Monster

Things change, but Kiss lasts

Times change, people change, one style replaces another. And one can only imagine how times have changed and how much new has managed to appear since January 1973, when Kiss made their first performance in front of three listeners in the club somewhere in New York City. This performance was the first step on the staircase to musical stardom. Then it was relatively short time that guys needed to rise even higher on this staircase, and just in ten years later they throw a grand concert in Rio de Janeiro, where they had 247,000 people as listeners so far. One can not but agree that there is hardly a group in the world that had a concert in such a scale. Well, legends are legends, Kiss are on stage for 39 years already, and it is difficult to find in the whole world even a single soul that had never heard of them, or at least never saw these controversial guys in black and white make-up, not talking about a lazy person who knows nothing about the tongue of mister Gin Simmons. Monster like Sonic Boom was recorded by team's own forces (though it may sound ridiculous taking into consideration popular musical trends nowadays) and on the old equipment, the fact that promises to be one of most prominent Monster features. According to assurances made by Kiss, album will be based on early material and will manifest itself as a kind of combination of Revenge, Destroyer and Sonic Boom, but with a heavier sound. As it was said by Paul Stanley, the vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the group, the album turned out to be powerful, heavy, melodic and epic. Let's see!

Powerful, heavy, melodic and epic Monster from monsters of heavy metal

It seems that Kiss decided to make no bones of the audience and without any delay got down to business. Hell of Hallelujah sets the mood for the rest of the album. It greets us with a slight blues-rock in the good old ZZ Top or Motorhead tradition, though within seconds we receive everything we are looking for in this record, as soon as Mr. Stanley starts singing we get a good dose of powerful heavy metal. The song really is a success – it gives megatons of rock and excellent cheer. So light stampings of foot and waving with the other parts of the body during and after the listening are guaranteed. This is one of the songs on the album, that truly shows real professionalism and genuine energy of the group. For the sake of this song one can not be ashamed to join the company of 247 thousand in Rio de Janeiro. Although the track was realized before the album, its mood is still fresh and you want to listen to it again and again. Kiss keeps up with its duty and without pausing presents us rocking Wall of Sound, with its skipping chorus - and the battle never ends, and the soldiers never die. The rhythm sounds more moderate than in its neighbor, but power is still the same. Album runs by as quick as thought. In the middle we are greeted by the song Long Way Down and Eat Your Heart Out that along with the other songs on the album have all the accompanying heavy metal elements: guitar licks, elegant solos, and well, Paul and Gin in terms of vocals still maintain their reputation - all these yeah-like interjections and falsetto notes are still in their arsenal. Album ends with Last Chance that is a tenacious and catchy track that perfectly suites as a finale for the album.

The Last Kiss?

How long will Kiss perform? How long will they last? It is not clear, but judging by the last album, they have enthusiasm, energy and power for another century or so. Is there another hit on par with I Was Made For Lovin You? It is quite possible, album is just realized and for the time being it is fresh, hot and looks like an outlaw horse. One can say with certainty, the guys gathered together not in vain, and the time you listen to the album, will return to you a hundredfold. The backbone of the team, Paul Stanley and Gin Simmons in particular, who made, subjectively, one of the greatest contributions to the release of Monster, are still rocking. After listening to the LP, one can see somewhere in the distance a glimmer of hope for a world tour in the support of new album. People are eager for crazy atmosphere, energy and madness that the guys from Kiss were always known for. If not go insane in the avalanche of cheer emotions, a true fan of the group will definitely at least have a good time with a new album. Legendary New Yorkers proved once again that they have nearly half a century musical experience. They stood their ground in past, and will continue to do what they like and how they like, they are not subjected to any moods of the music world, they became classics and will continue to do a spell in the same way. One can definitely say that it is this volatile, nuclear cocktail of skill and experience, mixed in strict proportion with the ability to rock and endless energy that helps the group to stay afloat for four decades in a row.