69 Eyes
Devils
(emf)
reviewed by Acey Slade

*****

I first heard about 69 Eyes when I was in my old band Vampire Love Dolls. It seemed like we were both in the same fanzines at the same time all the time. Then, when the Murderdolls were on tour with Papa Roach in Finland, I finally ran into these guys. I unfortunately didn't get to see them play, but we hung out and had a night of debauchery, that if I remember correctly, ended with someone being thrown out of the bus naked and empty bottles of Vodka everywhere. Fast forward to the Trashlight Vision show in London. I'm going down into the tube and this black haired Glampire is going up the escalater. It's Jyrki 69 of 69 Eyes. He runs down the escalater backwards and runs up to me with a bottle of Jagermeister open in his hand! "Acey! Hey

man-I'm on my way to your gig and got lost...I haven't slept for 2 days so I'm a little fucked up.." And this is why I love 69 Eyes. They are the genuine article. They don't sleep. They drink all night and look amazing doing it. They have had their share of ups and downs over the years. Label problems, and things that would bring most bands down to their knees. So I was very happy to hear that the new 69 Eyes album had just entered the Finnish charts at No. 1 and was going to be available world wide very soon.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger,and that straight is reflected in Devils!
You open the CD up and the packaging is amazing. Great photo's and artwork but what the fuck does that matter if I'm going to put it in my I pod? Let’s get to the music. 69 Eyes remind me of if Floodlands era Sisters of Mercy met Vision Thing era Sisters of Mercy. Only 69 Eyes 'ROCK"! Devils is the opener and has a great grandiose feel to it. Feel Berlin nails some Berlin era Iggy Pop. I'm a sucker for Berlin so I love this one. This song captures Berlin. Nothing on You is a perfect song for reflecting on a relationship, but not being relation shipwrecked about it. Christina Death is like the continuation to Gothic Girl, a 'Eyes classic. The album closes with Only You can Save Me. I like it when an album closes with a slower song. I think it shows balls. The highlight on this one is the very Slash like Guitar solo. This is a album that will hit you like a Black Velvet Sledgehammer knocking you into the oblivion of night. 'Gothic Girls' and 'Lost Boys' 69 Eyes are back and they are out for blood!