The 69 Eyes is now releasing their 11th album called Universal Monsters on Nuclear Blast Records. Once again produced by Johnny Lee Michaels who is also on keyboards, backing vocals and, most importantly, involved in the arrangements. This is 100% pure 'Goth’n’Roll' in 2016!
Universal Monsters has already been said to sound like an album that could have come out right after Paris Kills. Yet it’s as mysterious and surprising as The 69 Eyes have always been. Epic songs like 'Blackbird Pie' combining celtic melodies with Ennio Morricone-ish string arrangements, Native American flute and singing together in the way music was once done and the west was won... or strange French-new wave rock with the chorus of 'Miss Pastis'... or a Jim Morrison-esque mystic postcard from 'Jerusalem'...”Nobody makes music like we do, man! This is our life, this is what we believe in,” says vocalist Jyrki 69.
“We sounds as fresh as ever, the music goes itself and takes us into undiscovered paths and soundscapes. How the album grew into what it has become just surprised us and you can really hear the creativity blooming there. And still it sounds nobody else but The 69 Eyes, “ tries the vocalist Jyrki 69 describe the mystic recording process.
The cover artwork of Universal Monsters, as well as the first video single, were conceived by Finnish photographer and director Ville Juurikkala - known from his works for Nightwish, Amorphis, Him, Apocalyptica and Michael Monroe. As the album title Universal Monsters refers, the band are portrayed in movie monster lightning, showing them as well classic and timeless creatures. “The covers are planned and designed as an old-school CD covers - remember when the booklets used to be as exciting as the album itself?! It will actually have five different covers being such a folder - each member of the band can be used as a cover creature of their own. Ville has really succeeded in capturing the classic movie vibe for the shots without any special make-up or photo shopping. The 69 Eyes are the universal rock ’n’ roll monsters - not so many of us left anymore,” says The 69 Eyes vocalist Jyrki. “So from real fans I wish they would get the actual CD in their hands to get the full album treatment as we have planned it to be experienced!”
