Finnish Metal Superstars CHILDREN OF BODOM set to invade North America

CHILDREN OF BODOM will return to North America this fall to headline a massive, month-long tour in support of its new album of cover tunes, Skeletons in the Closet. Presented by ESP Guitars and Spinefarm Records in association with EMG, Exclaim! and Guitar World, the 20-city trek will launch on Friday, September 18 at Lupo´s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI and will hit major markets in both the U.S. and Canada along the way. COB, the award-winning Finnish Heavy Metal band that features frontman and modern day Guitar Hero Alexi Laiho, will release Skeletons in the Closet on September 22.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's enthralling mix of modern thrash metal, melodic hooks and the guitar acrobatics of front man and guitar hero Alexi Laiho have solidified the band as one of the most revered metal acts in the world. Laiho was named "Best Metal Guitarist" in the 2008 Guitar World Reader´s Poll while his playing on the band´s 2003 release Hate Crew Deathroll, earned the album a place in the magazine´s "50 Greatest Guitar Albums" alongside records by Jimi Hendrix, Van Halen and Metallica. Clearly, Laiho and CHILDREN OF BODOM are one of the leading voices of metal´s new generation.

CHILDREN OF BODOM´s latest album "Blooddrunk" skyrocketed to #22 on Billboard´s Top 200 chart, shifting nearly 20,000 units in its first week of sales. The Top 25 Billboard debut capped a string of exceptional worldwide charting positions for the band, highlighted by a #1 debut in its native Finland.

CHILDREN OF BODOM tour dates: (Fall North American tour)

ESP Guitars and Spinefarm Records Present: The CHILDREN OF BODOM "Blooddrunk" Tour in association with EMG, Exclaim! and Guitar World

September 18, Providence, RI Lupo´s; Heartbreak Hotel - All Ages / $20 ADV - $24 DOS

September 19, Sayreville, NJ; Starland Ballroom - All Ages / $24 ADV - $26 DOS

September 20, Clifton Park, NY; Northern Lights - All Ages / $18 ADV - $20 DOS

September 22, Quebec City, QC; Captiole Theatre - All Ages / $45 ADV - $50 DOS

September 23, Montreal, QC; Metropolis - All Ages / $40 ADV - $46 DOS

September 25, Kitchner, ON; Elements - All Ages / $31 ADV - $35 DOS

September 26, Toronto, ON; Sound Academy - All Ages / $30 ADV - $36 DOS

September 27, Chicago, IL; House Of Blues - All Ages / $27 ADV - $30 DOS

September 28, Minneapolis, MN; Epic - All Ages / $20 ADV - $25 DOS

September 30, Winnipeg, MB; The Garrick - All Ages / $35 ADV - $37 DOS

October 1, Saskatoon, SK; The Odeon - All Ages / $32 ADV - $35 DOS

October 2, Calgary, AB; MacEwan Hall - All Ages / $36 ADV - $38 DOS

October 3, Edmonton, AB; EEC - All Ages / $36 ADV - $38 DOS

October 5, Vancouver, BC; The Commodore - All Ages / $35

October 6, Seattle, WA; Showbox Market - All Ages / $23 ADV - $26 DOS

October 7, Portland, OR; Roseland Theatre - All Ages / $20 ADV - $25 DOS

October 9, San Francisco, CA; Regency Ballroom - All Ages / $27 ADV - $30 DOS

October 10, Pomona, CA; The Glasshouse - All Ages / $25

October 11, Pomona, CA; The Glasshouse - All Ages / $25

October 12, Tempe, AZ; Marquee Theatre - All Ages / $25 - $30 DOS

October 14, Honolulu, HI; Pipeline Cafe - All Ages / $27 - $32 DOS