 A great, and surprising return to form! |
| Review Date: December 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: W. Rabeneck, Arkansas United States |
I picked up this album, mostly to keep my collection going. I have all of the other ones. But my hopes weren't that high after "Psycho Circus" which was dreadful.
On "Sonic Boom" KISS do as they have done much of their career, just when you think they're done after a bad album or two, they produce a great album again.
I think part of the genius of this album is that they did away with all of the outside songwriters, and went back to Paul, and Gene as the primary songwriters with current members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer also co-writing some. This has the album sounding much more like 'Classic' KISS - the 'Dressed To Kill' through 'Love Gun' period.
One of the earlier reviewers compared this album to what AC/DC does, basically put out records that sound exactly like what you would expect AC/DC to sound like, but still doing a very good job of it. That's kind of what KISS has done here. No significant innovations or surprises. Just great KISS music, like you would expect out of KISS.
Some of my favorites are: Modern Day Delilah, Never Enough, Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect), All For The Glory, and When Lightning Strikes.
Hopefully, they'll put out another album, just as good, in four of five years, maybe?
If you liked KISS, circa 1975-1978, go out and get this one.
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Kiss Me, Again and Again
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| Review Date: March 22, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Edward Damas, Henderson, Nevada |
Ok, I've been away from Kiss for a long time now, but this whole album takes me back to maybe Dressed To Kill. It's raw, and it's hard to the ears. But if you can't recognize it as being Rock and Roll, then you are just to old.
Forget what you've heard of people's worst criticism of this album is. Kiss will always have it's detractors and it's apparently that so many people want the old Ace and Peter back. Well if that's the case, then those people need to go and follow Ace and Peter, and forget Kiss as a whole.
Speaking of which....I haven't heard anything from Ace and Peter lately....
But as Gene and Paul will tell you...anyone can put a limit on themselves, and that's exactly what Kiss has not done! They have surgically removed the elements (Ace and Peter) that, even though they had their job...have no need to be in the band anymore. And anyways, both Ace and Peter quit the band anyways. What were Gene and Paul supposed to do?
The songs on Sonic Boom were totally Paul's doing. As Gene himself said at the time of the production of this album, he had way too much under his belt. So he gave the reigns over to Paul, and as far as I am concerned...Paul did, and does, continue to do Kiss justice on every album.
So do us a favor, all you Kiss Detractors....if you don't like Kiss, please take up your mantle, and let us hear your album and see you in concert. |
Curse the purists. This is a KISS album all the way.
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| Review Date: March 22, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Sam Allen, Newburyport Mass. |
For a long time, KISS had put a series of albums out that are still enjoyed by some including me, but bashed on by purists and even the band themselves (Music From The Elder, Asylum, Crazy Nights, Carnival Of Souls, etc.) When Ace Frehley jumped ship, Tommy Thayer was hired to replace him as the next Space Man. Then, when Peter Criss quit, Eric Singer would be the new Catman. It's not like they were completely new to the band, with Eric drumming on their 90's non-makeup output (Revenge, Unplugged and Carnival Of Souls) and Tommy helping write the song "Childhood's End" on the Carnival of Souls album. But regardless, purists were up in arms over the move. Had KISS merely been reduced to a band that featured Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and two other guys who'd just help them make money by touring?
With this album, the answer is a strong, "NO!" With a batch of 11 new songs, Gene, Paul, Tommy and Eric hit the studio with an earnest "Back-To-Basics" mindset. These songs sound fresh and somewhat modern, but at the same time, the songs would not feel out of place on any of the albums that made up the setlists from the classic "Alive!" record (i.e. their first three studio albums). Every single song has some sort of hit potential, whether it be more with the live crowd or with radio listeners. All the strong points that make up a classic KISS album are there, including an even makeup of songs: 4 to feature Paul on lead vocals, 4 with Gene, 1 duet with the two of them, and then Eric and Tommy each contribute one lead vocal performance.
Unsurprisingly, Paul sings on both songs that have been released as singles; the first, opener "Modern Day Delilah," is one that's sure to win over radio listeners, while the second, closer "Say Yeah," is one that screams for audience participation with its glorious climax: the soft "Well let me hear you say it..." followed by a slow crescendo as the line is repeated twice more, followed by, "Well let me hear you say YEAHHHH!!!!!!" His other lead vocal performances are not as strong, but "Never Enough" and "Danger Us," in spite of rather silly lyrics, are rather enjoyable. Gene's lead vocal performances are the strongest tunes on the album. "Russian Roulette" and "I'm An Animal" are comparable to early, somewhat sludgy songs he sang on like "Watchin' You" or "Two Timer" while still sounding fresh rather than rehashed. The rest of the songs all feel like they should be staples of KISS' live shows with sing-along choruses aplenty: Gene's "Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect)" and "Hot And Cold," Eric's "All For The Glory," Tommy's "When Lightning Strikes," and the classic Paul and Gene duet of "Stand."
To quote "Modern Day Delilah," "shame, shame, shame on you" who bash this album just because Tommy and Eric have Ace and Peter's look. You know what? Maybe they shoulda gotten a new look, maybe KISS should have just quit (not really), maybe they should have given them the Ankh Warrior and the Fox (props to fans who know what that refers to), but the music on here is 100 percent KISS. And when it's KISS, I'll take it.
*EDIT: Apparently, this isn't just a one-off; The Demon, The Starchild, The Space Man, and the Cat Man plan to have another album out in late 2011 or early 2012. Let us hope it can live up to the expectations that great things are truly on their way from this lineup of KISS! |
I hate Walmart and I hate Gene Simmons. However...
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| Review Date: October 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Anthony James, Orange County, CA |
| ...as a diehard KISS fan for the past 16 years, there's simply no denying the fact that this is not only one of KISS's best studio albums of all time but also the best album released this past decade. The best of CD and live DVD are the icing on the cake. A must buy. |
sonic booooom
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| Review Date: October 16, 2009 |
| Reviewer: MRT, |
don't listen to the naysayers. this is one of the top 5 kiss cd's released. if you are an ace and peter fanboy it will piss you off that they are this good with out them. but TRUE KISS fans will love this.ANY ONE LIKING THIS CD ,PLEASE GIVE IT 5 STAR TO OFFSET ALL THE ONE STAR TROLLS THAT JUST HAVE TO HATE ON THIS.
The single "Modern Day Delilah" is a hard-driving treat, as is the Poison-like (yes, really!) "Never Enough." GENE'S songs,while cliched lyric wise have the man sounding like the DEMON of old. We also get vocal contributions from Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. Other highlights include the insanely catchy "Danger Us," the metalized "I'm An Animal" (which would have sat snugly on Creatures Of The Night) and the melodic rock treat "When Lightning Strikes."Visually it may seem like 1977 but musically this is KISS in their eighties prime, and much, much better than I ever could have hoped for. The KISS Klassics CD is the greatest hits re-recordings they did for the Japanese market a couple of years ago as KISSology. Fourteen stone-cold rock classics (and "I Was Made For Lovin' You"). If it doesn't have the energy of the originals, it bumps up the production values and even strays into their make-up free years for the likes of "Heaven's On Fire" and "Forever." It may be heresy to some, but some of these, such as "Hotter Than Hell," actually sound better than the originals.
Also included is a mini concert DVD recorded at the tail end of the KISS 35th Anniversary tour in Buenos Aires, in April 2009.
SAY YEAH |
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