Rockers Mourn the Death of Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho

Today, Jan. 4, it was revealed that Children of Bodom guitarist and vocalist Alexi Laiho died at the age of 41 in his home in Finland last week. The loss of such an illustrious guitar hero is a painful one and Laiho's peers have begun to reflect on his passing on social media.

Born Markku Uula Aleksi Laiho on April 8, 1979, the musician rose to prominence with the highly melodic extreme metal act Children of Bodom, with which he released his first album, Something Wild, at just 18 years old. With the subsequent releases of the Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper and Hate Crew Death Roll albums, Laiho instantly gained recognition as incredibly accomplished musician capable of weaving neoclassical melodies and power/glam metal pomp into the Finnish group's pummeling assault of extremity.

In all, Children of Bodom put out 10 albums spanning 1997 through 2019, on which Laiho served as the primary writing force. Following the band's breakup in 2019 after the simultaneous departure of three longtime members, Laiho formed the Bodom After Midnight offshoot and retained Bodom axeman Daniel Freyberg, who had joined in 2016. A 2021 full length debut was expected to be released as well.

View what members of the rock and metal community had to say about Laiho's death below. Our condolences to the Laiho family, Alexi's bandmates and all who knew the influential musician.

Children of Bodom

Alex Skolnick (Testament)

Mark Morton (Lamb of God)

Chris Kael (Five Finger Death Punch)

Matt Heafy (Trivium)

The Black Dahlia Murder

Mille Petrozza (Kreator)

Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, ex-Carcass)

Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth)

Floor Jansen (Nightwish)

Gus G. (Firewind, ex-Ozzy Osbourne)

Amorphis

Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth)

Tobias Sammett (Edguy, Avantasia)

Sonata Arctica

Paolo Gregoletto (Trivium)

Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)

Simone Simmons (Epica)

Brian Fair (Shadows Fall)

Chris Holmes (ex-W.A.S.P.)

Marshall Amps