From: Ellison

Well, I thought that I'd add my two cents for anybody that cares to read it.I think that like a lot of Kiss fans, I had built up some HUGE expectations in my own mind once I heard that the original line-up was going back in to the studio.Maybe this was unfair, but hey, we're talking about Kiss here. Is Psycho Circus all that I had hoped it would be? Well, yes and no. I think that Psycho Circus is a great album, but not necessarily a great Kiss album. Maybe if I go track by track, it will help me to explain.

PSYCHO CIRCUS - This song kicks big time ! It's a perfect opener for the album and the tour.The chorus is super catchy and has you singing along the first time that you hear it. Nice solo by Paul,but if you're going to copy Ace's style,why not let Ace play it ? When I first heard this song I thought "If the rest of the album is this good,Kiss should have their first number one".

WITHIN - This is where the album takes a little bit of a downward turn. Not much, but a little.The song itself is pretty strong and is an obvious extension of what Gene was doing on COS, but I was hoping for a little more bite from him. This sounds a little like Gene trying to rewrite The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows".

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE - Paul picks things back up with this one. A great arena anthem from the kings of arena anthems.This tune will have everyone on their feet. I expect to hear it about mid-show.

INTO THE VOID - Ace is rocking on this one! The guitar hook is fantastic and sticks in your head. He is also is great voice, for Ace that is.Very cool solo,very "Ace".This should replace "Shock Me" as Ace's centerpiece in the show.

WE ARE ONE - Very cool acoustic number from Gene, but I wouldn't have put it on this album.It just doesn't fit at all. Once again, I'm left waiting for the "God of Thunder" to appear.

YOU WANTED THE BEST - You wanted the best? Well, this ain't it ! I mean, the music is pretty good, but the lyrics are weak and the chorus blows! It's obvious that they were looking for the big sing-along with this,but they fall short. Also, the production on this one is terrible. It sounds like they threw it together at the last minute. Even so, expect to see this one set as the big encore.

RAISE YOUR GLASSES - Who put "Crazy Nights" in my CD player ?! That's exactly what I thought when I heard this. It's a very cool tune and I think they accomplish the sing-along here. Kind of a cool solo too.Big arena rocker.

I FINALLY FOUND MY WAY - Whoever helped Peter find his way on this song should be shot. This song is awful ! It's a shame because Peter has a very cool voice and I was really hoping that he'd shine on this album. He doesn't. I don't think that it's his fault either. He's trying, but Paul wrote a terrible song. This puzzles me because I thought that his ballad from COS was the best that he's written. I was hoping for more of the same. Also Paul,in the future, keep Peter's vocal range in mind. The high harmonies aren't his thing.

DREAMIN' - This song kicks the album in the ass and gets it going again! This sounds the most like "old" Kiss (even though Bruce Kulick helped write it). Cool lyrics and a huge chorus. The droning lead guitar in the verse is very cool.

JOURNEY OF 1000 YEARS - One more time Gene! Another outstanding song from Mr. Simmons that lacks punch. He's got great songs here,but where is "The Demon" ? Would someone please call Dr. Love ?! The song does close the album in grand fashion, so I guess it's okay where it is.

Overall, I like the album very much.The thing that really comes across is that these guys are damn happy to be back. The entire album is a celebration of Kiss and us,the fans and we couldn't be happier. It might take some time to grow on you, but I think that when looked at in retrospect, "Psycho Circus" will stand up with the rest of their work. One last note, the album cover art is phenomenal! Probably the coolest looking CD cover in history! Well, that's it. Thanks for reading.

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