Alexi Laiho, the frontman of Finnish power metal greats Children of Bodom, died last week at home in Finland, a press statement from his publicist confirms. Laiho, a guitar virtuoso who also played in Bodom After Midnight, Sinergy, and several other metal groups, had suffered from long-term health issues, according to the statement. He was 41 years old. “We are crushed by the sudden passing of our dear friend and band member,” the surviving members of Bodom After Midnight write. “Words cannot describe this shock and the profound sadness that we feel.”
Born in Espoo, Finland, in 1979, Laiho formed Inearthed in 1993, before the group changed its name to Children of Bodom in 1997. They released a string of successful LPs, including their 2008 international hit record Blooddrunk, drawing from death-, black-, and thrash metal, and occasionally covered cross-genre songs such as Kenny Rogers’ “Just Dropped In.”
The group played their final concert, in Helsinki, in 2019. The following year, Laiho formed Bodom After Midnight, who recorded three songs and a video that will be released posthumously, according to their publicist. Laiho also played in Warmen, Kylähullut, and other groups.
Laiho’s wife, Kelli Wright-Laiho, said in a statement: “Alexi was the most loving and magnificent husband and father. Our hearts are eternally broken.”