(2009 - Loud & Proud)KISS began promoting this album last year by saying it's the best record they'd done in thirty years and that fans of the band would finally get the album they had been waiting for all this time. The problem with that statement was that we've heard it all before. 1998's PSYCHO CIRCUS was touted to be the best thing ever as well, but in reality was a pretty disappointing album that was good but for from great.
I can happily announce though, this time they weren't lying!, yes that's right BELIEVE THE HYPE. The style of album sits somewhere between their classic seventies sound and their heavier eighties output, and even though the modern influences are evident, they never get in the way of this being a near perfect classic rock record. One of the things i noticed from the first song was just how good Paul Stanley is sounding these days, these are some of his finest vocal deliveries ever and it's obvious how badly he wanted to make a good KISS album. Gene Simmons is also in fine voice here and the most tuneful and melodic i have ever heard him.
SONIC BOOM is a classic rock record from all aspects, from the songs mostly written with the late seventies early eighties vibe, to the lyrics filled with double entendres, to the classic looking cover art featuring the band in full make-up and topped off with an analogue production that really does the band's effort the due justice it deserves.
Opening track, and lead off single MODERN DAY DELILAH really sets things off with a bang and the minute Paul Stanley starts singing you know this is going to be a great album. RUSSIAN ROULETTE is easily one of the best Simmons sung tracks kiss have ever done. NEVER ENOUGH is an interesting track that borrows heavily from the bands big hit ROCK 'N' ROLL ALL NITE and equally from POISON'S NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME but is still an awesome track. YES IS KNOW (NOBODY'S PERFECT) will fit easily into any KISS live set and features a great fun lyric well suited to the persona of GENE SIMMONS. STAND has a bit of the old and a bit of the new mixed well enough together to create a great modern KISS sound. HOT AND COLD is another well sung SIMMONS track with a very seventies KISS sound. Drummer ERIC SINGER helps out on lead vocals for the very awesome track ALL FOR THE GLORY. DANGER US features one of the choruses i have ever heard in a KISS song and is definitely a late highlight. I'M AN ANIMAL features a very LED ZEPPELIN sounding riff and is probably one of the weaker tracks on the album, while still being great. WHEN LIGHTING STRIKES gives lead guitarist TOMMY THAYER an opportunity to do lead vocals and doesn't disappoint showing just how much of a group effort this album was. Just when you think the tank must be empty, closing track SAY YEAH shows that it is possible to fill an album cover to cover with killer tracks.
Even though there's been some absolutely awesome albums released this year from the likes of SUNSTORM, GOTTHARD, MEGADETH and CHICKENFOOT, and there's still some high profile releases yet to come by FOREIGNER, JADED HEART and WINGER, the new KISS album SONIC BOOM seems set to take the number 1 spot on the R.I.R top 150 of 2009 chart. It's sitting there at the moment and will take something pretty amazing to beat it.
This album is recommended to all KISS fans far and wide, all rock music fans and all music fans in general. BUY IT NOW!!!!
I can happily announce though, this time they weren't lying!, yes that's right BELIEVE THE HYPE. The style of album sits somewhere between their classic seventies sound and their heavier eighties output, and even though the modern influences are evident, they never get in the way of this being a near perfect classic rock record. One of the things i noticed from the first song was just how good Paul Stanley is sounding these days, these are some of his finest vocal deliveries ever and it's obvious how badly he wanted to make a good KISS album. Gene Simmons is also in fine voice here and the most tuneful and melodic i have ever heard him.
SONIC BOOM is a classic rock record from all aspects, from the songs mostly written with the late seventies early eighties vibe, to the lyrics filled with double entendres, to the classic looking cover art featuring the band in full make-up and topped off with an analogue production that really does the band's effort the due justice it deserves.
Opening track, and lead off single MODERN DAY DELILAH really sets things off with a bang and the minute Paul Stanley starts singing you know this is going to be a great album. RUSSIAN ROULETTE is easily one of the best Simmons sung tracks kiss have ever done. NEVER ENOUGH is an interesting track that borrows heavily from the bands big hit ROCK 'N' ROLL ALL NITE and equally from POISON'S NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME but is still an awesome track. YES IS KNOW (NOBODY'S PERFECT) will fit easily into any KISS live set and features a great fun lyric well suited to the persona of GENE SIMMONS. STAND has a bit of the old and a bit of the new mixed well enough together to create a great modern KISS sound. HOT AND COLD is another well sung SIMMONS track with a very seventies KISS sound. Drummer ERIC SINGER helps out on lead vocals for the very awesome track ALL FOR THE GLORY. DANGER US features one of the choruses i have ever heard in a KISS song and is definitely a late highlight. I'M AN ANIMAL features a very LED ZEPPELIN sounding riff and is probably one of the weaker tracks on the album, while still being great. WHEN LIGHTING STRIKES gives lead guitarist TOMMY THAYER an opportunity to do lead vocals and doesn't disappoint showing just how much of a group effort this album was. Just when you think the tank must be empty, closing track SAY YEAH shows that it is possible to fill an album cover to cover with killer tracks.
Even though there's been some absolutely awesome albums released this year from the likes of SUNSTORM, GOTTHARD, MEGADETH and CHICKENFOOT, and there's still some high profile releases yet to come by FOREIGNER, JADED HEART and WINGER, the new KISS album SONIC BOOM seems set to take the number 1 spot on the R.I.R top 150 of 2009 chart. It's sitting there at the moment and will take something pretty amazing to beat it.
This album is recommended to all KISS fans far and wide, all rock music fans and all music fans in general. BUY IT NOW!!!!
10/10
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