Customer Reviews

Psycho Circus

5 star:		(101)
4 star:		(63)
3 star:		(46)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

Fans of the Original KISS saw this album as a dream come true: Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter back together and in the studio cranking out a new KISS album! Great concept, however, the cd is clearly a typical Gene & Paul album with a bunch of studio musicians rounding things out. This has been admitted by each band member by now: Ace and Peter barely played on this. What was the point of that? Go purchase "Asylum" or "Crazy Nights" if you want to hear the 'Gene & Paul Project' that KISS became after Ace and Peter left the band. These guys should have locked themselves in a rehearsal loft like the old days and created REAL KISS music again! What a horrible disappointment this album is.
As for the actual tunes, things get off to a pretty good start with the title track and "Within" (even though this song is clearly a "Carnival of Souls" leftover). From there, we are left with a bunch of self-aware hackneyed anthems about the band, the fans, and what they have meant to each other. The only other redeeming tune is Gene's final song on the album which could have fit nicely onto "Destroyer" back in 1976.
One hopes that before KISS calls it quits, they will make an album that features only Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter singing, writing, and playing. Give us an actual Original KISS album in the incredible tradition of KISS, Hotter Than Hell, Dressed To Kill, Alive, and Rock And Roll Over. Give us the four guys who started this whole thing - there's nothing like Gene, Paul, Ace, & Peter together.

By now, every Kiss fan has purchased the original release of the Psycho Circus CD. Some of us really like it and some of us have been let down. Regardless of that we all agree that a new album by the original line-up was something we could not pass up! Kiss fans, if you dare, buy this version of Psycho Circus! Not only do you get the original disc but the bonus disc is priceless. It has almost a Kiss Alive edge to it. Ace delivers a very cool guitar solo, Peter's drumming is super, and Gene & Paul deliver the goods as usual. I feel that this is a sleeper disc because of the split by Kiss fans on this album, but believe me when I tell you it is worth the price. Gene Simmons once said that Kiss has not recorded their greatest effort yet. True. But this is a great CD to buy for your hard earned buck. If you do not have this disc yet, do not buy the domestic version. The import package is a overall better buy for the true Kiss fan!

It seems that Simmons/Stanley have become so full of themselves at their advanced ages that they now believe that extremely weak songs by the 2 of them (Just think "Hot In The Shade" or any of the other embarassing efforts on their collective parts) are much better than anything Peter or Ace may have to offer. In fact, this whole album feels like Paul & Gene saying, "Ace, Pete -- we have the power here, & we're still (...). Our songs are far superior to anything you have a part in, and we're REALLY Kiss, not you!"

Wrong, fellas. Dead wrong.

Ace's sole contribution, "into the Void" is light years beyond the rest of this (stuff). Granted, Pete's song (as sappily penned by none other than Paul) is not good, either, but wouldn't it have been nice to get one last classic KISS album as opposed to Gene/Paul scraps? Guys, you ain't the band by yourselves, no matter what you think. (...), the 4 of them didn't even play together on most of this album. Even a (bad)effort by all 4 throughout would have somehow seemed fulfilling, in a weird, disjointed sort of way -- at least they would have failed as KISS (more Frehley would have prevented this fate, I assure you) instead of Simmons/Stanley's musical rummage sale, which was the product that we actually got (Ace & Peter are FULL members, guys, whether you like it or not).

I grew up a masive, worshipful fan. As I get older, the egos of Stanley/Simmons now overpower what might have been an awesome finish to one of my favorite bands of all time. Don't waste your $$$ on this disc. Buy some classic Kiss & wait for Ace's next solo instead. When they were a band, they (were great). Now, as a simple, corporate entity dominated by 2 bitter members who refuse to forgive & forget, they just (are bad).

