Helsinki legends The 69 Eyes, is a band with a truly distinctive vision. The group has finally released its highly anticipated new album, “Death of Darkness.”
Renowned for their ability to blend classic rock with the darker tones of alternative metal and goth, the group’s latest album offers ten thrilling tracks that capture the pure essence of Goth’N’Roll in a way that no other band can. Despite being on the scene for over 30 years, The 69 Eyes continue to impress with a record that draws inspiration from a variety of musical influences. From gothic glam to post-punk, there are no limits to the group’s creativity. While the album boasts some unforgettable riffs, the music is surprisingly upbeat and groovy, adding a sunny touch to the otherwise gothic vibe.
The 69 Eyes also pay tribute to the local Finnish music scene with a cover of “Gotta Rock” by Boycott – a classic that is sure to delight fans of Finnish rock music. With this album, The 69 Eyes once again prove that they are masters of their genre. Each song is a rollercoaster ride of emotions that only gets better with every listen. Fans and critics alike consider this the best album from the band in years, and it is easy to see why! The production of the album has a very modern flair to it. Still, there is room for many retro-inspired tones, including chorused guitars and crooned vocals with an old-school vibe.
The Metal Pit had the pleasure to interview vocalist and songwriter Lisa Perry aka “Hellz” from Australia. She is also the frontwoman for the hard rock band called “Hellz Abyss”. A beautiful person, a talented songwriter, and a vocalist who channels an impressive 6-octave vocal range that separates her from others in the industry. Along with being a multi-talented woman, she also creates a unique persona while she is performing onstage. Be sure to catch them live when you can for an extra bonus and memorable experience! Ladies and gentlemen, Lisa Perry…
Who are some of your top musical influences?
Definitely Lemmy, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Dio, Pantera, AC/DC, and another awesome band here in Australia called Rose Tattoo.
If you could collaborate with any musician, who would it be and why?
I have been lucky enough to collaborate with Riggs from Rob Zombie in the past. It would be sick to collaborate with Rob Zombie himself on something eccentric and strange!
What venue would you like to play next?
Somewhere that puts in the effort to advertise and promote the bands playing at their venue! Too many don’t do this and then complain that bands don’t sell enough presales for their venue.
What does success as a musician look like to you?
Going out and stopping at nothing to get heard and seen. Being talented is one part of the equation, you need to be relentless in achieving your goals, giving, trustworthy, and a true artist. Success comes in the form of results. You may not be rich from your passion but you should be loving every moment.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Probably doing the exact same thing I am doing now! Or in prison.
Can you tell me about the best concert you ever saw and what made it great?
I really enjoyed Airbourne this year as their music and stage stamina is brilliant! Also back in the day, (90’s) Rage Against the Machine gave me the most memorable moment when they threw down “Killing In The Name” and the whole audience went ballistic, I live for those moments.
How do you feel you’ve improved as a musician over the past five years?
I have learned A LOT in the last few years and I’m always learning. I feel I have endured a lot of the darker side of the industry and that has taught me valuable lessons and resilience. Musically I have started playing a lot more of the instruments on my albums. I’ve learned to produce and master my own music, and music videos, create custom stage wear, and my own promotion. One thing I have realized is that if you can do it all alone no one will have their hands in your pockets.
What makes performing music rewarding to you?
Seeing the look on people’s faces when they are enjoying the music.
What drew you to the music industry?
I really have never known any different. I’ve always belonged here. It was installed at birth.
Whom are you inspired by?
Givers that ask for nothing in return. The warriors out there from all walks of life that have been through hell and fought their way back. people that are not afraid to speak up about injustice.
Please explain your creative process for your new album WARRIOR.
It all started while going through a bad time in my life last September. I knew to get through it, I needed to use the energy to create and write. I would write and lay guitars, bass, and vocals down for each song, then produce each one to still be slightly raw because real these days is rare.
What’s an average day like for you?
