| Halo of Blood | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Children of Bodom |
| Cover: | HaloOfBlood.jpg |
| Released: | 29 May 2013 (Japan) |
| Recorded: | December 2012 - February 2013 |
| Genre: | Melodic death metal[1] |
| Length: | 41:40 |
| Label: | Nuclear Blast, Marquee Inc. |
| Prev Title: | Holiday at Lake Bodom (15 Years of Wasted Youth) |
| Prev Year: | 2012 |
| Next Title: | I Worship Chaos |
| Next Year: | 2015 |
Halo of Blood is the eighth studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Children of Bodom.[2] It was released on 7 June 2013 in Europe[3] [4] and 11 June in North America on Nuclear Blast Records.[2] In Japan, the album was released by Marquee Inc. on 29 May 2013.[5] This would be the last album with guitarist Roope Latvala before he was kicked out of the band in May 2015.
Drummer Jaska Raatikainen posted on Facebook that the band has accumulated a number of songs for a new album. Raatikainen described the new material as dark and "also little [sic] 'black' [metal]-ish."[5] In an interview before the band's first show in India, keyboardist Janne Wirman revealed that the band currently had four songs written, with plans to enter the studio at the end of 2012. Wirman predicted a release around April or May 2013.[6] In mid November 2012, it was announced that the band had started recording demos of new material.[7]
In January 2013, it was revealed that frontman/guitarist Alexi Laiho was finishing writing lyrics, and that recording would commence in February. Two song titles were also revealed.[8] On 19 March 2013, the album's title was announced as Halo of Blood, and a track listing and cover artwork were revealed.
Some resources mention Swede Peter Tägtgren as the album's producer. However, according to Children of Bodom's Janne Wirman, "Peter was there just to produce the vocals" and the album was actually produced by Mikko Karmila and the band.[9]
The album cover depicts the reaper standing on the frozen surface of Lake Bodom, with dead bodies trapped beneath the ice.
The album received mostly positive reviews, with an aggregated score of 66/100 on Metacritic, indicating favorable reviews. It was considered a return to form for the band, garnering a warmer reception from fans than their previous three albums.
| Chart (2013) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Austrian Albums Chart[10] | 28 | |
| Finnish Albums Chart[11] | 2 | |
| French Albums Chart[12] | 109 | |
| German Albums Chart[13] | 18 | |
| Japanese Albums Chart[14] | 16 | |
| Hungarian Albums Chart[15] | 10 | |
| Swedish Albums Chart[16] | 26 | |
| Swiss Albums Chart[17] | 24 | |
| US Billboard 200[18] | 54 | |
| US Hard Rock Albums[19] | 7 |