Reports in January have announced that Alexi Laiho, lead singer and guitarist in melodic death metal band Children of Bodom, passed away from illness at the age of 41.
Laiho had been battling for a years an undescribed health condition, and tragically succumbed to the beast in late December, 2020. A statement from his bandmates in Bodom After Midnight [formed in 2019, with rhythm guitarist Daniel Freyberg after the dissolution of CoB] confirmed the report;
"It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Alexi Laiho. "We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken for the sudden loss of our dear friend and band member."
Kelli Wright-Laiho, who married Alexi in 2017, sharing a stepchild together, also said: "Alexi was the most loving and magnificent husband and father." "Our hearts are eternally broken."
Alexi Laiho will forever be remembered for his tight rhythms, his melodic and otherworldly approach to guitar playing, his coarse, leather-lunged vocals, and his extreme, tongue-in-cheek, approach to humor, and musicality.
Laiho formed Children of Bodom in 1993 under the name IneartheD with drummer Jaska Raatikainen, changing the name in 1997 to an homage to an unsolved Finnish murder case from 1960. The band quickly became a force to be reckoned with, after the release of their first album Something Wild in 1997, with tracks like Lake Bodom showcasing the songwriting ability and dexterity of a young, 18 year old Laiho.
Alexi Laiho will forever be missed. Rest In Peace, Alexi.
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Written by Steve Knudsen
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