SONIC BOOM

When SONIC BOOM was released, it had been over a decade since the last Kiss studio album, so expectations were understandably high. In addition, the intervening period had seen the band fire two of its founding members for the second time, only to replace them with sidemen wearing Ace Frehley and Peter Criss's iconic makeup. Luckily, the new additions, unlike some of Kiss's "un-masked years" members, have a good feel for classic Kiss. That fact, matched with Paul Stanley's assumption of production duties, makes SONIC BOOM one of the most consistent and thoroughly Kiss-sounding albums since the group's '70s heyday. That said, the New York City unit manages to branch out a bit; alongside very ROCK & ROLL OVER/LOVE GUN-esque tracks such as the Gene Simmons-sung rockers "Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect)" and "Russian Roulette," sit ambitious pieces such as "Stand," which employs a Motown-influenced chorus melody, sophisticated arrangement, and Beach Boys-style harmonies, and "All For the Glory" and "Lightning Strikes," which are vocal showcases from new guys Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer (respectively). Interestingly, both Singer's rasp and Thayer's slightly off-kilter delivery are highly reminiscent of their famous predecessors, which further contributes to the album's distinct Kiss-ness. Overall, though the record doesn't pack quite the same lean, mean, gritty punch as early classics like DESTROYER or KISS (or Ace Frehley's own 2009 album ANOMALY), it is a clear return to the sound of archetypal Kiss.