Genre: Super melodic punk in the vain of Bad Religion, but with a slant decidedly 12 Eyes!

Official site: http://www.smallmanrecords.com/eyesbio.htm

Year founded: 1992

Record Label: Smallman Records

Pulling harmony and melody together into a powerful package, 12 Eyes are not only Winnipeg’s favorite sons, but one of the most respected indie bands in Canada. From their inception in 1992 through the release of “Fine Grind” (800 units, Bottom 40) and the hugely popular “Family Sized Bucket” (4700 units, Bottom 40) 12 Eyes has remained true to their beliefs.

Now, 16 tours later, the band that admits they are “too dumb to quit” is back with an 18 song full length release sure to complete the hat trick. Simply entitled “Unit”, this collection of all new stuff maintains the punk sensibilities the band is known for, while exploring previously uncharted territory. So far the record has seen much success on the campus radio charts and the video for the album’s opening track, “I’m Right”, has received rotation at MuchMusic.

The release of their new record is buffered by other good news from the Eyes camp. After a year on the road with fellow Winnipegers Transistor Sound and Lighting Co., original Eyes drummer Mike Brownlee has returned. This comes as a welcome surprise as the band had been forced off the road during most of this year due to line up changes. While drummer Aaron Smith performed admirably in the drum seat for the majority of Mike’s hiatus, his commitments with two other bands made tours hard to schedule. With Mike’s return, there is now talk of a new record and time back on the road in the not so distant future. While it is still unknown what will become of them, one thing is for sure, 12 Eyes are not finished yet.