Band:	The 69 Eyes
Album:	Paris Kills
Style:	Gothic metal, Gothic rock
Release date:	2002
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Crashing High
02. Dance d'Amour
03. Betty Blue
04. Grey
05. Radical
06. Don't Turn Your Back On Fear
07. Stigmata
08. Forever More
09. Still Waters Run Deep
10. Dawn's Highway

The 69 Eyes is a band coming from the cold and sunless Finland becoming more and more popular along with Sentenced, HIM, Charon and Entwine as years pass by. Their sound is a mixture of poser and gothic rock soundscapes expressed through a commercial prism. There are some HIM similarities, but they are not many, almost meaningless, but behind the HIM veil that some people tend to stick on the 69 Eyes' back are some The Sister of Mercy influences coming from their "Vision Thing" period when their poser gothic rock was reigning (don't forget also that The 69 Eyes used to play poser/sleaze rock before changing music style and embracing the gothic world).

"Paris Kills" is their third release in the gothic scene and it is different from its predecessor, "Blessed Be", musically and emotionally. In this album the Helsinki Vampires show a more mature romantic face giving importance to the melancholic side of love focusing mainly in their gothic side and lowering their poser influences. The lyrics, most of them, are emotionally fortified, but also easily memorable and the whole mood of the album harmonizes wonderfully with the lyrical concept of each song.

"Paris Kills" opens with "Crashing High", a real poser/goth composition with calm bridges and sleazy refrains with Jyrki singing in an ecstatic way; 80s poser rock meets the gothic sensation performing a really good-sounding hybrid. A dedication of everlasting love and devotion to your beloved one, "Dance D'Amour", follows. Simple but ideal and atmosphere-evoking synth-born melodies and heavy guitar riffing which is a bit back in the production accompany the lead vocals which are utterly descriptive and full of passion. The lyrics turn into living pictures in front of the very eyes of the listener and as the song goes on you imagine yourself dancing with your beloved one "through the night" "to the serious moonlight"; part of the lyrics is written in French, an utterly romantic language, with the exceptional voice and accent of the band's front-man escalating the emotional intensity of the song interpreting in a unique and sensational way.

The album flows wonderfully with "Betty Blue", a composition filled with bittersweet keyboard melodies in which the romantic lyrics along with the ideal musical background evoke a sweet melancholic feeling. A melancholic atmosphere keeps on surrounding the listener with the following composition, "Grey", in which the melodic guitar chords and peaceful keyboard melodies accompany Jyrki's passionate voice. The piano painfully opens the following composition, "Radical". The lyrics refer to an endless spiritual fall and while you fall you keep on asking for help, you keep on searching for a loving hand to "catch your fall before you crawl on the floor". This composition throbs with despair and pain; Jyrki's bass and full of emotion voice in combination with the simple but enough to evoke a grey and painful atmosphere keyboard melodies along with the guitar chords that contribute to the melancholic aura that this composition exudes evoke a really unique, full of despair, feeling.

"Don't turn your back on fear" lets the album continue, a composition based on heavier guitar riffing and ethereal keyboard melodies that evoke a "spooky" atmosphere pacing with the weird lyrics that talk of a girl ("little miss spookiness") that adores dealing with the paranormal. The only weak moment of the album, "Stigmata", follows, a song based on heavily distorted guitar riffing, some electro FX and Jyrki's imposing voice leading to "Forever More". The synth-born melodies open the song and static bass lines and rhythmic guitar riffing accompanying Jyrki who is interpreting in a passionate and descriptive way the emotional lyrics. The album continues with "Still waters run deep"; the keyboards take their the main melody of the song preparing the ground for the guitars to step on their melody accompanying Jyrki's descriptive interpretation leading slowly to the end of "Paris Kills" with "Dawn's Highway". The guitars are always present, playing softly or "heavier" accompanying the desperate lead vocals pacing with the whole tranquil feeling of the song ending the album in a serene way.

The 69 Eyes fans already own this album, so if you adore romantic and touching music you should check "Paris Kills"!