Devils

Album Review

Already a sensation back in their native land of Finland, the 69 Eyes specialize in a brand of goth punk that has not been seen since the heady days of Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus. And although they must have received quite a few bewildered looks during the "goth lean" decade of the '90s, the 69 Eyes have stuck to their guns throughout, and continue to do so — as evidenced by their 2005 release, Devils. While some have compared frontman Jyrki 69's vocal style to that of Type O Negative's Pete Steele, the singer appears to be a true descendent of Iggy Pop — especially circa Mr. Osterberg's post-Stooges The Idiot period — as heard on such selections as the album-opening title track and "Nothing on You." With just about every up-and-coming punk band taking the "singsongy" route during the '90s and early 21st century, it's certainly a welcome break to hear a group that has studied the goth rock masters.