Review Summary: [b]Pros[/b]
The band caught at top form
Plenty of shredding (if you're into that sort of stuff)
Cons
No noticeable ones
Chaos Ridden Years is the second live album for C.O.B. Since the first one, Tokyo Warhearts, they have had a lot more material to add to this CD. They have been able to add music from Follow The Reaper, Hate Crew Deathroll and Are You Dead Yet?.
When I heard of the upcoming release of the album/DVD I immediately went to the website to check which songs were on and which song were not. Unfortunately songs such as Deadknight Warrior, Kissing The Shadows, If You Want Peace..Prepare For War, Hatebreeder and a few others of my personal favs were not put on. However, I was not disappointed with this as I couldnt expect all my favourite songs to be on it and the ones that are on the DVD are amazing as they are.
Throughout the gig Alexi makes several comments to the crowd going but there responses aren't as eager as I would have expected for such a band as COB.
Alexi's singing during the live performance is different to the studio versions of the songs. His vocals are more raspy and deeper than the usual studio version. I know you may be thinking that already his vocals on the songs you have listened to were pretty damn raspy but they are more different during the live performance. Each song is played to an extremely high standard and fueled with plenty of energy and sweat.
The solo duel between Alexi and Janne is pretty entertaining although they do both share a kiss during it which may leave a few people in question 'Are they gay?'. Apart from Henkka the bassist, each musician in the band gets a shot under the spotlight and has a solo. With a superb drum solo by Jaska, obviously heaps and heaps of solo's from Alexi and Janne, not forgetting Roope, the latest addition to the band. The last song on the CD/DVD, Downfall, starts with Janne playing the Titanic theme tune on the keyboard with the crowd swaying and Alexi laughing and claiming that 'Titanic inst the issue', to then kick into the actual keyboard intro for the song.
Because of Janne is not ALWAYS playing the keyboard in COB's songs, during the gig he takes his free time and spends it efficiently by taking a scythe, playing several sausages on the blade and cooking them from an oil drum spurting fire, then sharing the sausages with the band, and the crowd.
On The DVD
The special features on the DVD that aren't on the CD are a MUST HAVE for ANY COB fan like myself. You are given a talk by the band about the progression from the bottom to the top, all their promotional videos, Making Of/Behind The Scenes of the DVD and pictures from the gig. The only way this DVD could have been much better is if they had a guitar lesson for two from Alexi :P Unfortunately you are subjected to seeing Janne and Alexi's penis' on the DVD. Do not worry, at least they are not at the same time, that would be a more worrying. The final thing I would like to mention on the DVD which I found extremely amusing but at the same time very disturbing was when Alexi toke which what appeared to be a condom and then, inserting it up his nose, then sucking it through his mouth.
If you point out any major ones than ill change them to make it more bareable to read 
