Located in Espoo, Finland, Bodom Bar and Sauna serves as the headquarters for the renowned melodic death metal band Children of Bodom. The venue, adorned with posters, red-leather couches, and band memorabilia, recently partnered with Genelec to develop a robust sound system capable of accommodating the band’s extensive repertoire of powerful riffs.
Espoo, the hometown of this innovative five-piece group that gained prominence in the late 1990s, produced 10 studio albums, with seven claiming the top spots on the Finnish charts. Despite disbanding in 2019, the legacy of Children of Bodom lives on through Bodom Bar and Sauna.
The establishment, designed to honor the band’s heritage, features three saunas on-site in addition to the standard bar offerings, showcasing a plethora of unique Children of Bodom memorabilia.
Notable members of Children of Bodom, including Henri Seppälä, Jaska Raatikainen, and Janne Wirman, are prominently displayed at the venue.
Sound quality was a paramount consideration for the project, leading to the selection of Genelec as the preferred loudspeaker brand due to the band’s longstanding relationship with the company.
Janne Wirman, the proprietor of Bodom Bar and Sauna and former keyboardist of the band, expressed, “The majority of our studio albums were mixed and mastered on Genelec loudspeakers in Finland. Almost all our recorded music was monitored through Genelec loudspeakers, reflecting our trust in their quality.”
Passion for Audio
Wirman added, “Being an avid audio enthusiast, I invested in my first pair of 1030s after witnessing the mixing of our second album at Finnvox studio. Since then, I have remained a loyal user of Genelec active studio loudspeakers.”
The loudspeaker setup encompasses the main bar area and the corridor leading to the saunas. The primary space is equipped with five Genelec 4030 installation loudspeakers and a 7050 subwoofer, while the corridor features two 4020 loudspeakers. Additionally, a separate VIP lounge boasts an F One subwoofer and two extra 4020s.
While primarily used for ambient music and to immerse guests in Children of Bodom’s musical journey, the bar recently introduced weekly vinyl nights.
Wirman mentioned, “The knowledgeable team from Genelec early on suggested the 4020 and 4030 loudspeakers, which perfectly matched the space requirements. Opting for the RAW aluminium finish complemented the bar’s color scheme, aligning with our preference for an industrial aesthetic.”
Henri Ulmanen, a Genelec sales engineer, explained, “The F One subwoofer was chosen to enable VIP guests to play their music through the system. Guests can enjoy TV shows, stream music via Smart TV apps, or switch to background music from the bar using the subwoofer’s remote control.”
Ulmanen continued, “The lounge’s TV is connected to the F One via optical input, while the bar’s background music utilizes an analog input.”
To enhance versatility and processing capabilities, an Allen & Heath AHM16 matrix processor was incorporated into the system.
Wirman concluded, “The overall sonic experience for guests has reached the desired level. Collaborating with the exceptional installation team from Genelec was a delight, from unboxing the products to mounting them on the walls. The entire project was truly enjoyable.”