Blackened Eyes, the Rebirth - Part I

(The following blog is about my experiences of being in the thrash metal band Blackened Eyes. It is from my perspective, and so if anything upsets you, please contact me via Facebook and don't hold the group responsible. Nothing will upset you though, because I'm nice, and you aren't a 6 year old girl.)




Since the summer of 2012, I've been involved with the best band I could wish to be in, Blackened Eyes.

If you've ever read my blog based on my experiences with my old band, (then heavy-ish punk band, now punk/pop-punk band) Secret Romance, you could probably tell that deep down I was a thrasher; solos, fast riffs and angry vocals were my true passions, and because of that, Secret Romance were heavier than they are without me. However, they sound good - if not better - without me in the mix. I tried, and failed, to make them into something they weren't built/destined for - heavy. Unfortunately, a guitarist inspired by the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Machine Head etc. doesn't mix well with a guitarist who likes McFly and All Time Low. Great guy of course, but playing styles just clashed.

So what happens, then, when you mix the aforementioned guitarist with another guitarist who's main influence is Machine Head? With a drummer who's favourite band is Metallica, who's influenced by Slipknot, Anthrax and Slayer, who's lived through the 80's and seen every thrash band? With a bassist who's favourite band is Dream Theater, influenced by bands like Megadeth and Metallica? Well, you get a thrash metal band who call themselves Blackened Eyes, that's what.

Practicing for months, hours every week, to be certain that we are more than ready to begin our conquest, starting with the local venues and with recording EPs, singles, and writing an album. Just 4 songs done, one cover, one almost-done song, and a newer song on the waiting list to be practiced after all these hours? When the average song length is 6 minutes, the average riff count is 6, and you want perfection, and you have ex-members to replace to form the best possible line up; you might be able to see what's taking up these months.

How I Joined

After being band-less for a month or so, I started missing the feeling of creating music with other people. Those who do it, or have done it, will know of the certain high you get when you create music with other people. If it's with the right people, it's powerful. With Secret Romance, the high sunk pretty quickly, arguments, musical differences, ego and power problems - it becomes a turn off quickly.

At first, I met with the bassist who left Secret Romance just weeks after I did. We both discussed leaving, and I was the one who walked the plank first. The think about Kriss is that he's a born bandleader, like I thought I was, (until I learned to share power/control, or give it up because you know someone is better with it than you, i.e Dave Mitton, frontman of Blackened Eyes. I'm a good riff writer; but he's better. He knows what he wants, it's what I want too, but he knows how to get it, achieve it, and so I'm gladly along for the ride,) and so naturally Kriss wanted his own band. 

Kriss now does have his own band under the name of Habberdash, an alternative, grunge, punk, rock styled band. They're really good.

But before Blackened Eyes, before Habberdash, we wanted to write music together. We sat together for 3 hours, and came up with a really catch country song. 

"What key?"

"Um... E major?"

"Style?"

"Uh... Country?"

"Sure, how about this?"

"Awesome, we could add this?" 

Etc. 

And so very quickly, we created a great song. There was that high again. He felt it too. So why didn't we ever start a band? We've even tried in the past, however, money and travelling was an issue, and so we went our separate ways. (We still write together every so often, so many potential songs within us would've been wasted otherwise!)

So, he formed Habberdash, and I found a band I wanted to audition for. Zak Glossop from the excellent thrash band Epitaph, told me of a guy who was forming a band called Occult, and needed a guitarist. However, it was more of a rhythm/shared lead role. But, I had no alternatives, so I got in touch. 

This guy wanted a video audition. Big uh-oh for me, no decent video recorder, no where good to film etc. The song I had to learn was Welcome Home by King Diamond.

The thing was, my life was derailing into quite a mess around this time. I had no time or desire to learn this song and stress about recording it. To find a band member, you meet them, watch them, have them audition in person to see if there's a personal connection too; but this wasn't how he wanted to do it.

It had been a few weeks, and I still hadn't filmed it. I tried my best learning by ear, improvised the solos to add my own touch, but then, naturally, my darkest hour hit me.

The thing about misery is that you never know when it'll creep up on you, and the truth is, it rarely creeps up, it jumps out and stabs you.

Practically out of no where, I was kicked out of my house by my parents, and I was off to France with college for a week about 6 hours of sleep later. I got home and my stuff - guitars and amps included, were outside in the rain. My dad said I could live with him when I returned, but he messaged me while I was in France to say I couldn't, so in effect, I was homeless. (The irony I suppose that the song I had to play was Welcome Home for this audition.)

When I returned I was welcomed back "home" to arguments, yelling and hatred. They "let" me live there again, and still I needed to film for this stupid audition.

Not even half heartedly, I filmed it with my sister's iPad. Out of practice, out of motivation, just so this guy wouldn't turn around and tell me not to bother because he's waited for over 3 weeks for it.

"I've watched it, I'm sorry, but you aren't good enough for what I had in mind."

I slowly sunk into depression.

I still didn't forgive my parents, stress at college due to looming exams, and now what I'm best at isn't good enough, I had no band and no hope of being in one. It was a kick in the balls, but what was misery turned into something much healthier. 

Anger.

No one says I'm not good enough.

But just like misery, good things can strike at any moment too, and the opportunity to join Blackened Eyes was one of these good things that suddenly popped up. 

Days after being rejected, Zak messaged me again to tell me that a band named Blackened Eyes were reforming and needed a lead guitarist. Zak, who I saw way back at Secret Romance's first gig (As Epitaph played there too,) (Read the blog, I mention "Guys in Metallica shirts,) recommended me. I checked out the songs, and instantly I was hooked.

This is what I've been waiting for.

So, I got in touch with Dave, and first bassist Nick, and managed to get an audition.

A few days before the audition, however, Nick informed me that another guitarist was interested too. I was shocked, and quite frankly annoyed and upset. They made out like I was already in the band, despite not yet having the audition, because of my "enthusiasm, interest, and because Zak said I was good".

But, I played it cool. I was confident that I'd be good enough now. My life was picking up, and I'd practiced like hell to secure this.

(What I recently found out was the guitarist who also wanted an audition was the same guy who said I wasn't good enough for his "project". Karma.)

Anyway, I was auditioned, I showed off my solos, Dave said I was wicked, and I was now part of Blackened Eyes. It was my enthusiasm that got me in; so believe in something, and you might just get what you want.

Oh, and luck is incredibly important too, of course.

I joined Blackened Eyes, but now we had to secure a solid line-up...

Part II, "Setbacks, Songs and Shows", will be uploaded as soon as I write it, no estimated date yet, so keep an eye on this page or on the band's Facebook:

www.facebook.com/blackenedeyesofficial.

Thank you for reading!

Take care, thrash on,

Adam 'ARK' Walton.

Lead Guitar - Blackened Eyes.