Source: Bravewords.com
In a recent chat with BW&BK’s Carl Begai, CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho talked about the band’s move from Universal to Nuclear Blast for their new album, Halo Of Blood:

BW&BK: Was the move a case of the band’s contract running out, or feeling like a number on a large label like Universal rather than an actual living, breathing band trying to make a living?

Laiho: “It was both, really. The contract expired and we did want to move to a smaller label. Nuclear Blast was one of our top choices because it’s a real metal label, and as far as priorities go Children Of Bodom is a bigger goddamn priority than we were at Universal. That makes a big difference at the end of the day.”

BW&BK: Was being part of the Universal roster beneficial for the band? Once you cross the threshold from smaller labels (Spinefarm, Nuclear Blast) to the big leagues there really is the danger of becoming just another name on a long list of record company projects.

Laiho: “It actually did help in many areas, but the problem was that the label kept changing all the time in certain countries. For one album there would be a Universal sub-label in the States or Germany, and they did a great job for that one album, but then we’d have to deal with a whole set of different people for the next album and they didn’t give a flying fuck about us. We never knew who the hell we were going to work with, so that was the main problem we had at Universal.”

BW&BK’s Halo Of Blood review can be found at this location.

Children Of Bodom will launch their European tour at the end of September, running through the end of November. The tour starts in Sweden and goes through Norway, Denmark, Germany, Benelux, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, CzechRepublic and Poland. Before hitting Europe, Children Of Bodom tour through North America, Japan and Finland.

Tour dates:

September
25 – Stockholm, Sweden – Tyrol *
26 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Brewhouse *
27 – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller *
28 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio *
29 – Hamburg, Germany – Hamburg Metal Dayz *

October
1 – Cologne, Germany – Live Music Hall *
2 – Berlin, Germany – Postbahnhof *
3 – Osnabrück, Germany – Halle Gartlage *
4 – Antwerp, Belgium – Trix *
5 – Leipzig, Germany – Werk 2 *
7 – Bourenmouth, England – Academy *
8 – Bristol, England – Academy *
10 – Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street *
12 – Sheffield, England – Academy *
13 – Newcastle, England – Academy *
14 – Manchester, England – Academy *
15 – London, England – Shepherd’s Bush Empire *
17 – Saarbrücken, Germany – Garage *
18 – Straubling, Germany – Metal Invasion *
19 – Alsfeld, Germany – Stadthalle *
20 – Tilburg, Netherlands – O13 *
21 – Stuttgart, Germany – LKA Longhorn *
23 – Paris, France – Le Zenith **
24 – Pratteln, Switzerland – Z7 **
26 – Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz 1 **
27 – Madrid, Spain – La Riviera **
29 – Sevilla, Spain – Sala Custom **
30 – Lisbon, Portugal – Paradise Garage **

November
1 – Porto, Portugal – Club Hard **
2 – Santiago de Compostella, Spain – Sala Capitol **
3 – Bilbao, Spain – Rock Star **
5 – Toulouse, France – Le Bikini **
6 – Istres, France – Usine **
7 – Lausanne, Switzerland – Les Docks **
8 – Milan, Italy – Live Club **
10 – Vienna, Austria – Arena **
12 – Bucharest, Romania – Turbohalle **
13 – Sofia, Bulgaria – Universiada Hall **
15 – Thessaloniki, Greece – Prinicpal Club **
16 – Athens, Greece – Gagarin 205 **
18 – Belgrade, Serbia – Dom Omladine **
19 – Ljubljana, Slovenia – Kino Siska **
20 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Majestic Music Club **
22 – Budapest, Hungary – Petöfi Csarnok **
23 – Zlin, Czech Repbulic – Winter Masters Of Rock **
24 – Cracow, Poland – Klub Studio **
25 – Warsaw, Poland – Stodola **
* special guests: INSOMNIUM and MEDEIA
** special guests: DECAPITATED and Medeia