PSYCHO CIRCUS has been much maligned by both crtics and fans. It has also been praised by both; believe it or not both ROLLING STONE and ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY gave the album good reviews (I guess hell must really have frozen over!). The truth is that this is a solid Hard Rock album with a couple of great songs. Album opener "Psycho Circus" easily qualifies as a KISS classic. Both catchy and powerful, it is the perfect updating of their 70's style. "Within" is a dark, dynamic song from GENE who attempts to put a 90's spin on "God Of Thunder," with fairly successful results. "I Pledge Allegiance..." is one of those "good, but not as good as it should have been" songs. You hear some good ideas, and it is fairly catchy, but Paul's choice of working with co-writer Holly Knight sabotages any chance the song had of being a classic. Ace Frehley makes his one songwriting contribution with "Into The Void," easily one of the best songs he has co-written in 20 years, and one of the 3 new KISS classics on the album. "We Are One," is a good pop tune, with a very nice sentiment, but should not have been included on an album already overloaded with "pop" songs. "You Wanted The Best," on the other hand, is the third of the new KISS classics on the album. With a grinding riff over a "Ballroom Blitz," or "Kickstart My Heart" type drum part, it sounds the most like KISS from the 70's out of all the songs on PSYCHO CIRCUS. Paul Stanley makes one of his best "Pop-Metal" contributions ever with "Raise Your Glasses," one of the most infectiously catchy songs of the last 10 years, not just from KISS, but from anyone. The real letdown is the ballad "I Finally Found My Way," which was written by Paul and former KISS, Alice Cooper, and Pink Floyd producer Bob Ezrin. It is a truly mediocre entry in an already mediocre genre - the Rock Ballad. Things pick up a little with Paul's "Dreamin," which, yes, is very similar to Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen." It also has significant differences from that song, and stands up on its own as a moody, dynamic track co-written by former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick. The American version of the album ends with "Journey Of 1,000 Years," a song which would have been very much at home on Gene's solo album from 1978. Not a particularly heavy or "Rockin" song, it is an above average "filler" track. The Japanese version ends with a song written by Gene for Ace to sing, called "In Your Face." "I.Y.F." is a truly uninspired song, which if you look up the word 'mediocre' in the dictionary, I belive it is listed as the newest definition (5. listen to "In Your Face" by KISS). But the truth is with so much solid material, and 3 new classics, PSYCHO CIRCUS is definitely worth buying for any KISS fan. Both the die-hards and the casual fans alike will enjoy this one if they give it a chance.

I don't mean to be confrontational, but most of the people here are complaining that peter and ace didn't record much of this album. It should really be judged on the sound of the music and not who recorded it. The music itself it awesome, one of my favorite kiss albums. It's different from the classic kiss but it is great in its own way. If you like kiss and/or the rock genre, buy this album. You won't regret it.

This is dinosaur rock at its best! I've been waiting years for the original four members to come to their senses and give the fans what we've been begging for. And they've delivered in Spades (a wink to Ace). From the title track to the closing strains of JOURNEY OF 1,000 YEARS it's Classis KISS with a slightly updated feel. Songs like WE ARE ONE contain an overdue nod of the head to us fans who have kept them in champagne all these years. While songs like WITHIN (which sounds like it was probably intended for use on CARNIVAL OF SOULS) offer us a harder edged more modern sound that is offset by the pure 70's guitar pyrotechnics of Ace Frehley on INTO THE VOID. This album also marks the re-emergence of Gene Simmons as a major songwriting force in the band. The last few years his contributions have been minimal and half hearted, but no more. Gene really shines in the Circus. There's something to love in this collection for KISS fans of every KISS era.

When KISS put their war-paint back on and welcomed Ace Frehley and Peter Criss home from years as solo artists I originally thought, 'they are going to do a reunion tour, a fourth live album, and then a farewell tour.' But when Psycho Circus came out I was amazed that a group that had been together for almost thirty years could write such dynamic, powerful, and just plain fun songs! The opening (title) track, sung and co-written by Paul Stanley, nicely surmises the idea of the album, bizarre and sometimes dark, but always enjoyable 'You're in the Psycho Circus -and I say welcome to the show!' Then Gene Simmons comes screeching to the microphone on "Within." That, and Paul Stanley's "Dreamin'" have a much heavier and darker feel to them; the angry introspection so common on the "Revenge," or "Carnival of Souls" albums is back in full force, blending nicely with such anthems as "I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock and Roll." KISS proves here that they can still rock with a vengeance. On what is arguably the best song on the album "Raise your Glasses," I felt myself inspired from the energetic guitar solo nicely complimented by motivational lyrics and the rolling thunder of Peter Criss' drum intro. "You Wanted the Best," is an interesting way of showcasing the vocal talents of all four band members, each singing the lead on different parts of the song. Ace Frehley only contributed to the writing of one song on the album, "Into the Void," but it is classic space-man. He does a good job on vocals but really shines with the guitar solo, it is both technically complex and enjoyable to listen to. One thing about the album that I noticed was that all of the songs Gene Simmons wrote have a similar theme and feel to them, even though the sound of the music varies from power chords to acoustic guitar to orchestra. In both "Within," and "Journey of 1,000 Years," he talks of a 'sleep without dreams,' and being able to 'touch without feel.' I would love to be able to give this album five stars but "I Finally Found My Way," holds it back. It is either a 'Beth -20 years later,' or an attempt to duplicate that award-winning seventies ballad. Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin (producer of the best selling, worst selling, and highest charting KISS albums) wrote the song for Peter Criss to sing. I personally think that they should have let Criss come up with his own music; it would have been more heartfelt, and more original. But one obvious flaw cannot mar such an excellent album. This is KISS at their best. The production is seamless, replete with layered guitars, backing vocals, and orchestral strings. Lyrically, the songs are of the highest quality. And musically the performances are without par. The masked marauders that are KISS rocked the world with their songs in 70's and 80's, and with "Psycho Circus" they prove that they still can.

