I dig what you're saying, it's just not my cup of tea. This version of Kiss is just missing something the other versions had when they were in the studio.

There's just no "edge" with todays version of Kiss like Creatures, LIU, Revenge but they are 60 year old men now soooo...

To be honest I dont think its the current line-up thats missing that pezaz, I personally think its Pauls producing, although he does do a pretty good job I think nobody would be willing to tell Paul anything other then yes when he asks them their opinion. They just need a little outside perspective imo.

That being said I enjoyed SB, I think there was "meant" to be little to no filler on that album and in a way I think they succeeded, when you think of each individual song as a hit, it makes each song a little bit more special. Of course there ended up a little filler on that album but I dont think people gave it enough credit when it was released, for a band who hadnt entered the studio in a serious way for 11 years, that was a hell of an effort.

I also enjoyed Monster, for a band nearly 40 years on, I think its quite something remarkable when you can create a hit song that everybody can sing a long to. And besides Shout Mercy, Long Way Down and Eat Your Heart Out, I think those are the only filler tracks on the album.

I was on YouTube a little today watching clips of KISS live in the 1970's. They were entertaining the audience like crazy. Musically, what they were playing was not difficult to play...but they still thought it up and put it together. It's catchy, it sticks in your head, and it's a hell of a lot of fun. But a lot of bands can do that and don't get to the level KISS does and stay as long as KISS have. KISS has (had?) something that can't quite be described. The core of it is definitely Gene & Paul but it needs Ace & Peter.

I've seen the band with other line-ups. Those other line-ups worked because it has that Gene & Paul core. Some of them worked great. (Gene-Paul-Eric-Vinnie=best musical line-up) This current line-up with Gene-Paul-Eric-Tommy just has no magic. There is no energy. No spark. Yes they are playing the songs correctly. Yes the band is "getting along". There is a large amount of people that want to cross I SAW KISS IN CONCERT off of their bucket-list, so the concerts are doing well.

To bring this back around to the point: I don't like this line-up of KISS. It does nothing for me. I especially don't like Eric Singer as the drummer for KISS. (Plus, I think he looks more like a dog in the make-up than a cat. Weird.) Then they start putting out studio albums again. I'm not crazy about the idea. I get them because I will always love KISS and I have all their other albums. I do not think these last 2 albums are classic. Not even close.

Laundry list of problems:
- Paul's voice
- Weak production value/weak guitar sound
- SOME really shitty songs
- Clear situation that it's not a true band, but Paul Stanley paying studio musicians to mimic past success

Even with all of the problems above, I would rather try to find something good within the album that I can enjoy. I wish the above problems weren't there, but I'm not going to go hungry because I don't like everything being served.

I've listened to the album and found 4 songs that I like. I agree that even those 4 songs could be even better if Paul's voice wasn't shot, they had a real producer, etc.

But to each their own. I'm not here to try and make you like something.

PinkWiz wrote:There's just no "edge" with todays version of Kiss like Creatures, LIU, Revenge but they are 60 year old men now soooo...

Hotter Than Hell should've been on that list... my bad.

Genebaby wrote:Yeah, I'm not really digging it. It's must missing something, it sounds like they are trying too hard to sound a certain way.

They need to lose the "we can do it all ourselves" attitude as it's clearly not working. Outside writers and direction are needed here. Doesn't have to be Vinnie, which would be best, but please, get SOMEONE!

you are truly WRONG! IT HAS TO BE VINNIE!!!!!;)

Genebaby wrote:I dig what you're saying, it's just not my cup of tea. This version of Kiss is just missing something the other versions had when they were in the studio.

According to Gene and Paul, this version of Kiss has everything the other versions didn't have and more.



http://youtu.be/TO9D2Fr4sOU

Pretty wild when a tribute band has a better Kiss sign.

MONSTER is in fact one of the only KISS albums i can listen to all the way thru without skipping a song.


its also one of the only albums by anyone i can listen to all the way thru.

i love it but u cant help thinking how the album would have sounded with vinnie writing some of it.

I haven't listened to it except but for a couple times when it came out...from what I remember I like Hell or Halelujah and Eat Your Heart Out alright. And absolutely loathed All For The Love Of Rock And Roll. Regardless it is another forgettable Kiss album in my estimation. When Psycho Circus is the best album you can offer up in the last 15 years that's a sad comment. They really really Really REALLY should hang it up...or at least take off the make up. What did Simmons say a while back "You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming from that stage...fuck growing old gracefully, fuck dignity..." something like that...yeah that holds true....keep pissing your legacy away G&P if it makes you happy...I am beyond caring at this point.

Genebaby wrote:
With that in mind, there is no point getting outside help if they don't want to be their current best.

Depends on what outside help they get. When's the "outside help" helped them in ages?

The last album with "outside help" that was any good IMO was Creatures.

Yes, one could also say Revenge, but the problem with that album was "wayyyy too much filler".

brainsaw at least kiss put out records.

doublev2 wrote:brainsaw at least kiss put out records.

I get what you are saying but so does Justin Bieber.Would there be as much interest in VV if he had realesed 7-10 shitty albums in the 25 years following ASG? It's too bad we most likely won't ever have the chance to make that asessment of VVs work

i suppose if vv can not write well anymore then its good he hasn't put out music and i can not argue with that. Kiss have one or two ok songs since revenge. I think Dreaming is underated and also Psycho circus and within are not too bad.

doublev2 wrote:i suppose if vv can not write well anymore then its good he hasn't put out music and i can not argue with that. Kiss have one or two ok songs since revenge. I think Dreaming is underated and also Psycho circus and within are not too bad.

kiss ripped off alice cooper big time in dreaming and psycho circus.



dreaming = eighteen.

middle bridge of psycho circus = elected middle bridge

Paul openly admits that most of their best work is either "inspired" or outright stolen from other influences. But then again, most of rock music is like that. I don't have a problem with it as long as you put your own spin on it. KISS used to put their own spin on it. I don't quite think they did on the PSYCHO CIRCUS album...

The songs get better with time.
I actually really like it now.
Odd, eh?

I can listen to PC but can't get past the production (wrong for KISS) and the fact that they replaced Ace & Peter wholesale throughout the album.