The 69 Eyes “X” and Humanity Delete “Never Ending Nightmares” Album Reviews
The 69 Eyes “X” Album Review
The 69 Eyes are back with their 10th studio release, “X”. Recorded in Sweden and Finland, it marks a big achievement for the band. Not too many goth-rock bands last 22 years.
As for sound quality, the production seems good. Too good. It sounds a bit effects-laden and doesn’t keep your attention for very long. I’m sure they’re great musicians, so why the repetitive hooks? Don’t get me wrong; it sounds OK the first time. But 8 times later, it’s kind of stale. I always felt like something big was coming, but it never did.
If I could change one thing, it would be the guitar work. The solo in “Love Runs Away” is decent if you’ve never heard a guitar solo. Ever. Also, why no riffs? A little more variety in the vocals would also have been nice.
If you like music like this, there’s better alternatives out there. Kamelot is a decent band with a lot of the same style, but a little more technique. Type O-Negative also comes to mind. Even a Doors album would work. I’ll admit I’m not an expert on goth n’ roll, but I know good music when I hear it and “X” just doesn’t do it for me.
Humanity Delete “Never Ending Nightmares” Album Review
I love one-man bands. Every aspect comes down to their talents as encompassing musicians on every front. Humanity Delete is no exception. Hailing from Sweden, Rogga Johannson destroys eardrums with his self-styled death metal debut.
The best thing about this album is the energy. I don’t know how many times I had to step back and collect myself so I didn’t break shit. Although it’s a drum machine, the blast beats get my adrenaline flowing. The production value goes a long way toward making all facets of sound clear and brutal at the same time.
Although the music is superb, the lyrics seem a bit cliché when it comes to metal. It’s a bit too paranormal-ghosty for my taste. I guess I’m just used to the blood-drenched, violence-based music I grew up with. Don’t get me wrong; I love the vocal style and patterns. I just don’t dig the fantastical theme of the supernatural.
I urge everyone to listen to this album. It’s a great view into one-man bands and will show you what death metal/grindcore should sound like. I very much look forward to future installments of brutal singularity from Humanity Decline. Check this out if you’re a fan of early Necrophagist which is a bit more technical but the sound is similar. Great release, 8-out-of-10.
