Review Summary: Kiss make a terrible attempt at being serious musicians and solving their slowing record sales to create one of the worst albums of all time.
Even the most devout and supporting of KISS fans cannot claim that they have a perfect back catalogue. Despite an array of classic albums that will get any party going such as the mighty
Destroyer, the self titled début,
Love Gun and more, they are also responsible for some utterly diabolical pieces of work as well. Many fans were disillusioned by their attempt at disco with the
Dynasty album, they then went on hiatus in 1997 with a dreadful grunge tinged
Carnival Of Souls then reunited with the below par
Psycho Circus. None of these come close to the awful, AWFUL
Music From "The Elder".
First of all, when you learn what this album is and about it sounds like a truly awful idea that should have been avoided at all costs. After slowing record sales in the late 70's and early 80's with
Dynasty and
Unmasked KISS decided that they should try to become regarded as serious muscians. REALLY? SERIOUS MUSICIANS?? From a band that once claimed that they "Stole your love" and sing about their 'Love Guns' whilst dressed in makeup, one of them as a cat?? It gets worse however.
Music... is a conceptual album of which the story is based on the story of a film which was due for release at the time (the film never made it out, probably due to the film makers hearing the music and losing the will to live).
The story of the album is about a boy who gets raised by a group of elders in the Council of the Roses (!?) to defeat the forces of evil; because the best way to be regarded as serious musicians is to form a concept that your 8 year old brother could have written in about an hour. So yes and absolutely awful idea, and we haven't even got on to it on a musical level yet! Jesus!
The album opens with an instrumental opener, 'Fanfare' which is about as far away from the KISS sound as humanely possible and also completely fails in its purpose of generating excitement for the album and coming across as epic. Following on is story opener 'Just A Boy' which sees a feeble use of a choir, and if you listen carefully you can hear KISS fans weeping in the distance whenever you press play. Paul Stanley throughout failing to portray any might into the already poor storyline. 'Dark Light' is one of the few examples of a song that has any true resemblance to a KISS riff, a very poor attempt of a KISS riff but an attempt nonetheless. 'A World Without Heroes' is one of the worst ballads I have ever heard as well, and ballads as we all know can be awful. The only song worthwhile on the whole album is 'The Oath' which sits head and shoulders above the rest of the collection but still pales in comparison to much of the rest of their entire back catalogue.
I can not recommend how truly terrible this album is as an attempt to be considered serious, or even to make songs with anything close to interest. You could buy this album simply to set fire to it and you would actually be doing something more worthwhile than actually listening to it! Avoid at all costs!
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