1. Alexi Laiho was best known as the lead guitarist, lead vocalist and founding member of the melodic death metal band Children of Bodom, and was the guitarist for Sinergy, the Local Band, Kylahullut, and Bodom After Midnight, which formed just prior to his death.
Alexi Laiho had previously played with Thy Serpent and Impaled Nazarene on occasion, as well as Warmen and Hypocrisy.
Alexi Laiho started playing violin at the age of seven and guitar at the age of eleven.
Alexi Laiho then became interested in more extreme, mainly black metal music.
An unreleased fourth album was recorded and slated to be released in 2005, but the finishing touches were never completed due to Alexi Laiho's demanding schedule with Children of Bodom.
In 2004, Alexi Laiho founded a side-project called Kylahullut, which was assembled together with drummer Tonmi Lillman and singer Vesa Jokinen 69er of Finnish punk band Klamydia.
Alexi Laiho appears on Canadian thrash metal outfit Annihilator's 2007 album, Metal, as a guest, playing a guitar solo on the song "Downright Dominate".
On 3 July 2012, Children of Bodom announced on their Facebook page that they had to cancel two European shows because Alexi Laiho had been taken to the hospital because of severe stomach pain.
In March 2020, Alexi Laiho announced his new band together with former Children of Bodom guitarist Daniel Freyberg, Bodom After Midnight featuring drummer Waltteri Vayrynen and bassist Mitja Toivonen.
Alexi Laiho died on 29 December 2020 due to liver degeneration resulting from years of alcohol abuse, leaving behind a few songs recorded with Bodom After Midnight to be published posthumously.
Alexi Laiho has often been described as a visionary who brought back melody and flamboyance to metal music in a post-grunge and nu metal era.
Alexi Laiho was known for his guitar-keyboard solo duels with Janne Wirman, keyboardist in his band Children of Bodom.
Alexi Laiho incorporated various references to classical music in his early works.
Alexi Laiho received a Metal Hammer Golden Gods prize in the category of Dimebag Darrell Shredder Award in 2008.
Alexi Laiho received widespread acclaim for his guitar work and according to AllMusic, he is "widely celebrated as one of the genre's most accomplished players".
On 1 February 2002, at a private ceremony in Finland, Alexi Laiho married long time girlfriend and Sinergy frontwoman Kimberly Goss.
For several years after his separation from Goss, Alexi Laiho was then linked with Kristen Mulderig, manager of Slayer until mid-2015.
Alexi Laiho had a history of alcohol abuse, which was the cause of his death.
Wirman remarked that Alexi Laiho had lost a lot of weight and his attempts to play guitar ended up in failure, as he "couldn't play at all".
On 4 January 2021, a post on his official Facebook page stated Alexi Laiho had died the previous week.
Alexi Laiho's ashes were laid to rest on 8 December 2021, one day after a private memorial service was held by Goss.