Keith Buckley’s New Band Many Eyes Releases Menacing Debut Track ‘Revelation’
“Many Eyes is the sound of a man on fire. The man in question is Keith Buckley, and these aren’t flames of destruction either.”
Following the demise of Every Time I Die after two decades in the music business, the former frontman has reemerged with his new band, Many Eyes, alongside brothers Charlie Bellmore (guitar) and Nick Bellmore (drums/bass/backing vox) for what he describes as an outlet to scratch an itch for catharsis. After a month-long stint in rehab for alcohol dependency, Keith Buckey focused on bettering his mental health and reorganising priorities as a father and husband.
“AFTER THE PANDEMIC, I REALIZED I HAD MADE A LOT OF REALLY BAD DECISIONS IN LIFE, AND I WAS REAPING WHAT I HAD SOWN,” HE ADMITS. “THERE WAS NO MEANING ANYMORE. SO, I VOWED TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I STARTED GETTING SOBER. WHEN YOU DO, MOST OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON ALCOHOL GO AWAY. MY CURRENT WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER WERE MY ENTIRE SUPPORT SYSTEM. DURING THAT TIME, I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT MUSIC AT ALL.”
Not long after, Hatebreed mastermind Jamey Jasta recommended he hook up with the Connecticut-based for a new project to continue his legacy and the first taste of new material has arrived with debut single ‘Revelation‘.
Sexy riffs draw us into Keith’s iconic almost-spoken screams that immediately hit you like something from Ex-Lives meets New Junk Aesthetic-era ETID. By the time the chorus hits, we’re met with some alluring Keithy cleans with an enticing attitude singing:
‘Look me in the eyes again / look me in the eyes / I dare you / I DARE YOUUUUU / I know what I have seen / you’re not saying what you mean / it’s not true / IT’S NOT TRUEEEE’
The poetic post-hardcore vibes run throughout alongside menacing guitars and frantic drums before a closing statement of screams repeats the following lines to completion.
‘fuck off I’m in love / fuck off I’m in love / why don’t you understand / fuck off I’m in love / fuck off I’m in love / I rebuilt this heart by hand / fuck off FUCK OFF’
Heavy.
On the debut track’s conception, Keith further explains how ‘Revelation’ came to be.
“IT’S A VERY AGGRESSIVE SONG, AND IT’S CONFRONTATIONAL LYRICALLY,” HE REVEALS. “I WAS STILL AT A POINT IN MY SOBRIETY WHERE I THOUGHT I HAD TO SPEAK BLUNTLY IN ORDER TO HEAL. THEN, I FOUND RECOVERY WAS ABOUT A LOT OF ACCEPTANCE. I WROTE ‘REVELATION’ BEFORE I WENT TO THIS FACILITY IN SALT LAKE CITY. WHILE I WAS THERE, I DID THE 12 STEPS, AND I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BIPOLAR 1. I HAD UNKNOWINGLY BEEN LIVING WITH THAT MY WHOLE LIFE AND SELF-MEDICATING WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. THE MESSAGE OF ‘REVELATION’ IS, ‘I CAN DO THIS IF I HAVE LOVE.’ I DON’T NEED ANYTHING ELSE. IT’S VERY PUNK ROCK.”
“FROM ALL OF THESE EXPERIENCES, I’VE BECOME WISER… I’M THE SAME PERSON, BUT I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MY OWN PURPOSE NOW. I WANT TO USE THESE EXPERIENCES TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT OF SITUATIONS WHERE THEY FEEL HELPLESS. I’M TRYING TO SHOW THAT HOPE AND RECOVERY ARE POSSIBLE.”
Are you ready for the next era of Keith Buckley‘s resurgence?
Words by Paul ‘Browny’ Brown @brownypaul
Keep up with Many Eyes via LinkTree
Stream ‘Revelation‘ here
