Kiss - Monster

Does Kiss have another Sonic Boom in them well that question will be answered by the end of this review. The first single from the album is the abysmal and trivial "Hell Or Hallelujah" that carries little weight. The song has barely a decent riff and after a listen to it the song is easily forgotten and the worst song on the album leaving a band taste in my mouth that seems to stick around for awhile. Then Gene's lead vocal on "Wall Of Sound" turns everything around for one song at least with a total classic rocker from Kiss. The song has great verses and a memorable chorus that makes me want to hit the repeat button right away and give it another listen. 

Now I will admit I'm a Gene fan always have been always will be. He's the better vocalist of the two main members and he usually writes the better songs albeit cheesier sometimes but I just enjoy his voice much more. Paul Stanley's voice grates on my nerves after awhile because he whines like a bitch too often so, when Paul is the more focused vocalist on a Kiss release I tend to not enjoy it as much but I do like many of Paul's songs and even his last solo album was strong overall. With that said Paul's song "Freak" is much better than the first offering on Monster but isn't as good as all the other material on the album.

The worst thing I can say about this album is that Gene isn't singing and lead writer more often, he barely does anything on Monster that isn't great and I mean Grrrrrreat! "Back To The Stone Age" and "Eat Your Heart Out" are slices of glam rock perfection with big hooks in the chorus's and delicious riffs that make you want to play air guitar instantly.

The guitar solo's on this album are pretty slick and Tommy sounds fantastic especially on the latter of the two tracks. Stanley and Simmons have  great talent but Gene sounds especially deadly and modern as well on the song "The Devil Is Me" that borders between classic heavy Kiss and modern rock of today. Gene's massive personality casts a huge shadow over the entire band on "The Devil Is Me" he just takes over and proves all by himself why Kiss is one of the greatest bands of all-time and why the band have been able to have a career rivaling the Rolling Stones.

Tommy Thayer delivers what I think might become one of my favorite Kiss songs "Outta This World" I love the groove and chorus of the song and Tommy sounds incredible. I'm hoping for a Tommy solo album because he's just so damn good I'd enjoy ten or twelve songs sung by him. This is a great rock n' roll song and nearly the best song on the whole album. Tommy came close to doing the same on Sonic Boom as well so this proves he's not a fluke. "All For The Love of Rock & Roll" is Eric's lead vocal and well c'mon it's bloody awesome too! I can see all the hotties shaking their asses at the concert singing along to it if they'd let him sing it live. It's a feel good rock tune that is currently missing on all forms of radio in 2012.

Paul's best contribution on the album is "Long Way Down" where he doesn't attempt to sing as high and in this octave he sounds much better. I wish he's sing down here more often because his voice has more depth and his pitch doesn't take off into that whiny neighbourhood that drives my ears crazy. Thayer's contributions to the writing are a plenty and he and Paul seem to have good chemistry which I like to see that the band is acting more like a band using the talents of the members. This cohesiveness has made Kiss a much better live act and proof of back to back excellent records that the formula is just perfect.

As the album draws to its close with a slick groover "Take Me Down Below" sung by "THE" man Mr. Gene Simmons and co-vocals by Paul is again Paul sounding his best on the album again. This is another song that should be included in the live sets actually, I'd be happy to have them do almost every song on this album and a few from Sonic Boom and leave out a shitload of the oldies because this is seriously good music. The band have delivered another Sonic Boom and I don't know yet if this album will be able to keep my attention as long as Sonic Boom did but, I will say this when the official release comes about I'll be buying my copy at HMV for sure.

When the album ends on "Last Chance" the first thing I did was start it over again from track two to track twelve and knew by completion this album is a gold medal winner. Kiss is writing some of their finest material in their fifth decade of kicking ass and taking names and I think they just moved past the Stones into second place on the list of the greatest rock n' roll bands of all-time and I say that with absolute honesty.

Monster lives up to its name it is just that a MONSTER of a rock n' roll record that will make Kiss fans happy and better yet rock n' roll fans who just want to crank up the volume and have some fun ecstatic. On October 9th, 2012 make sure you go to your favorite music retailer and purchase a copy of Monster it will make you a better person! ROCK ON!

(No Samples Don't Want Gene To Sue Me!)