Complete insanity ha-ha… I always have ideas. I wake up and write as in the early hours I’m most inspired to put lyrics and melodies down. By 9 am I am usually working on digital promotion and promotion strategies. Writing emails, interviews, and speaking with tour managers over in the USA. Right now I am working on a big charity event for a wonderful foundation. Sometimes I am making music videos and set up photo shoots and then others I am stitching up custom stage wear or crochet dreadlocks. In those moments in between I’ll pick up the guitar or drums and play. It really never stops! Unless I’m at my retail job… aka paying job.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Everything I write is usually well described in my lyrics. Mostly it is about challenges and real-life battles and lessons we go through as a human race.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
Do you mean family? That’s what they are! I’m a pretty approachable person and I love to talk.. a little too much!
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? Why?
My Favorite is being able to make an idea into reality and sharing that with the world. The part I hate is Misogynistic pigs that still believe it’s a man’s world, gatekeepers, and silly little metal clicks that believe their ego is all that matters.
Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?
When I was younger, yes. I had a very strong relationship with anxiety all around. I have learned to overcome it as I realize now the stage is a battlefield, it’s a war where my confidence wins every time.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Watch out for users and know-all’s. People are very nice to your face in this industry, most will be ready to stab you in the back at any given time. Find the good ones and never let them go. Stop being a cutout copy of everything else out there. Find you and be it!
What is next for you?
We are touring Europe later this year and saving for a USA tour!
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
I adore you all. Be brave, be strong, you are a warrior!
*Lastly, in all my interviews the final question is a little comic relief question* Can you tell your fans your best joke?
Why did the Koala fall out of the tree? because it was dead.
Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview Lisa…
The 1990s will forever be remembered as the decade of peace, prosperity, and, of course, the internet. On the world event front, the reunification of Germany, after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, started the decade off on a positive note for humanity.
This was followed with the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project – the identifying, mapping and sequencing of all the genes of the human genome. This was a controversial undertaking at the time, with concerns that it could become a tool of political and national power (a concern that is perhaps never more relevant than today).
1990 was also the year that saw the very first episode of Seinfeld. No one could have predicted that this little show about everything and nothing would become one of the most influential sitcoms of all time. To this very day, it remains one of the most enduring and endearing shows, becoming culturally relevant the world-over.
As it relates to our chosen music, 1990 was also the inaugural year of the heavy metal festival, Wacken Open Air. Starting from humble beginnings in the village of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, it would go on on to become the largest heavy metal festival in the world, seeing attendance sky-rocketing to just under 100,000 paying visitors each year between 2011-2018.
A LUCRATIVE VIEW FROM THE ABYSS
It could be argued that 1990 was thrash’s most commercially successful year, followed by a steady decline in popularity by the mid-90s. The following year (’91), Metallica would release their eponymous self-titled album (aka Black Album), signaling a polar shift in thrash metal, with some bands either disbanding or moving away from their thrash metal roots towards the more mainstream friendly sounds of groove and alternative metal.
It can’t be understated how important 1990 was for thrash, with three of the ‘Big Four’ – Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax – releasing what are considered today to be their best albums. On the other side of the pond, the ‘Big Four’ of German thrash – Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, and Tankard – all unleashed killer albums in 1990 (Coma Of Souls, Cracked Brain, Better Off Dead, The Meaning Of Life, respectively).
1990 is truly a difficult year to curate a best-of-thrash list, as there were so many great albums. Here are but a few of the many releases…
Megadeth – Rust In Peace
Anthrax – Persistence Of Time
Slayer – Seasons In The Abyss
Death Angel – Act III
Annihilator – Never, Neverland
Testament – Souls Of Black
Vio-lence – Oppressing The Masses
Forbidden – Twisted Into Form
Destruction – Cracked Brain
Suicidal Tendencies – Lights… Camera… Revolution!
It would be a shame to close-out this list of thrash from 1990 without name-dropping a few more releases that are absolutely worthy of mention, including Meliah Rage‘s Solitary Solitude, Anacrusis‘ Reason, Overthrow‘s Within Suffering, Sacrifice‘s Soldiers Of Misfortune, Razor‘s Shotgun Justice, Xentrix‘s For Whose Advantage, and Morbid Saint‘s Spectrum Of Death.
LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED OUT
By the end of the eighties, hair metal had become as big as it would ever get. This would soon change, however. The ’90s started with one last hurrah for the spandex-clad clans, which saw some truly huge mainstream releases, including Poison‘s Flesh And Blood, Warrant‘s Cherry Pie, and Cinderella’s Heartbreak Station.
