CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman spoke with ThrashHits.com at this year's installment of the Bloodstock Open Air Festival, which ran August 13th - 15th in Derbyshire, UK. CHeck it out below.

BW&BK; recently received the following press release:

Children Of Bodom, the esteemed Finnish band that features frontman and modern day guitar hero Alexi Laiho, has entered Hollola, Finland’s Petrax Studios to begin work on its as-yet-untitled seventh studio album. COB has enlisted famed rock producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, MONSTER MAGNET) to oversee the new recording and will remain in the studio through late September. The new record will see release in early 2011.

“We’re very excited to let everyone hear what we’re creating with this new record,” said the band in a statement. “Everything you love about Children Of Bodom has been magnified tenfold and we’re pushing ourselves harder than ever before. Expect nothing less than “the perfect storm!”

Children Of Bodom's enthralling mix of modern heavy metal, melodic hooks and the guitar acrobatics of Laiho have solidified the band as one of the most revered hard rock acts in the world and one of the leading voices of metal’s new generation. The group’s 2008 studio album Blooddrunk skyrocketed to #22 on Billboard’s Top 200, scored the quintet its third consecutive #1 debut in its native Finland and saw Laiho named “Best Metal Guitarist” by the readers of Guitar World, besting well known players such as Kirk Hammett of METALLICA and Alex Skolnick of TESTAMENT to win the coveted award.

Immediately upon the completion of the new album, Children Of Bodom will join ZAKK WYLDE’s BLACK LABEL SOCIETY for a two month North American tour. Dubbed the Black Label Berzerkus, and described as “rock n’ roll nights of excess and unique madness,” the massive trek will kick off on September 21st at Roseland in Portland, OR and make stops across the whole of the US and Canada. Alexi and Zakk will appear side-by-side on the cover of Guitar World’s November, 2010 issue – on newsstands September 21st (see cover sneak peek at left).

In additional COB news, the band has contributed the song 'If You Want Peace...Prepare for War' to the upcoming music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. To “maximize players’ shredability,” Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock “delivers the next evolution in finger-fretting with an all-new, show-stopping guitar controller that was inspired and born from the game’s unique art style and specifically made for shredding.” Children Of Bodom will appear on the game alongside fellow heavyweights KISS, METALLICA, OZZY OSBOURNE, DEF LEPPARD, FOO FIGHTERS and more.

In addition to Laiho, Children Of Bodom features Roope Latvala (guitar), Janne Warman (keyboard), Henkka Seppälä (bass) and Jaska Raatikainen (drums).

Children Of Bodom tour dates (as part of the North American Black Label Berzerkus tour):

September

21 - Roseland - Portland, OR
22 - PNE Forum - Vancouver, BC
24 - Edmonton EXPO Centre - Edmonton, AB
25 - Agribition Hall - Regina, SK
26 - Big 4 - Calgary, AB
28 - Winnipeg Convention Centre - Winnipeg, MB
30 - Anchor Inn - Omaha, NB

October

1 - 7 Flags - Clive, IA
2 - Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI
3 - Roy Wilkins Auditorium - St. Paul, MN
5 - Expo Five - Louisville, KY
8 - Convention Hall - Asbury Park, NJ
9 - The Colisee - Lewiston, MN
12 - Cunard Centre - Halifax, NS
14 - Metropolis - Montreal, QC
15 - Sound Academy - Toronto, ON
16 - Sound Academy - Toronto, ON
20 - Hammerstein Ballroom - New York, NY
22 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC
23 - Masquerade Music Park - Atlanta, GA
24 - The Fillmore Charlotte - Charlotte, NC
26 - Hard Rock - Orlando, FL
28 - Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX
29 - Concrete St. Ampitheater - Corpus Christi, TX
30 - Verizon Theatre - Grand Prairie, TX
31 - Lonestar Pavilion - Lubbock, TX

November

2 - Stubbs Waller Creek Ampitheater - Austin, TX
3 - Brady Center - Tusla, OK
5 - DeltaPlex - Grand Rapids, MI
7 - The Fillmore - Detroit, MI
9 - Main Street Armory - Rochester, NY
10 - The LC Pavilion - Columbus, OH
12 - Cotilion - Wichita, KS
13 - Uptown Theater - Kansas City, KS
14 - The Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
16 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
18 - Dodge Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
20 - Warfield - San Francisco, CA