>>212712022 (OP)I got into metal in the 00s, and I always ignored Children of Bodom because (even though I knew they were more melodeath) I associated them with the metalcore boom, infamously awful drunk live performances, Alexi’s scene boy beanies and fedoras, a very young fanbase (my age then, but I did my best to ignore that), fat goth girls, their annoying mid 00s music, etc.
It wasn’t until his death that I discovered how hard those first three albums rip and how good of a guitarist he was when not completely wasted (and admittedly even when fairly wasted). Him and Roope are an all time great guitar duo on those Synergy records too.