by Tracy Heck

Created on: September 28, 2009

Last week Finnish rockers 69 Eyes released their ninth studio album Back In Blood, another goth 'n' roll tribute to the horror genre.

The Helsinki-based 69 Eyes' music is often described as a heavy mix of gothic rock, glam and hardcore rock and roll.

The band formed back in 1989 as a glam metal outfit inspired by the vampire realm and the undead.

Although their albums are not concept albums, they do all rely on ideas taken from goth culture movies and literature.

Back In Blood moves away from the lighter, glam feel of their last album Angels by bringing a heavier feel to the songs. In order to make the transition, the band brought producer Matt Hyde (Slayer/Monster Magnet) on board.

Lead singer Jyrki 69 based the album around the world's new obsession with vampires and Twilight mania. He focused on his own movie collection with Jean Rollin's erotic French flick Lips Of Blood, The Hunger and the modern-day opus Night Watch all taking center stage in the songs on the album.

The album opens with the title track Back In Blood, which is designed as a wake-up call to the vampire king who has been asleep for centuries and is, naturally, now ready to rock. The song has a 80's rock feel to it and features some heavy guitar work, "You kept me waiting, waiting here for you. Two thousand years baby what you gonna do." The track is a play on the AC/DC classic Back In Black.

We Own the Night is a catchy Cure-inspired track that it is a bit more uplifting than the rest of the cd, "We own the night you and I. We're gonna live forever."

Dead n Gone starts out with a traditional pop/rock feel to it but then moves into a killer chorus and builds to a stunning climax, "She's done with playing Jesus. She knows just what to do. I don't want to stay here. I will be bleeding after you."

This is the point of the album where things really pick up and the fun begins with the stadium anthem The Good, The Bad and the Undead. The vampire call to arms is the first true sign of the different direction that the band has taken, "They won't let us into Heaven and Hell's closed tonight."

Kiss Me Undead continues the fun feel to the album as the king begs his lover to bring him back to life, "Wake me from the darkness. Kiss me undead. Break the chains of my heart so bloodless."

Lips of Blood is Jyrki 69 at his best: singing in his deepest, lowest goth whisper, "In this dream we can't be found. In this dream blood bound." The song does a great job of balancing the metal ballad feel

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>