Eyes – Spinner (Review)

Eyes are a hardcore band from Denmark and this is their third album.

Throwing together noise rock and metal into a hardcore melting pot, Eyes have produced the 24-minute Spinner. Brought to us by members of the mighty LLNN, Spinner is the sort of album that’s an immensely fun and satisfying listen.

Eyes are intense and abrasive, yet are also engaging with it, boasting far more hooks than you might initially expect. The grooves are infectious, and the riffs bruising. The vocals are just like the music, and fit it perfectly. Charismatic and expressive, they rage and tear through the music, while also offering an emotive edge that’s matched by the music’s combination of heaviness and feeling.

Spinner takes influence from a few different hardcore and punk-infused eras. While listening to Spinner, (and enjoying it immensely), the following bands came to mind at various times – Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Frontierer, and Sick of it All, which should give you a decent idea of the waters that Eyes wade in. I’ll also mention KEN Mode, especially as the singer guests on one song here. Not all of the above bands can be detected in every song, which helps with the record’s variety.

The songs are short and punishing, but make you want to dance like a maniac. Each one is a hit. It’s a very well-crafted and executed record, balancing chaos and restraint with harshness and emotion. Eyes have found a firm fan in these ears, let me tell you. The band have unleashed a joyous barrage of violence and aggression, one that’s tempered by keen songwriting smarts and a confident attitude that’s very moreish.

If this sort of style makes you move, then do not miss out on this.