Heck, even the boys in Pantera foresaw the end, trading in their blow dryers, hairspray, makeup, and spandex for cargo shorts, Converse, and actual meaty riffs. Not one to go down without some kicking, clawing, screaming and scratching, glam still had a few tricks up its frilly sleeves before dying a quick and painful death…
Slaughter– Stick It To Ya
Extreme II: Pornografitti
Heaven’s Edge– Self-Titled
Ratt – Detenator
Winger – In The Heart Of The Young
Trixter – Self-Titled
Warrior Soul – Last Decade Dead Century
Love/Hate – Blackout In The Red Room
Damn Yankees – Self-Titled
Stryper – Against The Law
HIKING THE LEFT HAND PATH
If there is one sub-genre of metal that we can absolutely say conquered the world in the ’90s, it would have to be death metal. As the logical follow-up to thrash, death metal took things to the next level, musically, lyrically, and, of course, visually. Nothing was left to the imagination when it came to death metal. It was uncompromising in every facet.
1990 was also the year that death metal really honed its anti-religious, gory, and (sometimes) socially-conscious chops. Many of the bands we now consider the granddaddies of the sub-genre released either their debut or sophomore albums in ’90. It was also the year we saw quite a few demos from some of death metal’s most successful bands…
Mortician – Brutally Mutilated
Vader – Morbid Reich
Suffocation – Reincremation
Malevolent Creation – Demo 1990
Sinister – Perpetual Damnation
Nirvana 2002 – Disembodied Spirits
Abhorrence – Vulgar Necrolatry
It’s interesting to note that death metal sprung out of the depths of hell on two continents at nearly the exact moment in time. Florida gave birth to many of the American death metal bands (Death, Obituary, Deicide, Massacre, Morbid Angel, Malevolent Creation), while Europe (Sweden, Holland, United Kingdom) spewed forth their very own brand of death metal (Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Pestilence, Carnage, Benediction, Cancer, etc.).
A few of the more memorable death metal albums released in 1990…
Deicide – Self-Titled
Entombed – Left Hand Path
Cancer – To The Gory End
Napalm Death – Harmony Corruption
Cannibal Corpse – Eaten Back To Life
Death – Spiritual Healing
Carnage – Dark Recollections
Obituary – Cause Of Death
Benediction – Subconcious Terror
Sadus – Swallowed In Black
Counter to what was happening in thrash, where we would see fewer bands with fewer releases, 1990 saw a boom in the amount of death metal bands and albums that would infect and indoctrinate unsuspecting ears, including..
Tiamat – Sumerian Cry
Paradise Lost – Lost Paradise
Impetigo – Ultimo Mondo Cannibale
Winter – Into Darkness
Master – Self-Titled
Pungent Stench – For God Your Soul… For Me Your Flesh
Morgoth – The Eternal Fall
Opprobrium – Beyond The Unknown
Merciless – The Awakening
Thanatos – Emerging From The Netherworlds
POWER AND RESPECT
With both thrash and death metal garnering all the headlines in 1990, behind-the-scenes there were many power/traditional metal bands releasing very cool albums that didn’t quite get the respect or attention they otherwise deserved. On the periphery, power metal bands such as Psychotic Waltz, Riot, Apocrypha, and Morgana Lefay all dropped stellar albums in 1990.
Of course, 1990 was also the year we saw many of the already legendary bands and personalities releasing some of their best work. Who can forget Iron Maiden’s hyper-energetic frontman, Bruce Dickinson, who released his first solo album, Tattooed Millionaire, to rave reviews. This was also the year that Judas Priest, already twenty-one years into their stellar career, released their heaviest album yet, the bordering-on-thrash stylings of Painkiller.
A few of the more notable power/traditional metal releases from 1990 include…
Sanctuary – Into The Mirror Black
Blind Guardian – Tales From The Twilight World
Scorpions – Crazy World
Iron Maiden – No Prayer For The Dying
Gamma Ray – Heading For Tomorrow
King Diamond – The Eye
U.D.O. – The Faceless World
Dio – Lock Up The Wolves
Queensrÿche – Empire
Iced Earth – Self-Titled
GET YOUR GROOVE ON
If thrash, glam and death metal weren’t quite cutting it for you, 1990 also saw an explosion of bands experimenting with groove and alt-rock. As mentioned earlier in this article, ’90 was the year that the four formerly spandex-clad warriors of Pantera rode into town with guitars and guns blazing.
