Children of Bodom gnashing teeth at House of Blues

Children of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho's lightning wrists make him the kind of six-stringer that guitar fetishists revere like the Marshall stack.

And yet, when it comes to absurdly over-the-top, mouth agape shredding, the dude gets some serious competition in his own band.

And it's not from another ax wielder, but from the keyboardist, Janne Wirman.

This combination of fret board freakouts and synth acrobatics leavens Children of Bodom's teeth gnashing thrash with bright shocks of melody.

It's helped make the band not only incredibly popular in their native Finland, where the group's latest album, "Relentless Reckless Forever," went gold the first day it was released last March, but around the globe as well, where their distinctive sound has found favor in both metal and prog rock circles.

One of their most well known records is titled "Are You Dead Yet?"

And clearly, that question is being posed to subtlety.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.