Alexi Laiho's long battle with health as Children of Bodom rocker dies aged 41

Alexi Laiho’s death has seen fans and music world figures paying tribute to the Finnish guitarist after his untimely death at the age of 41.

The Children of Bodom rocker, one of Finland’s best known musicians and a renowned guitarist, was confirmed dead by his label Napalm.

And Napalm told in their statement that the star had suffered from “long term health issues” – though did not confirm a specific cause of death.

He died, the statement told, at his Helsinki home last week.

“It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Alexi Laiho,” Alexi’s Bodom After Midnight bandmates wrote in the statement.

“We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken for the sudden loss of our dear friend and band member.”

While his health problems are unclear, Alexi has been open in the past about needing to take “better care of myself.”

Two years ago, just after turning 40, he told Finnish paper Ilta-Sanomat that he’d finally learned to rest up properly and to “recharge my batteries.”

And in 2012, Children of Bodom told fans that they had to pull out of a show in Norway and another in Sweden the following night after Alexi was “hospitalised.”

In a statement to their legions of fans, the band apologised and said that their guitarist had been suffering from “extreme stomach pains”, and that doctors had told him not to perform for at least 48 hours.

Since his death, Alexi’s wife Kelli Laiho-Wright has spoken out to say that her and their kids’ “hearts are eternally broken” by the death of such a “loving and magnificent husband and father.”

Alexi’s sister added that they are “deeply shocked and broken by grief.”

Alexi was one of the names who formed Children of Bodom in 1993, becoming one of Finland’s best-selling acts before they split in 2019, bowing out in an epic swan song Helsinki concert.

Last year Alexi continued the band’s legacy as he formed Bodom After Midnight with bandmate Daniel Freyberg, as well as drummer Waltteri Väyrynen and bassist Mitja Toivonen.

They recorded three songs and shot a video for one of them which is due for release later this year.