| Relentless Reckless Forever | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Children of Bodom |
| Cover: | RelentlessCover.jpg |
| Released: | 8 March 2011 |
| Recorded: | August - September 2010 |
| Genre: | Extreme metal, power metal, thrash metal, melodic death metal[1] |
| Length: | 36:19 |
| Label: | Spinefarm, Fearless, Nuclear Blast |
| Producer: | Matt Hyde, Children of Bodom |
| Prev Title: | Skeletons in the Closet |
| Prev Year: | 2009 |
| Next Title: | Holiday at Lake Bodom (15 Years of Wasted Youth) |
| Next Year: | 2012 |
Relentless Reckless Forever is the seventh studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Children of Bodom, released on 8 March 2011 through Spinefarm Records, Fearless Records and Nuclear Blast. It is the first Children of Bodom album to not have a song with "Bodom" in the title.
Relentless Reckless Forever was recorded at Finland's Petrax Studios, during August and September 2010. "We worked super hard on this album, at least for me it was pretty much no sleep or rest for six weeks," stated lead vocalist/guitarist Alexi Laiho. "But we were determined to make the best COB album ever, so we were willing to do whatever it took. Of course, having our producer Matt Hyde kicking our asses 24/7 definitely made the results even better, so obviously we're more than anxious to get this album out there."[2]
The song "Ugly" starts with a quote from the television show House, taken from episode 12 of season 6 titled "Remorse".[3] The quote is, "You're feeling something, what is it, what do you feel? I don't know, it hurts. It will."
A music video has been shot for the single "Was It Worth It?" with skateboarder Chris Cole as well as noted pro skaters Jamie Thomas, Garrett Hill and Tom Asta.
"The single 'Was It Worth It?' is a total party song," said Laiho. "It's not your typical Bodom sound, but it's one of my favorites and heavy as hell." The video was shot in Pennsylvania's residential Action Sports compound Camp Woodward and it was directed by Dale Resteghini for Raging Nation Films.[4]
Regarding the subject matter covered in the "Pussyfoot Miss Suicide" lyrics, Laiho told Revolver, "I've been involved with stupid chicks who were trying to get attention by being, 'Oh, I'm so fucking depressed. I'm gonna slit my wrists with a cheese grater...' And it's so fucking boring, like, 'Just let it go. You're really not gonna do it, anyway.' It's kind of harsh, but it's fuckin' black humor." "Ugly", on the other hand, is "really just venting and screaming stupid stuff. Nobody should expect anything deep and poetic and sensitive and intelligent, y'know?"[5]
The single "Was It Worth It?" was made available for streaming on 13 January via Facebook, and "Ugly" was broadcast for the first time on 4 February 2011 on FullMetalJackie's radio show.
The album is available in several editions: CD, CD+DVD Limited Digipak, Vinyl LP and limited Super Deluxe Edition including a CD, DVD and a 64-page photobook. The Japanese editions are pressed in SHM-CD format, feature three bonus tracks, include lyrics translation in Japanese and a poster is offered with the first press edition.
Relentless Reckless Forever was certified gold (sold over 10,000 copies) in Finland on the first day of its release, 9 March.[6] As of 10 March, the album had sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.[7]
The DVD coming with some editions fulfils:
| Chart | Peak position | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austrian Albums Chart | 29 | [8] | |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 1 | [9] | |
| German Albums Chart | 20 | [10] | |
| Japan Albums Chart | 20 | [11] | |
| Swedish National Chart | 47 | [12] | |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 43 | [13] | |
| Official UK Charts | 71 | [14] | |
| US Billboard 200 | 42 | [15] |
| Region | Date | |
|---|---|---|
 Japan | 2 March 2011 | |
 Austria  Germany  Ireland  Norway  Poland  Switzerland | 4 March 2011 | |
Asia (excl Japan)  France  Hungary  New Zealand  Sweden  UK | 7 March 2011 | |
 Canada  Spain  US | 8 March 2011 | |
 Finland | 9 March 2011 | |
 Australia | 11 March 2011 |