The 69 Eyes Title: Back In Blood Label: The End Records Year: 2009 Rating: 3.5 / 5

These modern day rock n’ roll vampires are back with sharpened fangs and a quenching thirst for blood. With blood on their hands and a hardened goth n’ roll sound, The 69 Eyes are ready to tear your eyes and ears out. Their ninth studio album, Back In Blood opens a new chapter in The 69 Eyes sound with a much more heavier, focused sound rather than the glam-y rock sound they’ve built up over the years. The crunching guitars, heavy bottom end, pounding drums and Jyrki 69’s vampire-ish vocals are up front and center for this record giving it a good ‘oomph’ in the hard rock department. Intro track “Back In Blood” is a perfect example of the new, more focused sound with crunchy guitars paving the way over a super-charged bloody groove. “We Own The Night” continues the debauchery with dirty AC/DC-ish riffs and a compelling chorus that will for sure be stuck in our head long after the listen. “Hunger” captures the melodic, sweet vampirous side of The 69 Eyes complete with ethereal choruses and verses spread over harmonious guitars and vocals. The first single off this record is “Dead Girls Are Easy” which is accompanied by an awesome video and takes The 69 Eyes classic sound to a new level. Hard rockin’ “Susperia Snow White” sinks the fangs in deeper with a fast-paced march boiled over a catchy chorus that blends in perfect with the fiery guitars. Sounding like the sweet sounds of a tempting hellion, “Eternal” ends the record with a melancholic and malignant tune that projects foreboding thoughts and dismal gothic imagery. Nice! Back In Blood is a bold statement for The 69 Eyes and the slight change in sound will only garner this band a hell lot more fans. I’m not going to lie that there are cheesy lyrics and parts on this record but for the most part, it royally rocks in it’s own right. This might be The 69 Eyes ninth studio album but I believe that this is their first album that vampirous ones will truly love and where blood will be spilled in the name of goth n’ roll. The 69 Eyes are definitely back in blood and blood is the new black.

By: Gian Erguiza