that emanated through musical circles not usually known for embracing heavy music in the slightest.

So: Lambgoat reports that the band is wrapping up writing for their next record which they plan to begin recording May 31st with long-time producer / genre-master Jamie King.

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MetalSucks is proud to offer two lucky San Jose, CA-area residents the chance to see one of the best lineups out on the road this spring: Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, As I Lay Dying, God Forbid and Municipal Waste… for free! Alls ya gotta do is send an email to lambofgodcontest AT metalsucks DOT net with your full name and address, and tell us why you’re the one who deserves to win. One lucky winner, chosen a few days before the show, will win two tickets, so you can bring a friend too. Have fun, and remember this is MetalSucks, not a fuckin’ high school essay contest, so make your entries funny. Good luck!

Next week the U.S. gets a new President, thank fucking God, and Relapse Records is celebrating by issuing a 7″ box set of their This Comp Kills Fascists compilation. How fucking awesome is that? Until then, here’s what we’ll mull over during the long weekend (MLK day in the U.S.):

• Would you like to suck my cock, Berzerker? Or would you just like to look at some bloody titties, Berzerker?
• Lamb of God announce most awesomest tour ever with As I Lay Dying (meh), Children of Bodom, God Forbid and Municipal Waste, while Killswitch Engage, Chimaira and Lacuna Coil will be worth the ticket price as long as we leave before Disturbed goes on.
• Best soundboard ever. (Hint: fun with David Lee Roth sound bites)
• Bring Me The Hair Irons Horizon continued being boring.
• We spoke with Gojira’s Joe Duplantier and Animosity’s Leo Miller.
• Behemoth’s Nergal showed his face, while this dude just buried his in a bunch of watermelons.

The rumors you’ve heard are now officially not rumors any more: Lamb of God are doing a headlining trek this spring, with As I Lay Dying, Children of Bodom, God Forbid and Municipal Waste as support.

There isn’t really a whole lot to say here; this tour is awesome, Lamb of God’s new album is awesome, God Forbid’s new album is awesome, and you’re all going to try your hardest to attend one way or the other. So let’s just go to the part where you get tour dates after the jump, m’kay?

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Shortly after the band finished their mind-bending set opening for The Black Dahlia Murder, Testament and Children of Bodom at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, I had the chance to talk with Between the Buried and Me singer Tommy Rogers and bassist Dan Briggs. The guys spoke about the band’s new DVD Colors Live, their rigorous touring schedule in support of Colors, sharing the stage with their heroes in Dream Theater on the summer’s Prog Nation tour, and what the next Between the Buried and Me record is going to sound like. The full interview transcript, after the jump.

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After fellating Protest the Hero’s incredible early-2008 release Fortress for two months solid (culminating in my first ever 5 of 5 horns review), I was immediately let down by successive announcements that the band would be touring with shit emo bands through the entire summer. Finally someone in the band’s camp has come to their senses and packaged them with a lineup that will put them in front of the metal audience that NEEDS to know about this band. And finally, I will be able to go see them live. Lambgoat is reporting a fall tour with Protest playing direct support for Unearth, with The Acacia Strain, Whitechapel and Gwen Stacy also on the bill.

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Congrats to MetalSucks reader and multi-time champion d.o.g.o.b.g.y.n. for winning last week’s Funny Photo Caption Contest; a copy of Unearth’s new DVD Alive From the Apocalypse is on its way to you in the mail for coming up with this caption for the picture at right:

“…well you’ll have plenty of time to call yourself Revrant and hold toy guns when you’re living IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!”

Revrant, we love you buddy. That caption would’ve been funny with anyone’s name — Chris Farley never fails! This week we’re giving away a special Gothenburg package featuring Scar Symmetry’s new album — the phenomenal Holographic Universe — and Children of Bodom’s latest, Blooddrunk. All you have to do is come up with a funny caption for the below photo and post it in the comments.

Back in 2001 when technical metal was completely out of style and no American guitarist would be caught dead playing a guitar solo, Finland’s Children of Bodom were waving the flag and somehow achieving modest success doing it. Let this live video from that year serve as a reminder to the countless metalcore bands that have ripped them off since that Children of Bodom did technical metal with hooks better, and they still do. So fuck all ya’ll.

-VN

Axl and Vince recently had the opportunity to sit down with In Flames bassist Peter Iwers hours before the second of two Gigantour shows at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom (also featuring Megadeth, Children of Bodom, High on Fire, and Job For a Cowboy). Peter shared his thoughts about In Flames’ new album A Sense of Purpose, its success in America, the band’s writing and recording process, and the band’s mysterious guitar-tech/personal assistant Biffin (the truth is shocking!). Read the entire chat transcript after the fold.

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