Long-time leaders of the pack, racing ahead of similar bands such as fellow Finns Kalmah and Norther, Children of Bodom with this their 5th full-length offering have diversified from their traditional hard-to-pin-down brand of melodic death metal into both thrashier and more industrial elements. The real question this brings up is, does 'Are You Dead Yet' manage to widen the band's appeal whilst still managing to not alienate long-time fans of the band? The answer is neither yes or no in my estimations, Children Of Bodom here have managed to pull off an album that entirely trumps its predecessor, 2003's 'Hate Crew Deathroll', in pretty much every respect yet there is still something intrinsically missing in this new formula that stops this really reaching its potential.

'Are You Dead Yet' certainly exhibits its fair share of top notch, melodic death songs. First single 'In Your Face' and title track 'Are You Dead Yet' are both top notch Bodom songs in the same vein as 'Hate Crew Deathroll' and are the only 2 tracks besides the excellent 'Bastards Of Bodom' which exhibit all the qualities which make Children Of Bodom such a likable band. Thrashy lines, amusingly bad and cheesy lyrics, the very occasional good keyboard solo (I'll get back to that...) and a simply knowledge of what makes a song work. There are many damp spots to the album, such as the meandering 'If You Want Peace, Prepare for War' and the somewhat slower-than-usual 'Punch Me I Bleed' an altogether bizarre title for what constitutes the closest thing the album has for a "ballad". 'Are You Dead Yet' can certainly be characterized into having several moments of genius, with many simply dull interludes.

One thing that the album can certainly boast to its name is exceedingly good production. There is no part of the production, no song, no vocal line, no solo that can really be faulted. Every part of the musical arrangements is in its right place, which creates a very enjoyable listening experience. Production is such a vital ingredient, ironically one many bands miss the mark on, so to see it done more than simply adequately is a pleasant and praiseworthy aspect of the album.

However, there have been many losses of the band's style from earlier albums, whilst these wont impact on the enjoyment to the new listener, to a fan of the bands earlier work the lack of these elements can be very disappointing. In many songs the keyboards of synth-maestro Janne Warman that has become a vital part of the band's signature sound are relegated to a much less prominent position in the songs and there is a definite lack of any truly memorable keyboard solos. Whilst it could be argued that Warman's own Warmen project is the outlet for such items, it is still a disappointment not to see them included, particularly when the inclusion of this more industrial style on some songs, 'Living Dead Beat' in particular, is such a poor replacement.

'Are You Dead Yet', despite its flaws is undeniably a strong album, evidenced by the fact that any band worth its salt would be proud to boast tracks such as 'Bastards Of Bodom' and 'Trashed Lost & Strungout' in their repertoire. However, as fine as these songs may be this album is still let down by the simple fact that many, myself included, have come to expect something more from Children Of Bodom. This album doesn't quite have the energy or excitement that previous albums have held for the listener and the lack of anything truly on a level with such classics as 'Downfall' off of Hatebreeder really lets this album down. Whilst 'Are You Dead Yet' is certain to provide success and acclaim for the band, there is still something that has been lost in the mix, which really made Children Of Bodom such a vital band to hear.

Standout Tracks:  Bastards Of Bodom, Trashed Lost & Strungout, In Your Face.