Wikipedia

Paint the Sky with Blood

Paint the Sky with Blood is the only EP by Finnish melodic death metal band Bodom After Midnight, the short-lived follow-up project to Children of Bodom, released on 23 April 2021 through Napalm Records.[4]

Paint the Sky with Blood
EP by
Bodom After Midnight
Released23 April 2021 (2021-04-23)
RecordedNovember 2020
StudioFinnvox, iStudio (Helsinki, Finland)
GenreMelodic death metal
Length14:53
LabelNapalm, Ward
ProducerJoonas Parkkonen
Bodom After Midnight chronology
Hexed (as Children of Bodom)
(2019) 		Paint the Sky with Blood
(2021)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Blabbermouth.net7.5/10[1]
Kerrang!4/5[2]
Metal Hammer[3]

The EP consists of three songs recorded in November 2020 before frontman Alexi Laiho's death the following month, when the band was about to enter the process of writing and recording material for the follow-up, the debut full-length album originally set for late 2021 release.[5] In February 2021, it was announced the EP would be released as planned.[5] As no more songs were written and the remaining members decided to not continue without Laiho, this is the sole release by the band.[6][7] The music video for the title song "Paint the Sky with Blood", which was filmed 10 days before Laiho's death,[8] was released on 30 March 2021.[9]

The EP was released as CD, 10" vinyl and digital download. A total of eight different vinyl versions were available, most of which are limited editions.[10] The Japanese CD edition, released through Ward Records, includes a bonus DVD featuring the music video of "Paint the Sky with Blood".[11]

Reception edit

The EP received generally favorable reviews from critics.

Dom Lawson of Metal Hammer gave the EP 4 out of 5 stars, praising the energy and intensity of the songwriting and performances, as well as the production that adds "grandiloquent sonic swell" topping previous efforts in Laiho's catalogue.[3] Similarly, Metal Storm praised the input of Toivonen and Väyrynen in its review, concluding Bodom After Midnight has "more weight behind its rhythm section" than Children of Bodom, "replacing some of that frenzied lawlessness with coordination, balance, and a full-bodied sound."[12]

Nick Terry of Decibel magazine compared the material to Laiho's earlier work with Children of Bodom, judging the EP to be "neither a disgrace nor a high point" of his career, noting that "[Children of Bodom] fans will surely appreciate [the songs] as the bonus that they are."[13]

Track listing edit

Paint the Sky with Blood track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Paint the Sky with Blood"Alexi Laiho4:26
2."Payback's a Bitch"Alexi Laiho4:06
3."Where Dead Angels Lie" (Dissection cover)Jon Nödtveidt6:21
Total length:14:53
Japanese edition bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Paint the Sky with Blood" (music video)4:39

Personnel edit

Bodom After Midnight

Additional musicians

  • Vili Itäpelto – keyboards

Production

  • Joonas Parkkonen – producer, engineering
  • Mikko Karmila – mixing
  • Mika Jussila – mastering
  • Travis Smith – artwork

Charts edit

Chart performance for Paint the Sky with Blood
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 13
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[15] 39

References edit

  1. ^ Roche, Jason. "Review: Bodom After Midnight – Paint the Sky with Blood". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. ^ Law, Sam (22 April 2021). "EP review: Bodom After Midnight – Paint the Sky with Blood". Kerrang!. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b Lawson, Dom (19 April 2021). "Bodom After Midnight's Paint the Sky with Blood EP Is the Farewell Alexi Laiho Deserves". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Paint the Sky with Blood - An Homage and Final Salute to Three Decades of Explosive Metal" (pdf). Napalm Records. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b Rosenberg, Axl (10 February 2021). "Alexi Laiho's Bodom After Midnight to Release EP in April". MetalSucks. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  6. ^ Hartmann, Graham (2 April 2021). "Alexi Laiho Was 'Very Happy + Excited' Says Bodom Guitarist". Loudwire. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Alexi Laiho's Bodom After Midnight Has No Leftover Material: 'There Was No More Songs Written'". Blabbermouth.net. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  8. ^ Kujanpää, Lauri (25 April 2021). "Bodom After Midnightin jäsenet muistelevat Alexi Laihoa: 'Lojaali ystävä ja vaativa bändiliideri'". Voice.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Bodom After Midnight - Paint the Sky with Blood (Official Video)". 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "Bodom After Midnight". Napalm Records. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  11. ^ "ボドムアフター ミッドナイト/ペイント ザ スカイ ウィズ ブラッド (EP+日本盤限定DVD)" (in Japanese). Ward Records. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Bodom After Midnight – Paint the Sky with Blood Review". Metal Storm. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  13. ^ Terry, Nick (21 April 2021). "EP review: Bodom After Midnight – Paint the Sky with Blood". Decibel. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Singlet 17/2021" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-05-03" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
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