Their fifth album, Cowboys From Hell, shed every aspect of their previous glam metal stylings in favor of a heavier sound inspired by that of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, as well as bands from the then-current scene of thrash and alt-rock such as Metallica, Slayer, Faith No More, Soundgarden and Overkill.
With their sudden shift in sound, Pantera would go on to rule heavy metal throughout the 90s and into the early 2000s. In fact, it was the groovy sounds of Pantera, Prong, and Exhorder that would go on to inform bands such as Lamb Of God, White Zombie, Machine Head, Gojira, among many others.
Here are a few outliers from 1990 that made huge waves…
GWAR – Scumdogs Of The Universe
Danzig – Danzig II: Lucifuge
Alice In Chains – Facelift
Prong – Beg To Differ
Quicksand – Self-Titled
Primus – Frizzle Fry
Exhorder – Slaughter In The Vatican
Neurosis – The Word As Law
Helmet – Strap It On
Janes Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual
THE NEW BREED
1990 also saw an explosion of newly formed bands, with many of those bands going on to have very successful careers. It’s interesting to note that almost none of these bands were glam/hair metal, as that ship had already set out to sea. Many of these new bands were of the extreme kind (death metal, melo-death, death-doom, black metal, grindcore), and of the alt-rock/groove/sludge variety.
The following is a list of some of the more notable bands to have sprung to life in ’90…
Amorphis (Sweden)
My Dying Bride (UK)
Brutal Truth (New York)
Temple Of The Dog (Seattle)
Body Count (Los Angeles)
Tool (Los Angeles)
At The Gates (Sweden)
In Flames (Sweden)
Crowbar (New Orleans)
Marduk (Sweden)
BRUTAL TRUTH’S DEBUT ALBUM, EXTREME CONDITIONS DEMAND EXTREME RESPONSES (RELEASED IN 1992)
Mike Campese Interview
Guitar virtuoso, Composer, and Educator Mike Campese is an all-around nice guy. I caught up with him for some Q & A after he was arriving back in the United States after a video filming and photo session in Bora Bora. Mike is from New York and is most known for being a part of the multi-platinum band Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Mike’s 11th album Reset has been officially released and is available to purchase on his website. Mike says; “Most of this album was recorded during the pandemic, some of it was made before. He named the album “Reset” for several reasons. One is that the world resets after and during pandemics, allowing the planet to heal over time after a catastrophe. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mike Campese…
I like that I can express myself and do what I love. I also love the reaction from the fans. It means a lot to me when someone likes and is touched by my music.
2. Describe your creative process when you write new music.
There are many ways I write music and it can be different each time. It can start from a simple idea on guitar, like a melody or a chord progression etc and I will develop it from there. I get ideas all the time and I will record them on my phone and label them. If I feel I want to develop one of these ideas into a tune, I will brainstorm or improvise on the idea. I usually envision the whole tune in my head before it is written. Also, there are times I will write and get ideas without the guitar and experiment on a laptop on an airplane. I have even composed some full songs this way.
3. Describe your favorite venue for performing.
I have performed in many great venues, I don’t have a particular venue I like. I love to perform in theaters. I love the acoustics and it is a little more intimate than a bigger venue. Also, another reason why I like theaters over a club for instance. People are specifically coming to see the show and are more focused on you like they are watching a movie.
4. Tell our readers about your favorite performance in your career.
That is a tough one, I had many great performances throughout my career. It is hard to pick a favorite. One that comes to mind, I was playing in NYC at a close friends benefit at the Bowery Ballroom. Headlining that night was Lou Reed, Little Steven, Sylvain Sylvain and many more. My band for that evening was Bob Dylan’s band leader on bass and the drummer of the Smithereens. It was a great performance and a really great vibe with all these great musicians that night.
5. Describe your worst performance. What did you learn from this experience?
I usually have great experiences live, but one that pops up in my head was when I was playing at a jam. I was using the backline gear that was supplied by the club and when I got onstage the gear was working until I started playing the first song. It quit, it started again, and finally after switching things around it worked fine. Later on in the night it cut out with someone else.
