⋘"Clockworks" comes off of the debut full length record by Germany's WHITE EYES, entitled "Beastmode" (Blastasfuk Records; 2009). It's unfortunate the album is the band's sole full length, as WHITE EYES are the only band who have ever managed to play a style of grind that's in sync with the chaotic electro-mania of DISCORDANCE AXIS/GRIDLINK, yet maintaining a sound all their own.⋙

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ BAND BIOGRAPHY & INFORMATION ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

WHITE EYES were a three-piece spastic grindcore band with electronic influences hailing from Germany. Originally formed in 2007, the band put out their debut EP that same year under the moniker "A Demonstration Of White Eyes" (Baskat Recordings).

About a year after the initial release of their EP, the band was picked up by BLASTASFUK RECORDS from Australia, who would be the label to put out their sole full length. However, right before that happened, BASTARDIZED RECORDINGS released an exclusive, limited edition 7" split with Japanische Kampfhörspiele. Only 100 copies of that vinyl were ever pressed, but what's more is that between the three songs on the split (2 by Japanische Kampfhörspiele and 1 by White Eyes), it consisted of precisely 20 seconds of music! Wow, a true collectors item!

Shortly thereafter, "Beastmode" was released on Blastasfuk to rave reviews, comparing the band to DISCORDANCE AXIS. "Beastmode" is a concept album, consisting of three "chapters" that split up the tracks into groups. Here is but one of the many positive reviews it yielded:

"Ah, Blastasfuk Grindcore Label & Distribution! This ought to be a gleaming, ear skewering drill-bit of a release, what with this Australian label having already issued several crushers by such acts as Nosiear, Lycanthropy, The Kill and Hutt so this debut full length with German band White Eyes ought to be another winner!

Having had a brief read of their MySpace page, their influences panel suggests these chaps’ve put a fair bit more thought into their grindcore than most; rather than just lobbing in the standard touchstones or pasting up a banner or flyer flogging their latest t-shirt, they’ve cited philosophers and authors such as Foucault, Baudelaire and Nietszche, so this ought to be interesting if nowt else. Eeee, I love a bit of Baudelaire.

Thing about grindcore is, it’s been around for a long old while now, and although fuzzy riff blurs, full-speed blast and red-faced vocal chokes are of course a lot of fun, but it’s difficult to bring out a grindcore based recording that has any kind of long-lasting sort of impact these days, unless you try and do something extra special with the format. The first few examples that pop into my sagging brains include Discordance Axis, who exploded the blueprint into face-scraping shards of off-time stop dead/start fast nastiness, Cock and Ball Torture and Rompeprop, who slowed the whole thing down to a sleazy stomp and make it lots and lots of pornorific fun, Joe Pesci, who blow other ‘fast’ bands out of the water altogether, with full-pelt, full-tilt, full-power blast-attack, Libido Airbag, who added bagsful of drugs and incredibly banging beats ideal for the bop-sheds and flash tunnels...there are many others, but I can’t remember. And this is about White Eyes, so I shouldn’t need to think of any more. White Eyes are undoubtedly all about exploding the shite old formula, what with their irregular, erratic arrangements, those very frequent choppy stop/starts (or rests, probably something like hemidemisemiquaver rest, I’m not sure, I only got to Grade II), intricate blasting patterns and sickening larynx abuse, the result being an unnerving, high-speed, staccato rattle-effect, but with layers of intricacy woven into each bit and the overall structure of the thing. I always enjoy the sound of such grindcore practitioners as White Eyes, but many of us will have of course heard the same kinds of ideas put to use more than just a few times by previous bands. It’s all been done afore in other words, but White Eyes do it all over again with such focus, poise and conviction that my ears immediately sit up and pay attention.

After an ominous intro of whirrs and crackles with an overdriven sample that suggests impending terror, there begins a series of hideous, convulsive grind-spasms, shuddering string seizures causing flailing limbs of riffs to clip you round the ear over and over again, with a parallel attack brought about by ball-shattering blastbeat bouts, adding a sense bleak unease between the explosions with short noisescapes and quick bits of electronic experimentation. The vox usually come out as hysterical squawking nastiness, frequently augmented by guttural gruffness, with the effect of erupting like aural car-bombs when the two are ignited alongside each other. As stated earlier, the compositions are formed from razor sharp splinters of six-string scatter and broken-up blocks of blast shock, which may sound haphazard print, and would certainly have come across as such if attempted by lesser musicians, but the various segments are sealed together with such care and precision, the transitions between each being performed so tightly that what in theory sounds like a jumble of noise, comes across on disc as a highly calibrated performance. The doom-laden track that rounds off the album takes a completely different direction to the music which precedes it, drawing an extremely gloomy veil over the recording, but given the intense and unpredictable nature and excessive tempos of the rest of the work, the last song actually acts as more of a soothingly sludgy lullaby.

A very easy and instantly recognisable influence here is of course the work of Discordance Axis, but there certainly seems to be a sense that White Eyes wish to expand upon that, but I imagine such expansions shall manifest themselves a lot more on subsequent releases, what with several sections providing some of the fullest, most unmissable nods to the New Jersey band imaginable. Uncannily, at least in these ears, there are also similarities to the works of Northern English grindcore bands, particularly those in the Leeds region, and I was reminded of Executive Distraction Tasks, Narcosis, Reth possibly old Tangaroa and perhaps a couple o’ bits of The Afternoon Gentleman at their most spazztic.

Overall then, this is highly recommended stuff for those who enjoy having their lugholes injected with concentrated squirts of corrosive grindcore chemicals and ought to appeal any extreme music who favours the excitement of unpredictability and the challenge of complex song patchwork. Do listen."

-REVIEW BY DIABOLICAL CONQUEST

Not long after "Beastmode" came out, tragedy struck the band, as Falk (vocals/lyrics/artwork) had an aneurysm in his brain. The devastating blow only became worse when Falk's condition deteriorated due to several infections he picked up while in the hospital. Although it was never formally announced by the band, I believe Falk ended up perishing after struggling with his health for over a year and a half.

In the midst of the crisis, the other two members of the band - Luke (Falk's brother) & Chris - announced that WHITE EYES were officially done with the release of the "last four songs" they ever wrote. Aptly named "Aneurysm", the release was put out in limited edition (of 100) 7" vinyl on Hirntrust Grind Media. And so ends the story of this truly talented band who could have gone on to become world renowned.

<Band Members>
Chris : Drums
Falk : Vocals
Luke : Vocals, Guitar

<Contact Information>
None available; it is unknown if the two remaining members went onto continue with music or not. BLASTASFUK RECORDS maintain the rights to "Beastmode", so any inquiries about the album itself should be made directly to them. GIVE PRAISE RECORDS handles U.S. distribution for those interested in purchasing the album. Links to both are below.