The 69 Eyes – Back In Blood – Review

Release Date: September 15th, 2009
Record Label: The End Records
Genre: Gothic Rock

You can pretty much take a look at the name of The 69 Eyes‘ latest record and take a few guesses at what the album is going to be about. Human nature? Nope. Candy? Nope. Girls? Yes, but apparently not live ones. As soon as you crack open “Back In Blood,” and listen to the albums first single “Dead Girls Are Easy,” you won’t be the same. Of course it won’t be for the better because The 69 Eyes are a gothic rock five-piece from Helsinki, Finland with only similarities to  HIM and Negative to help them stay relevant.

The 69 Eyes‘ glam rock beginnings have helped them stick around since the 1990′s, but reaching 20 years old as a band has showed the band’s wrinkles, with members that you are sure have snorted their own weight in coke. So what can I comment on about the groups latest record? Well it isn’t the worst thing to come out of Finland. “Back In Blood” is fairly standard rock with Slash-like guitars, a Jane’s Addiction-esque repeating sound, and traditional non-unique choruses. I will say that Jyrki69‘s thick vocals are loaded with flair, that I’m sure only a bottle of Jack Daniels and 2 packets of cigarettes would allow.

It is really hard to honestly get into it though. I mean, how can you take these 5 guys seriously when they have stage names like Jyrki69, Bazie, and Archzie, as well as having a very common sound that has been done over and over again. The 69 Eyes have kept their edge just barely by veering towards a gothic sound which “Back In Blood” has become the apex of. I guess you could say it is what “Back In Black” was for AC/DC, but instead of making an album that is argued to be one of the best rock albums of all time, “Back In Blood” is simply another sign to drive by along the highway to hell.

I won’t say that a few tracks aren’t catchy and memorable, as several are, but the guitars, high production and flawless recording aren’t able to pick this been-there-done-that record up passed obscurity. But if you are a fan of glam rock of the past and gothic rock from the present, then The 69 Eyes are worth a listen, even if Jyrki69′s vocals make me very paranoid. ~Staff

Score: 2.5/5

Track Listing:
1. Back In Blood
2. We Own The Night
3. Dead N´ Gone
4. The Good, The Bad & The Undead
5. Kiss Me Undead
6. Lips Of Blood
7. Dead Girls Are Easy
8. Night Watch
9. Some Kind Of Magick
10. Hunger
11. Suspiria Snow White
12. Eternal