Children of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho dies at 41

Alexi Laiho, the frontman of Finnish metal band Children of Bodom and a renowned guitarist, died last week at the age of 41, his record label has confirmed.

“It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Alexi Laiho. We are absolutely devastated and heart-broken for the sudden loss of our dear friend and band member,” a tweet from Napalm Records read.

Laiho died at his home in Helsinki last week, according to a post on his official Facebook page. He had reportedly been suffering from long-term health issues for the past few years.

Laiho, a celebrated guitarist, co-founded Children of Bodom in 1993 and the group is one of Finland’s bestselling artists.

“We are crushed by the sudden passing of our dear friend and band member,” wrote Daniel Freyberg, Mitja Toivonen and Waltteri Väyrynen, members of Bodom After Midnight, a metal supergroup formed in 2020 after Children of Bodom disbanded in 2019. “Words cannot describe this shock and the profound sadness that we feel.”

“Alexi was the most loving and magnificent husband and father. Our hearts are eternally broken,” his wife, Kelli Wright-Laiho, said.

Laiho is survived by Wright-Laiho and a stepchild.