Band : Kiss
Album title : Sonic Boom
Label : Roadrunner Records
Distributor : Concreteweb Promotion Office - CNR
Release date : 02/10/2009
Release : 2CD + DVD

“Sonic Boom” is the beast that “Kiss” will release upon the world on Oct 6th (Oct 2nd in most parts of Europe). What appeared to be a Walmart exclusive will be released in Europe as well, thanks to Roadrunner Records! So no ebay shopping after all!!!
It’s about 10 years ago that “Kiss” released their “Psycho circus” album, with the huge success of the “Alive 35” tour it was time to record some new music.
It is also the first time that the nowadays line up (Including “Tommy Thayer” and “Eric Singer”) have recorded an album together. And what an album “Sonic Boom” is (going to be) a classic rock album that can’t be missed in a CD collection of the hard rock fan.

The first listen to the album, you feel the old “Kiss” vibe immediately. All the credits go to “Paul Stanley” who produced the album. He did a marvellous job! It really sounds like “Kiss” in the 70’s-80’s. You will find more “Ace Frehley” solos on “Sonic Boom” than on “Ace’s” new album “Anomaly” in a way of speaking.
What “Tommy Thayer” establishes on this record is just mind-blowing, he plays like “Ace”. If you wouldn’t know who played guitar on the album, ...
That is certainly something that makes “Sonic Boom” special.

The album starts with “Modern day Delilah”, to me this goes back to their “Asylum” era, it a catchy tune with a great break in the middle, and “Paul Stanley” in an amazing voice range once in a while.
This track will be the first single of the album.
“Russian roulette”, has a “War machine” vibe in the beginning, but has an up tempo chorus, and an amazing guitar solo, that takes you back to the old days! This is certainly my most favourite “Gene Simmons” track of the album ...
“Never enough” does remind me of “Poison’s” “Nothin but a good time”, especially the verses, but when the chorus starts you feel happy to sing along with this track, “Paul Stanley” does know how to write catchy tunes which he also showed on his “Live to win” album. I especially like those little bass loops “Gene Simmons” makes ...
“Nobody’s perfect” the most 70’s track in my opinion, a kind of a “Mr.Speed” feel to it. Great song to put the windows of the car down and cruise along the road
“Stand”, this should be a big crowd pleaser when played live, a chorus that keeps hanging after listening to the record, and the song where “Gene Simmons” and “Paul Stanley” share vocals. This track has a great mid section with “Paul Stanley” talking over it, I guess this will certainly make the live set!
“Hot and cold”, typical “Gene Simmons” track, vocal and lyrically, the song gets a bonus because of the (again) amazing guitar solo, “Tommy Thayer” is all over the place, very 70’s ...
“All for the glory”, one of the big surprises of the album, “Eric Singer” on lead vocals for the first time. A straight ahead rock track, again with a catchy tune, especially the part where “Eric Singer” and “Paul Stanley” sing in different tones, and again the presence of the guitar solo.
“Danger us”, a real headshaker, and lyrics that keep hanging when heard a few times, hope to hear this in the live set, again a great “Paul Stanley” gem!  Riff and guitar solo are again (I can’t say this enough) outstanding!
“I’m an animal”, the darkest track on the album, starts in a kinda… “Black Sabbath” way. Some like this track a lot, to me it’s too dark, it has more a “Carnival of souls” feel to it. The end of the song reminds me of “Unholy”.
“When lightning strikes”, the other surprise of the album, “Tommy Thayer” takes lead vocals on this track, so far only the Australian audiences have heard “Tommy Thayer” sing  lead on “Shock me” during the “Alive 35” tour. It’s great to have a mix of different singers on one record, that makes it unique. If die hard “Kiss” fans would say that this doesn’t sound like “Ace Frehley’s” style, they should listen to “Trouble walking”, again it’s “Kiss”!
“Say yeah” the final track, a singalong track again, it reminds me in some way of “Paul Stanley’s” solo record from 1978. The part where the acoustic guitars break the tempo of the song makes this song sound fresh.

Now, Why should you buy this album?
You should buy it because it will come in an awesome package with a bonus cd and dvd!
Price value wise this is one of the nicest packages released this year!

The bonus cd “Kiss Klassics” was released in Japan under the name “Jiguko Retsuden”, it is sold out and buying this one on auction sites will cost you a fortune. If you want to buy the limited edition with the bonus DVD disc it will set you back about 80 euros, and you get it with the limited edition package of “Sonic Boom” as a bonus.
On this disc are rerecorded classic with the line up “Kiss” is touring with since 2004.
The sound that has changed the most are the drums, “Eric Singer”. The songs sound fresher and more up to date, but still classic.
From these rerecorded songs the ones that came out best are “Black diamond”, “Detroit rock city”, “Do you love me”, “Hotter than hell”, “Love gun” and “Rock and roll all nite”.
I expected for the rerecording of “Lick it up” the version they played during the “Alive 35” tour, the version with the break that has a part of a song performed by “The Who”, maybe some copyrights are involved with that, but that would have been a cherry on the cake!
It’s certainly worth listening too and it gives a good view how the band has evolved with the “new” line up, and that there sound is really tight!

Then there is the bonus DVD, 6 tracks recorded earlier this year during “Kiss’s” South Americam part of their “Alive 35” world tour. This show has been filmed completely but you only get 6 songs that are part of their “Alive!” Set.
“Deuce” opens the DVD, there is no doubt about it, South American audiences are one of a kind, you feel and see the energy reaching out of your tv screen.
“Hotter than hell” gets the audience into rock and roll frenzy, with “Gene Simmons” breathing fire.
Other classic tracks are “C’mon and love me”, “Watchin’ you” and “100000 years”.
The DVD ends with “Rock and roll all nite” with all the bombs, pyro, and confetti you can imagine.
I couldn’t think of a better way to end the DVD than with the national anthem of rock!
If this DVD doesn’t give you a clear view on how rock can be at it’s most entertaining, I don’t know what will. This is what “Kiss” is all about, giving people a good time!!!
Hopefully the full show will pop up sometime later on a future “Kissology” DVD release!

95/100 --- 100/100 (For the limited edition version).