Soundtrack to a Gothic Wedding - A Review of The 69 Eyes' Death of Darkness

The 69 Eyes were one of the first gothic rock bands I discovered as a teenager along with other Scandinavian groups such as HIM and The Rasmus. The band's most famous song ''Lost Boys'', a tribute to the quirky horror movie with the same title from the late eighties, got massive airplay on radio and the music video was regularly shown on MTV when I was fifteen years old. A friend of mine made me discover the associated studio record Devils as well as a few classics from the past. Later on, my father and I attended a gothic festival where the band played an excellent concert and left a remarkable impression as the festival's greatest band.

Fast forward seventeen years later and my father and I are going to be attending another gothic festival this summer that is going to be headlined by The 69 Eyes. The Finnish quintet has just released its fourteenth studio record Death of Darkness that has been preceded by numerous singles released over the past few months. It was a logical choice to give this record a spin in order to prepare myself for the concert in two months that I'm already looking forward to.

Death of Darkness is a very consistent gothic rock record that entertains from start to finish with ten songs and a compact running time of forty minutes. The band's timeless gothic rock flirts at times with traditional American country music and titles such as ''California'', ''Sundown'' and ''Outlaws'' also show that the lyrical concept is much inspired by American culture.

People who are misguided by prejudice or who simply have a lack of knowledge often think that gothic rock sounds depressive, evil and suicidal. The 69 Eyes actually offer the exact opposite on Death of Darkness. The production sounds organic, smooth and vintage. The songs are harmonious, mid-paced and rhythmic. The rhythm section with drums and bass invites to dance along rather than bang your head. The guitar riffs are melodic and find the right balance between traditional country music in the key of the fifties and sixties and early gothic rock inspired by the seventies and eighties. Lead singer Jyrki has a low, relaxing and warm voice that sounds absolutely timeless. You couldn't tell whether he is thirty, fifty or seventy years old. These are also the reasons why The 69 Eyes could appeal to a vast group of listeners. If you are unfamiliar with the band yet, go ahead and give them a chance with this output.

Many songs on this album have longing, romantic and thoughtful vibes with much depth. The duet with singer Kat von D on ''This Murder Takes Two'' is a perfect ballad for any gothic couple looking for a song to be played at their wedding that suits their taste without alienating conservative invitees. ''Dying in the Night'' invites to dream yourself far away on a rainy summer night as the rhythmic bass guitar, harmoniously distorted simple guitar play and emotional vocals recall the works of David Bowie in the seventies. ''Sundown'' is a great song for a smooth road trip through the desert and oozes with a positive atmosphere that will put a smile upon your face. Album closer ''Outlaw'' is a gothic ballad with country rock influences that summarizes and concludes this album perfectly and makes you want to spin the entire record time and again.

Some readers might wonder whether this album also includes some more steady rock songs. As a matter of fact, this is one of the calmest releases in the extensive discography of the band but there are a few decent rock songs to be found nonetheless. ''Drive'' respects the record's cool, melodic and smooth sound but comes around with some hard rock guitar riffs and energetic backing vocals that indeed make you want to hit the road and head down the highway at full speed. ''Call Me Snake'' has some more sinister guitar sounds, rougher vocals and even a few explicit lyrics recalling at times the classic material of Billy Idol.

At the end of the day, fourteenth studio album Death of Darkness by The 69 Eyes is an organic, smooth and vintage gothic rock album with a few country rock influences. The final product recalls artists and bands such as David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Billy Idol and The Sisters of Mercy but it most importantly features all the trademarks The 69 Eyes have established since their formation all the way back in 1989 in Helsinki. Death of Darkness sounds timeless and should appeal to a wide audience. The only things that are missing on this very good new album are some heavier tracks as well as truly memorable single candidates. If you are however looking for forty minutes of relaxed gothic rock music for a road trip, then you can't choose a more appropriate record than this one.

Final rating: 75%