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The eagerly anticipated third studio album from Children of Bodom is finally here. Without going too far away from their previous sound, this album is a little less heavy and relies a bit more on the keyboards - a bit too much at times. Fortunately, they have a killer keyboardist, so it isn't too annoying - yet. I'd prefer if some songs really felt guitar-driven.

Nothing really new then in Follow the Reaper, the band pretty much playing it safe with an album that will keep their current fanbase happy but probably won't win any new fans from those who didn't like their earlier material. I personally prefer their first two, heavier and somewhat less "commercial" offerings. A couple of songs have this "hey I've heard this before" sound to them, borrowing too much from well-known melodies. I think Children of Bodom would have everything to win in putting a little more of themselves in their next album, and borrow a little less from others. They've got the playing talent, that's undisputed. Now let's see if they can improve the songwriting and come up with something more original. Still, this is Children of Bodom, so it's definitely a good purchase. As a side note, if you get a chance to see them live, don't miss it - they're an awesome live band.