69 Eyes preview

The 69 Eyes
Pop’s, Sauget
Wednesday, March 15, 2006

A lot of “evil” metal doesn’t cut it because it won’t take historical realities into consideration. Imagine, if you will, bluesman Robert Johnson waiting nervously at the crossroads in the ’20s, only for a shrieking Lucifer (a la King Diamond) or an incoherent, grumbling menace (Cannibal Corpse’s Chris Barnes) to greet him. Nope. Didn’t happen.

I’m more into the belief that while the devil is indeed a white man — and why not? — he’s also a bass or barely a baritone. Type Ø Negative’s Peter Steele had it down (where art thou, Bloody Kisses?) as did Glenn Danzig, and so does The 69 Eyes‘ frontman, Jyrki 69.

Taking Danzig’s Elvis out of the hotrod to hell, The 69 Eyes play some rather bland, synth-aided pop metal, but in Jyrki’s vocals rests a hidden — O.K., not exactly hidden — charm as if Jim Morrison convinced himself he really was the devil incarnate. The quintet, from Finland, have a potential cult classic in Devils (EMI Finland) that never winks or lets you in on the joke (if it is one). Instead, the pseudo-existential “August Moon” floats by with pagan ritualism, and “Sister Of Charity” belongs in the canon of tunes Queensrÿche never had the nads to record.

Damone and Program The Dead open.

— Steve Forstneger

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly