Skeletons in the Closet

Finnish metallers Children of Bodom have a career- long history of recording covers. Skeletons in the Closet, a follow-up to 2008's Blooddrunk collects them on a single compilation with a few new ones thrown into the mix. Along with familiar versions of the Ramones ' "Somebody Put Something in My Drink," Slayer's "Silent Scream," Sepultura's "Mass Hypnosis," and Iron Maiden's "Aces High" are lighter tracks that reflect the band's more humorous side. These range from Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Lookin' out My Back Door" (complete with a banjo solo) to Britney Spears' "Oops, I Did It Again" to Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell." No matter the cover, and no matter how intentionally campy some of these are, they all contain the requisite "heaviness" that CoB are known for. In addition, there are a couple of new cuts: versions of Pat Benatar's "Hell Is for Children," and Suicidal Tendencies' "War Inside My Head." Internationally -- U.S.A., U.K., and Japan -- there are three different versions of the set, all with slightly different track listings. ~ Thom Jurek