An Ultimate Tribute to Children of Bodom from the Far East: RYUJIN Mastermind Ryoji Shinomoto presents Children of Bushido.
With Children of Bushido, Ryoji Shinomoto fulfills a lifelong dream, launching his first solo and covers album, paying tribute to Children of Bodom. Growing up in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island with a climate similar to Finland, he felt an immediate kinship with Children of Bodom when he first heard their music as a teenager. In honor of the late Alexi Laiho, the album will be released on what would have been his 46th birthday, April 8, 2025, via Napalm Records. This powerful fusion of melodic death metal and traditional Japanese music serves as a distinctive tribute to Laiho’s legacy. Children of Bushido seamlessly blends the worlds of western metal and the authentic far eastern sounds, two seemingly different worlds united in powerful and unmistakable harmony. Children of Bushido is a love letter to Alexi Laiho’s brand of death metal and Children of Bodom, reimagined through the lens of Samurai Metal.
The concept for this project took shape after the success of RYUJIN’s latest album, Raijin & Fujin (2024), when Shinomoto stumbled upon a comment referring to his work as Children of Bushido. That moment sparked a vision to recontextualize Children of Bodom’s iconic music—bringing both Japanese culture and Laiho’s musical style to the forefront. Children of Bushido delivers a fiery fusion of Children of Bodom’s aggressive yet melodic approach with the majestic aesthetics of Samurai and zen music. The blistering speed and unrelenting energy of metal merge with serene, traditional Japanese tones, creating an album that is both epic and tranquil.
Across nine compositions, Shinomoto takes listeners on a journey through the world of the Japanese dragon god of the sea, bringing this narrative to life using a vast arsenal of Japanese instruments—including shamisen, dragon flutes, erhu, and taiko drums—colliding with stormy guitar acrobatics and fierce sing-along vocals. The thunderous taiko drums add a powerful rhythmic force, while the classical harmonic structures are replaced with traditional Japanese scales to maintain an authentic, organic feel.
The album opens with “Lake Bodom”, transforming the fury and speed of death metal into a frenzied yet almost joyful katana massacre wrapped in an eastern soundscape. “Downfall”, with its melancholic melodies and complex rhythms, evokes deep emotion, while Ryoji Shinomoto breathes new life into Children of Bodom-classics like “Living Dead Beat”. Blending Laiho’s raw energy with eastern mysticism, he reinvents these songs with thundering wadaiko drum rhythms and lightning-fast riffs, creating a bold and electrifying reinterpretation. The rebellious lyrics, combined with this unique sonic fusion, serve as a fitting musical homage, crafting a breathtaking symphonic landscape.
Children of Bushido is not only a tribute to Alexi Laiho and Children of Bodom—it represents a bold artistic evolution for Ryoji Shinomoto, a celebration of western metal traditions, and a fascinating glimpse into the rich musical heritage of Japan.
Children Of Bushido track listing: 1. Lake Bodom 2. Living Dead Beat 3. Mask of Sanity 4. Hate Me! 5. Silent Night Bodom Night 6. Follow The Reaper 7. Bodom After Midnight 8. Needled 24/7 9. Downfall
Ryoji Shinomoto plays: Guitar, Vocals, Shamisen, Erhu, Dragon Flute, Koto, Taiko Drums & Orchestration.
