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Band: The 69 Eyes
Album title: Death Of Darkness
Release date: 21 April 2023
Label: Atomic Fire Records
Genre: Gothic Rock, Hard Rock
Tracklist:
01. Death Of Darkness
02. Drive
03. Gotta Rock
04. This Murder Takes Two [feat. Kat Von D]
05. California
06. Call Me Snake
07. Dying In The Night
08. Something Real
09. Sundown
10. Outlaws
Helsinki vampires are back again! Can you believe the five-piece ensemble from Finland, who are probably the pioneers and most prominent name in the so-called goth'n'roll scene, have been carrying on for over three decades and still standing strong? 2023 marks the year of their 13th full album release, entitled Death Of Darkness, and how could I resist giving it a shot as soon as I had the chance? I could not. And what was given to us? A versatile amalgam of glam-infused hard rock, with a touch of 90s gothic melodrama and even some unexpected twists into whole new waters - and I'm talking American country.
Throughout their opulent discography and notable history, The 69 Eyes have not been immune to incorporating changes into their sound. They made their reputation with their suave fusion of gothic romanticism meeting hard rock energy at the dawn of the millennium. However, after their 2004 Devils release, the band relocated to California, and this showed a change in their sound. They drifted a bit further from the tenebrous romanticism, which was the essence of their holy trinity of albums - Wasting The Dawn, Blessed Be and Paris Kills - and dwelled into more radio-friendly hard rock tunes. Stylistically, Death Of Darkness follows the paths of its predecessors, Universal Monsters and West End, as it is more mainstream-rock inclined than diving deep into creating a gloomy and dreamy atmosphere.
The opening, eponymous track, ''Death Of Darkness'' takes us back down memory lane, as it could easily fit on Paris Kills; the song holds a very intense goth ambient, created by strong and mesmerizing keyboards along with Jyrky's phenomenal spellbound voice, which really shines out and brings out the best of the song. In a similar manner, the album also delivers ''Dying In The Night'' and ''Something Real'' with a bit of darkened dramatism and a touch of The 69 Eyes nostalgia. Nonetheless, the rest of the album is much more rock-oriented and therefore does not hold up to the atmosphere of the aforementioned tracks. The band also delivered a duet with Kat Von D, ''This Murder Takes Two'', with a very heavy Southern gothic vibe, and while the song is something different and stands out, I cannot think of other than featuring Kat Von D on vocals is more of a publicity stunt than an actual attempt to produce something brand new in their sound. I know Mrs Von D is a classically trained musician who is embarking on her solo career, but in all honesty, her vocals are pure average, and most of the time, she sounds like a background singer, so to really lift this song and make it shine, considering the sound is so minimal, the vocals should really stand out far more. As for the rest of the album, the sound relies on heavy guitars and energetic drumming, carrying out the quintessential energy within the songs. This is exactly what ''Call Me Snake'', ''Drive'' and a cover of Boycot's ''Gotta Rock'' are about.
While Death Of Darkness has its peaks and excels in diversity, I cannot conclusively say this is a stellar point for The 69 Eyes - at this point in their career. There is something missing when I try to embrace the mixture of having part of the album dwelling in American-driven-Billy-Idol-engrained-rock (e.g.; I love Billy Idol's music) and a part which reminds me of times when I discovered the band - back when Wasting The Dawn was released, and when I was stunned and bedazzled by their ''we wear sunglasses at night and do not have a care in the world'' larger than life persona; and their music was reminiscent of Fields Of Nephilim and The Sisters Of Mercy. Is this really the death of darkness? I do not think so because they showcased goth still flows in their veins. I only wish they would revert back to the OG Helsinki vampires for another ride because they are still competent at it.
The review was written by Ines
Rating: 6/10
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