EYE AM Feat. TYPE O NEGATIVE And CROWBAR Members: Debut Album On The Way

EYE AM, the new band featuring former TYPE O NEGATIVE members Kenny Hickey (guitar/vocals) and Johnny Kelly (drums),along with Kirk Windstein (guitar, vocals; CROWBAR, DOWN, KINGDOM OF SORROW) and Todd Strange (CROWBAR, DOWN),has entered OCD Recording And Production in New Orleans, Louisiana to begin recording its debut album.

As Kirk describes, the group was "thrown to the lions, so to speak" in their writing process of the album. While bandmembers have always been on each other's radars, this is the first time they have all gathered to create something together. Kelly explains how this experience has allowed them to get "to know each other even though we've known each other for a long time. We're getting to know each other as players."

Brought together by mutual friend and record label owner Andrew Spaulding of Corpse Paint Records, the members of EYE AM used their own respective experiences in the industry to create a power rock ballad "Dreams Always Die With The Sun", which was released on June 2 and has gained over 62,000 streams in the first month.

With influences like BLACK SABBATH and THE BEATLES, EYE AM's debut album promises to deliver guitar-driven rock with a melodic ballad at its core, bringing audiences back for more.

According to Hickey, one of the best parts about EYE AM is "pulling things out of the void." During their initial studio session, they recognized that there’s a certain power that comes from spontaneity, and the band focused on this element as one of the strongest attributes of their unique sound.

Kirk states: "That's what I love about writing. Not quickly or hurrying on the spot — because you feel like you've accomplished something. Because when you woke up, this thing didn't exist. And then, at the end of the day, you have a recording of it. It's like it's there forever."

He continues: "We all have our writing styles, and the band is really finding our own kind of sound that works for us with this recording session. It's original, and it's cool. Of course, it's difficult not to show your style and your influences, but this doesn't sound like our other bands; it sounds like us four dudes. This time we’re learning to feed off each other and bounce ideas off one another, and that’s when you truly collaborate."

And each member brings something unique to the team. As Kirk puts it, "Everything Kenny writes is pretty. His melodic stylings add their own layer to the music."

Johnny says that, with other bands he has played with, he often noticed a lot of overthinking, and with EYE AM, he has seen an incredible amount of spontaneity. He appreciates all the input he gets from his band members. "They're not short on ideas," he says. "So we'll be working on something, and then somebody will come across something else in a sidebar, and say, 'Hey, try this.' And then it works."

EYE AM is preparing to release another single in October/November, to be followed by an EP or an album by spring/summer of 2024.

See EYE AM's deep dive studio conversation covering the upcoming album below.

A music video for "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" was filmed by Mike Holderbeast at Joy Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana and can be seen below.

"Dreams Always Die With The Sun" was written by Hickey and Windstein and was recorded in February by bassist Roger Lima of LESS THAN JAKE at his studio called The Moathouse in Gainesville, Florida. The track was mixed and mastered by Jay Ruston.

Speaking to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Kelly stated about how EYE AM came together: "That was started with Andrew Spaulding. I met him; he was a merchandiser for DANZIG. And then TYPE O went on tour after that. We brought him out and he worked with TYPE O up until Peter [Steele, TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman] passed away. And we all remained good friends and stuff. And he started an indie label; he started a small little label. And he suggested putting me and Kenny together with Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange from CROWBAR. We've all been friends — I've known Kirk and Todd for, like, 30 years at this point. So we've always been friends and we've always crossed paths and hung out and this and that but never really had the opportunity to get in a room and play together. And Drew had it worked out. We all met in Florida, like, two months ago. We got into a room, came up with that song, recorded it the next day, and that was it; it was done.'"

According to Kelly, "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" was written and recorded in less than a day. "Drew literally picked me up from the airport and drove me to rehearsal," he said. "And the guys were in the room. And I just put my suitcase over to the side, set up the kit and we started working on the song. And then the next morning we went to the recording studio, tracked all the drums. And then I was on a plane. I don't know where I was going after that, but I had to leave right after we were done tracking; I think my flight was at six in the morning the next morning. So I was there just literally for a few hours."

In addition to their work with TYPE O NEGATIVE, Hickey and Kelly had previously collaborated in a band called SEVENTH VOID, which released one full-length album, "Heaven Is Gone", in 2009, and SILVERTOMB, which issued "Edge Of Existence" in 2019.

Original CROWBAR bassist Strange returned to the band in 2016 for the touring cycle in support of the band's "The Serpent Only Lies" album.

Strange, who originally left CROWBAR back in 1999, stuck around for two years before departing once again to focus on his family life.

CROWBAR frontman Windstein, who also plays in the New Orleans supergroup DOWN, released two albums with HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta under the KINGDOM OF SORROW banner. Kirk's debut solo album, "Dream In Motion", arrived in 2020.

Photo credit: Charles Dye Photography