Psycho Circus is a good rock record. In fact, there are some songs that stand out as being pure KISS and pure rock. Most notably, "We Are One," "Raise Your Glasses," "Journey of 1000 Years," "Into the Void," and the title track stand out as the best. Peter Criss' ballad (not written by him) is pretty forgettable, and Gene's "You Wanted the Best" is just silly and inappropriate.

With that said, this album sold poorly-considering this was the first album since 1979's Dynasty that featured the original KISS lineup. It's a good record but why did it fail?

The answer is simple.

Mercury Records did no promotion for this album, there was barely any radio or television promotion (I never remember seeing a single commercial for such a monumental album on TV.) Plus, they released only two singles-the title track and the embarrassing "You Wanted the Best." The video for "Psycho Circus" was also a bit undesirable and MTV refused to air it because it just wasn't that good. "We Are One" should have been the second single-it's a great song with a catchy chorus. Gene sings about being one with the fans-very personal and emotional-seeing his own face staring back at him from the crowd.

Plus, Gene and Paul have huge egos. They are almost allowed at this point but since this was the first album from the original guys, it's a shame that Peter and Ace were only given one song each. Ace is the best song writer KISS has ever had and his contribution to this album, "Into the Void" is one of the best. Gene has always commented that since Peter doesn't play an instrument besides drums, it's hard for him to write good songs. That's simply not true-let's not forget who wrote KISS' most successful song ever-Peter with "Beth." If Gene wasn't happy with Peter's songs-why didn't he jump in to help and collaborate with him on a song or two? Ace and Peter should have been on this album more. Why not more songs? I would have liked to see three songs by each member.

OK-getting off my bandwagon. This is a good record. Though it just wasn't handled or promoted properly. Such an important and monumental record should have been heavily promoted but Mercury Records gave up on it the day it came out-shame on them. I guess they'd rather put more money into new bands that wont make a dent in rock and roll history. Can anyone say "Saliva?" Or "Hanson?"

I can't give this album a more generous rating. I will not even discuss the quality of the music. The trouble here is of a different subject.

This product was advertised as a KISS reunion, be it: the four guys from their glorious days: the boss Stanley, the boss Simmons and Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.

But, surprise!!! Altought Frehley and Criss's names are in the credits, they simply did not perform in the album!!! The guitar solos were made by Stanley; Criss played drums in only one track. Frehley played rhythm guitar in a pair of others.

How can Kiss devise such a scheme to swindle some of their loyal fans is beyond my grasp.

The reviews are all over the map on this one-so here's the deal.
A typical Kiss record has about 5 very strong songs, the remainder is medoicre material. Psycho Circus falls right into
line. (Destroyer is an exception-A KISS masterpiece) The record starts strong with Psycho Circus, a cool rocker from Paul. Gene comes thru with three moody mid-tempo pieces that work really well-Within, We are One and Journey of 1000 years. Ace jams on Into the Void. Those are the 5 strong tracks, the other tunes are mediocre. A few more rockers from Paul which are decent and a ballad from Peter, which is pleasant, but not memorable.
Many of the songs are celebrating their survival and triumph in the world of rock and roll. They were in the midst of a celebratory tour, so it rubbed off on the lyrics. They have every right to take this victory lap. Brilliant CD packaging with holographic image. Well worth the price of admission!