The 69 Eyes

The Finnish rock band The 69 Eyes debuted in 1989, sporting a glam-metal sound that veered closer to gothic rock & roll during the decades that followed. Based in Helsinki, Finland, the band was formed by lead vocalist Jyrki 69, bassist Archzie, rhythm guitarist Timo-Timo, drummer Lotto, and lead guitarist Bazie. Jussi 69 replaced Lotto in 1992, and The 69 Eyes released their first album, Bump 'n' Grind, that same year. 1995's Savage Garden and 1997's Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams followed, but the band didn't reach the Finnish charts until 1999, when Wasting the Dawn climbed to number 24. The album marked a musical transformation for the band, jettisoning the dated glam-metal influences of The 69 Eyes' previous records in favor of a gloomy, modern rock sound. This change in sound proved to be pivotal, with Wasting the Dawn's title track reaching number 5. One year later, the album Blessed Be reached number 4 and went gold on the strength of four Top 10 singles, including "Brandon Lee" and "The Chair," both which charted at number 2. Blessed Be was followed by 2002's platinum-selling Paris Kills, the first of three consecutive chart-topping releases for the band. 2004's Devils and 2007's Angels also reached Number 1 in Finland. All three albums featured Number 1 singles, as well, confirming The 69 Eyes' status as one of the most commercially successful Finnish bands of the 21st century. As the 2000s drew to a close, though, the band's success on the Finnish Singles chart came to a close. That didn't stop albums like 2009's Back in Blood, 2012's X, 2016's Universal Monsters, and 2019's West End from all reaching the Top 5. Death of Darkness, released in 2023, continued the pattern, hitting number 3 in Finland and number 26 in Germany. Following a collaboration with the Dead Boys on the single "Sonic Reducer" in 2024, the band returned two years later with the I Survive EP, featuring guitarist Steve Stevens on the title track.