The man in question is Keith Buckley, and these aren’t flames of destruction either. Instead, this conflagration merely signals the beginning for the vocalist and his cohorts—brothers Charlie [guitar] and Nick Bellmore [drums, bass, backing vocals]. Scratching an itch for catharsis, the music swings from fits of venomous hardcore into disarmingly catchy choruses spiked with grunge melody and quotable lyrics. 

Unpredictable and undeniable in equal measure, MANY EYES come to life on a series of independent singles in 2023 and much more to come.

“This is an expression of who I am,” Buckley proclaims. “I’m letting the music do the talking. I really trusted my collaborators. I’m not interested in being known as a frontman. I just want to be another part of the band who uses his own instrument to complete the picture. That’s what I’m doing with MANY EYES."

A long and winding road brought Buckley to MANY EYES. The Buffalo native has fronted metalcore stalwarts Every Time I Die as well as The Damned Things (featuring Scott Ian of Anthrax and Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy), and lent his instantly recognizable vocals to everyone from Knocked Loose to SeeYouSpaceCowboy and Say Anything, played countless shows, and even penned two books.

In 2021, after fronting Every Time I Die for over two decades, he reached an impasse and needed to make a change. Focusing on his mental health, he chose sobriety, spent a month in a recovery facility “to learn how to live soberly,” and reorganized his priorities as a father and husband. 

Ultimately, he gained new perspective all around.

“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.”

That’s until Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta reached out. He suggested Keith consider working with Charlie and Nick Bellmore. “It was wonderful to hear a friendly voice say, ‘Hey, this could be good for you’,” he elaborates. “I just got in my car and drove to Connecticut. They showed me what they were working on, and the music was exactly what I wanted—while their trust and patience were exactly what I needed.” 

As it turns out, the three musicians bonded over a shared deep-seated appreciation for nineties hard rock and alternative, including Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Jane’s Addiction. Locking into a groove, they struck a delicate balance between pit-splitting intensity and arresting infectiousness with brothers Charlie playing guitar, Nick playing bass/drums and also producing the new music, while Jamey Jasta took on the role of Executive Producer. 

“I was super excited to fully incorporate huge hooks into devastating mosh riffs,” he grins. “It’s something I’d always wanted to do. For me, it’s a complete release to express anger through big sweeping choruses.”

Now, the single “Revelation” introduces MANY EYES. From the jump, a guttural guitar riff underlines Buckley’s vitriolic screams. Melody only enhances the drama on the catchy chorus, “Look me in the eyes again, look me in the eyes. I dare you.”

“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.”

“Future Proof” represents the other end of the spectrum. On the track, uneasy guitars toss and turn beneath the verses, and the refrain echoes with naked emotion.

“It was the first song back after recovery,” he goes on. “I had found out what was wrong with me. Now, I’m fully prepared to deal with anything that happens in the future—any loss or any gain. Nothing will shock me anymore, because of everything I already went through.”

Out of the flames, Buckley’s still standing, and he’s ready to tell his story like never before.

“From all of these experiences, I’ve become wiser,” he leaves off. “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.”