From this experience, it is always important to check over your own gear and when using backline gear you have to adjust quickly should issues arise. I always maintain my own gear to make sure it is working properly.
6. Tell me what your first music teacher was like. What lessons did you learn from them that you still use today?
My first guitar teacher was great. He was a jazz player that was open to everything and he set me off on the right path. He taught me how to read music, scales, theory, ear training etc. Being that he was a jazz guitarist, he would show me jazz chords as well as the basics. I was bringing in heavy metal tunes that I wanted to learn and in the same lesson he would show me all this jazz stuff.
I learned a lot from him, but one of the lessons I learned is to be well-rounded as a player. Also, when teaching, it is important to show the student how to play their favorite songs as well as the important areas, like reading music and theory etc.
7. Do you follow a process or ritual before a performance?
Yes, I do have things that I like to do before a show. I usually run through the material that I will be playing and to keep my fingers limbered throughout the day. Also, I like to eat some pasta and a banana before each performance.
8. What interests or hobbies do you have outside of music?
I don’t have many hobbies outside of music. I do music full time and it doesn’t leave much space for hobbies. Sometimes I like to watch movies in my free time and I have been trying to do more exercising. Also, I do like traveling too. I try to book space in between my shows to visit different places.
9. Can you tell our readers a little more about your new CD “Reset” and what the inspiration was behind this body of work?
The new album, “Reset,” has 12 new tracks, 58 minutes in length and it is my 11th solo album. There is some intense stuff on it and there is some very melodic compositions as well. It moves around a lot and I have had a lot of great response from people.
As the world was resetting there is some new beginnings in my life that I have been exploring with. Also, during the pandemic and before I composed and recorded over 20 new tracks. Even though the situation, It was great to have the extra time to focus on the album.
10. If you did not become a musician, what would you be doing right now?
I’m not really sure what I would be doing if I wasn’t a musician. Maybe something with acting, it seems like that would be fun.
11. What do you feel is the best song that you have ever released and why?
There are a few songs at the top of my head that I could mention. But, if I had to pick one in the more recent years or from the latest album. I would say “Waisted Time”. It is one of my favorite songs I have written. The melody is very catchy and there is a lot of feel in it. Also, it has one of my favorite guitar solos I have written to date. There is no shredding in it, just slow and melodic.
12. If you can have your fans remember one thing about you, what would it be?
I want my fans to remember that the music I write comes from my heart and is heart-felt.
13. On a scale of around 1 to 666, how good is your own new CD ‘Reset compared to your last one?
The previous album, “The Fire Within,” is 666. The “Reset” album is 667.
14. Which musician would you like to collaborate with next?
I don’t have anyone in mind that I would collaborate with. There are some musicians I could mention that are not alive anymore, but It would be amazing to collaborate with someone like Ozzy.
15. Who and what got you into music?
I kind of fell into it and there was some things that helped line it up. I did have some influence. I was heavily into Black Sabbath and that was a real big inspiration hearing their amazing music. My brother strummed some chords and I used to hang out at the music store in the mall. Also, being that my Dad was a violinist before my time, I’m sure that helped inherit the gene.
16. If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
Thanks for all your support over the years. Also, support your favorite artists and directly purchase merchandise through their websites.
17. Which famous musicians do you admire?
I admire many of them, a lot of them are not alive, but to name a few, I like Jimi Hendrix, Niccolo Paganini, Ronnie Dio, Prince, Michael Jackson, members of Black Sabbath and more.
18. What is your favorite song to perform?
I don’t have one favorite song. There are a few favs I can mention I love to play. I really like playing “The Fire Within”, “Feed the Flame” and “Vibe” to name a few.
19. ‘If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?’
I think that musicians should be making more money and deserve more recognition. I’m not big on the streaming services, the people behind the desks are making most of the money. The downloading is convenient, but it would be great if these companies can encourage people to buy more physical products.
20. *Lastly a little comic relief question* If you were a fruit what fruit would you be and why?
I would be a banana, because I eat them a lot and eat one before I hit the stage.
Thank you for the interview.
You are very welcome!
***Interview by Georgina Strilakos ***Photos used by permission of Mike Campese
