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The 69 Eyes - Devils review



Reviewer:
8.5

104 users:
7.97
Band: The 69 Eyes
Album: Devils
Release date: October 2004


01. Devils
02. Feel Berlin
03. Nothing On You
04. Sister Of Charity
05. Lost Boys
06. Jimmy
07. August Moon
08. Beneath The Blue
09. Christina Death
10. Hevioso
11. Only You Can Save Me

Well, whether you like it or not, The 69 Eyes are one of the best glam gothic rock (or goth n' roll, call it however you wish) bands around and no-one can deny it and when I say no-one I mean those of you who are willing to search a bit and realize who The 69 Eyes really are.

"Devils" is the latest release of these Finnish rolling "lost boys" and it's their most mature album up to date compositionally, atmospherically and emotionally since every part of their history is harmonizing so beautifully in their sound and there's nothing negative left to say since they also take their sound a few steps further. In "Devils" you will find glam rolling references as well as gothic references and a dirty street rock feeling at times, elements we had noticed in the previous releases of The 69 Eyes. This time, as they reach the golden balance between glam and gothic, they enrich their soundscapes with some orchestral oriented keyboard melodies that make their atmosphere more affected and intense, a vivid step forward for the Finnish rockers.

Gothic rock guitar riffing as it was formed back in the 80s by the hierophants of this sound, The Sisters Of Mercy, that turns to sleazy poser rock guitar riffing is the main characteristic of this album and something easily noticeable since the guitars come back to the foreground with vivid riffing and inspired flowing solos (which do not have the atmosphere-evoking role they had on "Paris Kills"). Another strong part of "Devils" is the use of keyboard melodies. They evoke an intense and serene atmosphere with a bittersweet feeling, while also making the songs sound devout and melancholic at the same time when they have an orchestral feeling.

The rhythm section lends the appropriate groove and power to the songs having both a rhythmic role and an imposing one when the song needs to roll and become groovy. Last, but not least, comes the interpretation of Jyrki who sounds very expressive with every single word he utters while singing or whispering in the way only he knows how to perform. Emotional and intense at times, imposing and vivid at others, he is the voice of The 69 Eyes, the person who makes their sound so brilliant and gives voice to the either poetic or "party mood" based lyrics that are a strong part of the quintessence of The 69 Eyes.

The whole album flows definitely as one and in a fabulous way with fabulous and inspired compositions like the goth n' roll and groovy hymns "Devils", "Lost Boys" and "Hevioso", the emotional and inspired "Feel Berlin", "Sister Of Charity", "Jimmy", "Christina Death" and "Only You Can Save Me", the Doors oriented "August Moon" and the rolling and at the same time emotional "Nothing On You" and "Beneath The Blue".

The 69 Eyes proved that with "Devils" they know how to rock n' roll the gothic way, taking their sound steps forward and at the same time releasing a very mature album for the genre, one of the best offers of the gothic rock scene for 2004.





Written on 17.10.2005 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."


Comments

Comments: 6   Visited by: 62 users
19.11.2006 - 00:17
Sanctimonius
Account deleted
This album is bad, very bad.. I don't understand the 8,5, I would give it a 4,0 insted
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18.05.2007 - 06:42
Rating: 8
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Perfect review, great album. Probably The Eyes best album. I have a feeling the guy above me is one of those glam rock hating types, where as that is my genre of choice, so naturally I enjoyed this album. Im glad there was a fair review done of this album.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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18.05.2007 - 16:04
Rating: 8
iaberis
Advice Troll
Yeah, I agree with Rozz and Dr.Rock above. I wouldn't say it's their best but it's a very good album, in the vain of their other latest.
The guy above probably has no taste and I don't wonder why he got banned!
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Bitch! Please
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07.12.2007 - 18:37
Rating: 9
BloodTears
ANA-thema
I must say that "feel berlin" is such a great song. they proved they are still a very good gothic rock band. And you would expect them to slow down a bit after "paris kills". No, they were big again.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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24.04.2009 - 12:44
Solstafir!

Great album!! Love sister of charity and christina death...
spot on review!!!
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02.04.2011 - 12:36
AnGina--
Dark Phoenix
After quite some time I put on this album today and well... It sounds even more amazing than it used to. Gotta say Devils is probably my fave by them, this album is so consisten and carries such great goth atmosphere, it's that genuine 80s goth feeling I miss in nowadays so called goth bands anyway, and well, 69 Eyes have kinda lost it in their latest work, but on Devils it was there from Devils To You Can Only Save. I think this review is absolutely great and embraces all the factors of this album that make it what it is; Jyrki69's amazingly deep as an abyss vocals, keyboard melodies & hard rock riffs, that create this intense and amazing sound. 8,5 is a fair rating, especially songs such as Feel Berlin, Lost and Christina Death are the ones popping out and making me say: ''Well, that's one hella song!''.
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You think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was a man. But it was nothing to me but blinding.
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