PSYCHO CIRCUS - LIMITED BONUS DISC (1999)

When your kids are misbehaving these holidays, take them to the Kiss Circus and let them know how much you want them to die...

I forgot about this. After the initial release of Psycho Circus, they re-released it with a bonus disc that contained 6 live songs. Being the schmuck I am (and particularly was in 2000) I had to replace my perfectly fine copy of the album with this so I could get the bonus disc. I justified it by pointing out my original copy had a crack in the lenticular case, while this version did not.

Yeah, that's how lame I am.

Anyways, these are fairly standard for me. Probably because I've watched Kissology a few times so this is exactly like that without the visual fun of Kiss in makeup and moving around explosions. Let Me Go, Rock'n Roll is absolutely phenomenal here, as is 100,000 Years, But Into the Void is super disappointing. And Within is just the sonic definition of awful.

A mixed bag of lollies and spiked slugs.


Highlights:
Let Me Go, Rock'n Roll, 100,000 Years

Lowlights:
Within



Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a thumbs up

HOTTER THAN HELL (1974)

Sunbathing time in the Kiss house...

This album sounds like it was recorded in a garage at the back of a cabin in the middle of Greymouth during winter. Or just by someone incompetent who then buried the tapes in a pile of mud thinking it would improve the sound. It didn't. Which is a shame, because the songs on this album are just the absolute business. Got to Choose is so awesome and the guitar solo stands as one of my all-time favourites. Parasite is probably the heaviest Kiss song and totally badass. Goin' Blind is somewhat of a ballad, I guess, but is still good. If the guitar didn't sound so weird and Gene's vocals didn't sound so forced, it would sound much better. Mainline is kinda groovy and kinda lame at the same time. I don't know how that works. The rest is all dark and brooding and levels of badassery one can only hope to attain when dressed in crazy outfits and pretending to be from another planet while surrounded by all sorts of explosions. The best of times...


Highlights:
Got to Choose, Parasite, Hotter Than Hell, Let Me Go Rock'n Roll, All the Way, Comin' Home, Strange Ways

Lowlights:
The album production being inferior to a 4-track tape recorder being run through a pile of cow dung.


Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a thumbs up!