Enemy Eyes are an American-based rock and metal band formed by singer Johnny Gioeli (Crush 40, Hardline), releasing the band’s debut album ‘History’s Hand’ in 2022.
Featuring Johnny on vocals, the band is completed by guitarist Marcos Rodrigues, bass player Alessandro Del Vecchio, and drummer Fabio Alessandrini. The album features eleven songs that run the gamut from rock to metal – and is a hard-hitting journey that every rock and metal fan will surely enjoy. Opener ‘Here We Are’, is an infectious and immediate like sitting plum in the gap between the rock and metal genres – when back in the day, during the eighties metal explosion, ‘Here We Are’ and indeed the entire album, would have been classed as heavy metal! Just like the albums by such luminaries as Kiss, Motley Crue, and Def Leppard. But unlike these bands, who have been “re-branded” as hard rock acts, I reckon Enemy Eyes will forever remain a metal band – and a highly melodic one too! With the title song ‘History’s Hand’ taking a more hustle and bustle approach to the band’s sound, Enemy Eyes stride majestically across the land, firing riff after riff with deadly accuracy. And after just two songs, the thrill level is on the up – I can’t wait for what’s next…
…the barnstorming ‘Peace And Glory’ raising the bar and storming forth with a purpose and intent not yet heard. The classic “foot on the monitor” feel of galloping heavy metal is in full flight, the band attracting every metal head everywhere – and rocking their heads back and forth at a fair rate of knots what an energetic gallop of metal to raise your fists high to and punch the air in delight. The heaviest song heard so far, ‘The Chase’, foot stomps into view and marches boldly forward, highlighting the doom-heavy sound of bands such as Dio and Black Sabbath, but with the anthemic edge of Manowar and Sabaton. The mix of styles across the album’s opening four songs has been incredible, with Enemy Eyes aiming for a wide array of fans. And methinks they’ll get them too! And with a mellow bordering on the epically atmospheric, ‘Preying On Your Weakness’ has the most tension fuelled intro of any song on offer – building for over a minute before unloading with a heaviness not heard before. A heaviness that blends Saxon with Dio and a balladry streak – a combination that shouldn’t work! But Enemy Eyes have found a way – ‘Preying On Your Weakness’ a melodic stomper that’ll probably have you all swaying from side to side.
In what direction this band will move next is any ones guess – Enemy Eyes having many feathers in their caps! With heavy metal, the next path we take, ‘What You Say’ is a crescendo-building thunderstorm of heavy-hitting riffs, rhythms and melodies. Getting underway fully, ‘What You Say’ is melodic heavy metal at its finest. And as ‘History’s Hand’ (the album) passes the halfway mark, every song has been infectious and attractive – with the second half echoing the first! ‘What I Believe’ opens with a delightful keyboard intro and emotion-filled vocals – the sound of an impending ballad is undeniable. Yet when the song breaks, a heaviness that belies what a ballad promise comes crashing through. But striding on ‘What I Believe’ does feature many of the nuances associated with a ballad, including the familiar lighters in the air. The bold, heavy-hitting style of anthemic heavy metal rises high once again for ‘The Dream Is Gone’, pounding the ground with a sound that’s a mix of Powerwolf and Sabaton – Enemy Eyes continuing their mission to deliver a myriad of metal and rock styles.
Heavying things up a bit, the band plough on with the heaviest hitting anthem the album has to offer, ‘The Miracle In You’ maintaining the band’s incredible melodious intent. Since the album began, it’s been oozing hook-able moment after moment and an attract-ability that’s second to none. And with just two songs left to go – I reckon they’re going to be oozing it too! ‘Broken’ hitting the ground running, moving at a fast pace, banging the heads of metal heads and a few rockers too. Standing firmly and squarely in the heavy metal genre, the band deliver a corker of a song that is going to keep their metal tag well and truly front and centre. Bringing a very good album to a close, ‘Rat Race’ is the most bombastic of all the songs on offer. Hitting very loud and proud, ‘Rat Race’ will nod the heads and tap the feet of every listener, fan and follower of the band. What a glorious end to a glorious journey of hard rock and heavy metal.
Overall, a ground-shuddering mix of rock and metal, ‘History’s Hand’ is infectious, head bang-able, and very attractive.
TRACKLIST
Here We Are
History’s Hand
Peace And Glory
The Chase
Preying On Your Weakness
What You Say
What I Believe
The Dream Is Gone
The Miracle In You
Broken
Rat Race
Enemy Eyes: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Frontiers Music s.r.l.
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire, and Metal-Roos.
