Without a doubt, one of the most anticipated releases for me in 2005 will be the new disc from the offspring of Bodom. The new single Trashed, Lost & Strungout was released a while ago as a small appetizer for those like myself, who are about to chew some limbs off if new material doesn’t quickly come to quench our thirst.

The single contains two songs (might seem very little but not at all bad considering the price of 2.50 euros): one original, Trashed, Lost & Strungout and a cover of Andrew W.K.´s party rock anthem, She Is Beautiful. The title track continues straight on the path set by Hate Crew Deathroll, which means the more straightforward, thrashy and gonzo-aggressive side of the band. Pulverizing rhythm section work are provided by Raatikainen and Blacksmith as Alexi and the apparently permanent replacement of Ale, Finnish guitar legend Roope Latvala (Hail Stone! Overtake Your Life!) grind out thrashy chord progressions and melodies that sound damn Slayerish to me. Fans of the infectious lead melodies and guitar breaks shouldn’t despair either, as there are plenty of those in this sonic wrecking ball, but the overall song structure is much more simplistic then on the debut or FTR. A powerful chorus and excellent solo drive the megacatchy tune to join my absolute favourite COB tracks, right up the with the Everytime I Dies, Hatebreeders and Sixpounders. If this song is any indication of the material that the new Bodom album will contain, I will probably have to whip out the Album Of The Year-award pretty damn early next year.

Then the cover tune, that has become a fixture on COB-singles for many years now. I am willing to bet that many fans of Bodom and metal in general went “WTF?!?!?” when they hear about Bodom covering Andrew W.K. and She Is Beautiful, but this is the kind of reaction that the band wants for their cover versions nowadays (and that’s taken from Alexi himself). Plus, the band has been playing this tune live way before this single was recorded. If you hate Andrew, chances are likely that you wont like this, ´cause it isn’t that different. The keyboards, Alexis vocals and a bit more metallic edge are the only things that really separate the cover version from the original. Anyway, I like the song, very energetic, punkish, no frills-heavy rock that isn’t in any way serious, and just meant to be listened with mind-numbing activities in your head. And I just cant help but burst out smiling when Alexi hits the na-na-naaaaas in the chorus with his growling voice. A very peculiar choice that still works well in my books.

The sound-quality is superb, as I think it is impossible to get an album out of the mighty Astia Studios (located in my hometown;) with crappy production. This single is a very highly recommended purchase for Bodomites everywhere, especially the ones who hold HCDR in the highest regards. Im already drooling honey and molten iron on the possibility that the new album might sound like the title tune on this single.