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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Carnival of Souls is strange to say the least. It is like a look at what might have been had the reunion never happened. Recorded at some point in the mid 1990s but not released until 1997, it came out to a changed world. The original four members of KISS reunited in 1996 and the old makeup came back. What was expected to be a moderately successful tour turned into a global explosion, with KISS conquering the world once again. The band were left with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Bruce Kulick in limbo and an album left unreleased, an album which fit with KISS circa 94-95, but not classic KISS born again. It is KISS' bravest record since (Music from) the Elder in 1981 and as with that album, is good and bad in equal measures.
First off, it contains some great (if very unKISSlike) songs like Master and Slave, Childhood's End, Jungle, I Will be There and I Walk Alone. The music is very grunge like, with no elements of partying, sex and rock 'n' roll. Gene chooses to take his anger out on religion (or rather organised religion judging people) on songs like Seduction of the Innocent while Paul pays homage to his son on I Will be There and Bruce Kulick appears on lead vocals for the first (and it seems last) time with the wonderful I Walk Alone. Overall, the album is so unlike KISS. It is so moody and dark, with lyrics that mean something and heavy on bad attitude. There are weaker moments but the main reason why I don't go crazy for the album is that it is just not what I would usually buy, (apart from the fact that it's KISS), and yet I find myself returning to it more than I would expect.
Ultimately the album was a dismal failure commercially. No singles, no videos, no publicity, no surprise! The album was bootlegged for years before its release and remains the only album in the band's entire history never to performed live. KISS carried on with the original members and left this album for dead. It is KISS forgotten LP. Despite its oddness, it's a good record, and one which must be given a few listens to really see what can be made of it.
First off, it contains some great (if very unKISSlike) songs like Master and Slave, Childhood's End, Jungle, I Will be There and I Walk Alone. The music is very grunge like, with no elements of partying, sex and rock 'n' roll. Gene chooses to take his anger out on religion (or rather organised religion judging people) on songs like Seduction of the Innocent while Paul pays homage to his son on I Will be There and Bruce Kulick appears on lead vocals for the first (and it seems last) time with the wonderful I Walk Alone. Overall, the album is so unlike KISS. It is so moody and dark, with lyrics that mean something and heavy on bad attitude. There are weaker moments but the main reason why I don't go crazy for the album is that it is just not what I would usually buy, (apart from the fact that it's KISS), and yet I find myself returning to it more than I would expect.
Ultimately the album was a dismal failure commercially. No singles, no videos, no publicity, no surprise! The album was bootlegged for years before its release and remains the only album in the band's entire history never to performed live. KISS carried on with the original members and left this album for dead. It is KISS forgotten LP. Despite its oddness, it's a good record, and one which must be given a few listens to really see what can be made of it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have no problem with KISS in any of there forms,bad album wise I can't think of a truly terrible one just some that may have been a bit pedestrian,Natural bias out of the way then best discuss the product!!
This album was largely disowned when Simmons and Stanley decided the reunion route was likely to be more lucrative, It was therefore released without fanfare despite coming straight after the generally acclaimed 'Revenge.'
What we have here however is a KISS album that sounds unlike KISS,Grunge like in parts downright doomy in others there is still enough hooks to maintain an anthemic quality to songs like Childhoods end, I will be there and to be honest much else.
Had KISS not gone the retro route and instead decided to revisit past glories I have a feeling this album may have won them some acclaim if not actual decent sales, It's an album that is bound to divide KISS fans but where I struggle with 'the Elders' pomp I have little problem with this and as an experiment I think it was a worthwhile one.
Worth noting at this point too that much was being made of Nirvana's early cover of 'God of Thunder',Courtney Love purloining a KISS T-Shirt years back and Billy Corgan feting them so it's likely this was a calculated decision to create a alternate history of KISS as the godfathers of grunge.
Great album nevertheless and a worthy addition to the KISS canon.
This album was largely disowned when Simmons and Stanley decided the reunion route was likely to be more lucrative, It was therefore released without fanfare despite coming straight after the generally acclaimed 'Revenge.'
What we have here however is a KISS album that sounds unlike KISS,Grunge like in parts downright doomy in others there is still enough hooks to maintain an anthemic quality to songs like Childhoods end, I will be there and to be honest much else.
Had KISS not gone the retro route and instead decided to revisit past glories I have a feeling this album may have won them some acclaim if not actual decent sales, It's an album that is bound to divide KISS fans but where I struggle with 'the Elders' pomp I have little problem with this and as an experiment I think it was a worthwhile one.
Worth noting at this point too that much was being made of Nirvana's early cover of 'God of Thunder',Courtney Love purloining a KISS T-Shirt years back and Billy Corgan feting them so it's likely this was a calculated decision to create a alternate history of KISS as the godfathers of grunge.
Great album nevertheless and a worthy addition to the KISS canon.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
probably the hardest album in the kiss catalog to review,this is the antithisis of everything kiss should stand for partying/sex and rock roll.you shouldnt like it but it is good,only creatures can come close to the heaviness and as i've mentioned before kulick and singer really hit their groove now,sadly this was released as an after thought as the reunion of 4 unhappy men was making millions,kulick really stands out on this record some stunning sabbath type riffs and cool solos,love childhoods end/hate and i will be there,would have been interesting to see what tracks would have made the live show,in retrospect this is the elder part 2 an overlooked album which offers the listener much,makes you think,demands you listen,sometimes you'll like it, other times you wont,its a challenge not something you say often about a kiss album
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Kiss go gloomy (the underrated grunge metal sessions)
This almost not released record is often unfairly lambasted. It is true that Kiss had almost run out of puff on more than one occasion (1985 with `Asylum', 1989 with `Hot in the... Read more
Published 10 months ago by B. S. Marlay
Underrated ignored great heavy album from legends
Megahuge rock band KISS recorded this when Grunge bands were massive, and it then hung around in limbo being released much later before KISS then put their make up back on and... Read more
Published on 16 May 2010 by Franz Kiffka
What a line-up!
When I first heard it I thought:'Man, now they are trying to be a grunge band', and that I'll never like the album. Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2008 by Andi
Hard, Heavy and thoughtful
Let me get to the point, the only KISS album similiar to this is Creatures of the Night.
This is by far the heaviest and most grown up KISS album. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2006 by Neil P. Luney
The kiss off..
If you asked me who my favourite band are I'd probably still say Kiss, even though we saw what will likely turn out to be their last album of original material, Psycho Circus,... Read more
Published on 10 Feb 2006
Bruce and Eric go out with a BANG!!!!
I'll keep this short and sweet.
It's the heaviest kiss album by a mile and shows that the boys don't need seven inch leather heels and make up to turn heads and kick ass. Read more
It's the heaviest kiss album by a mile and shows that the boys don't need seven inch leather heels and make up to turn heads and kick ass. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2005 by Mr. A. Hough
Carnival of Souls Rockz!
Most people might disagree with me but I can honestly say that this album is one of the heaviest albums ever put out by KISS. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2000
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