Alexander Kuoppala, former guitarist of Children of Bodom, recently returned to the extreme perfectionism of the late Alexi Laiho, group leader, in an interview with This Day in Metal.
“It was all or nothing” : Kuoppala evokes the requirement of Alexi Laiho
In a recent interview with This Day in MetalAlexander Kuoppala, a rhythm guitarist of Children of Bodom between 1995 and 2003, shared several striking memories of Alexi Laiho, the Frontman who died in 2020. He notably mentioned his extreme requirement, revealing how much Laiho could be affected by a simple error during a concert.
Kuoppala remembers a specific episode that speaks volumes about the musician’s state of mind: “I remember a concert in 1997 which went very badly. Alexi was sitting at the back of the car and he said: ‘We have two options. Either we train more, or we stop the group.” “ A reaction that Kuoppala describes as typical of the group leader: “For him, there was nothing between the two. It was black or white.”
The guitarist adds: “Of course we had played badly, but we could analyze what was wrong and correct the mistakes [petit à petit]. Finally, he relaxed a little. But he had only two options in mind: abandon or train much more. ”
A tormented but visionary leader
If Kuoppala evokes the social weaknesses of his former comrade – “His social skills were quite limited” -, he also insists on the role he played by his side: “I was a bit like his big brother. My role, sometimes, was to remind him that there were intermediate solutions.”
This extreme rigor was also part of what made Alexi Laiho unique. Main composer and flamboyant guitarist, he led Children of Bodom through an influential discography, whose first four albums with Kuoppala are still considered today as classics of melodic Death Metal.
A legacy always celebrated
This statement comes a few weeks after the announcement of an official book dedicated to Children of Bodom, expected for August 2025. As reported above, this work will return in detail on the entire history of the group, from its beginnings to its final concert in 2019, passing through the years marked by the internal tensions and the perfectionism of Alexi Laiho.
Written with the direct participation of the remaining members – Henkka Seppälä, Janne Wirman, Jaska Raatikainen and Alexander Kuoppala -, this project promises to deliver a deep and sincere testimony to the story of a cult group, and a musician that is both brilliant, demanding and tormented.
To find out more about the official book of Children of Bodom: Read our article.
