Angels (Special Edition) - Nuclear Blast

Review:CD-reviews buiten BeNeLux
  Van Muylem    11 juni 2015

Angels is the latest album from THE 69 EYES that pops into my mailbox. It’s again a new version, with some extra’s. I was already hooked on their catchy sound and vampire inspired lyrics! So let’s Goth’n Roll!


Angels didn’t figure on their recent best off, well, I regret that. But the best off already counted 28 tracks, so yeah, rock on! Embrace the melodramatic Goth’n Rocker! Apparently vampires are angels flying over our heads, joined by the apocalypse and the four horse riders! Can you see the clip, or the movie that goes along? It must be pretty scary. If your fantasy is not working, well: enjoy the great guitars and backings! The musical feel will drag you into their world! Never heard a better opening track that works so much on my fantasy!

Up to the next power track Never say Die (in the end you’ll get the single Mix): a catchy jewel, a perfect earworm (with a slice of Billy Idol versus Elvis Presley). Mmm, so tasty! The ultimate fangtasy! Another blast comes with Rocker (genre Elvis Presley goes goth ‘n roll) a cool and catchy rocker, great live track and yet another highlight on this album! The guitars sound just as they should and the backings lift up the track, great studio work! Ghost is a melancholic rocker with a melodic sound (and a great cello) makes me push the repeat button. Perfect Skin starts off with a riff that reminds me a bit of Bomb track from Rage Against The Machine and some more Billy Idol. The backings create a sweet undertone, the guitars a retro 80’s sound, creating a perfect track that sticks on you!

Wings & Hearts creates lyrics wise a great duality between good and evil, between the angels and the vampires. It’s a lovely soft rocker, with sweet backings and a melodramatic feel. Star of Fate is  a symphonic ballad and could figure in a Walt Disney movie. The classical touch is marvelous. However the fact that towards the end the guitars lift the tempo a bit, with the Chris Isaac (guitar) touch: you might even shed a tear. This track is a great breaking point, changing a bit the direction and looking for something else without losing the quality of this band!

As it is the city of Angels, there has to be a song called Los Angeles! It’s a great and catch goth’n rocker with that Elvis Presley touch (didn’t you already knew that he has been turned into a vampire to live forever and sing in a band?).  Amore romantic and dramatic feel comes with In my Name, listen to the piano and the strings while the guitars keep it sharp! Keep an ear on the beautiful guitar solo! Shadow of your love starts with great and mysterious guitars, explode and gives us a catchy goth’n roll feel and gets an extra pitch from the backings! Watch out for the kind of a Billy Idol scream and guitar passage!

Frankenhooker is a great end for the regular album, with their typical mind blowing sound! Shaken to the bone and a perfect live feel! Raise your arms and let yourself go! The backings are sweet and the lyrics typical, just as the catchiness! Mind the passage ‘you suck’, it might haunt you for a long time! Wrap your troubles in dreams figured in the past as a US and Japan bonus track and now we finally get a taste (I missed their first albums, sorry and this one is from 2007)! It’s sweetness at it’s top with a dramatic reel that really feels like as if it was all real! Only Fools don’t fall once more (was the Japan Bonus track in the past): enjoy this last catchy track! After that it’s time for a remix and then, well push the repeat button!