(Review by Yiannis Strutter Zervos)

It's hard when you have to describe the magnitude of a band like KISS. Maybe the hardest working Rock n' Roll band over the years. What can I say about KISS that someone hasn't already said? I wonder...But their deeds speak for themselves. 19 studio albums, millions of record sales, thousands of concerts around the world with their unique stage show, numerous of wonderful songs that endured through different generations of KISS fans. And here we are, after 35 years, with a new KISS album called Sonic Boom!

The expectations are always high and this band has done only extreme things, aiming higher and higher. Modern Day Delilah is the best way to open this album, with a magnificent heavy riff and the Biblical whore in the lyrics subject; I think the listener is already focused. From the first notes you can tell that Paul Stanley made an excellent job producing this record; the original KISS sound is still alive, with a slight digital furnishing, that our modern day Delilahs demand.

In Russian Roulette & Never Enough it's Gene's bass crashing bones with killer slides that sound like roarings of a wild animal. If you want to make your lady friend to take off her clothes I thing that Gene Dr. Love Simmons has the solution with songs like Hot And Cold and Yes I know (Nobody's Is Perfect) to show you how it's done. I love KISS' lyrics, it's all about sex and slutty women; what more can you ask? Stand has a catchy melodic chorus, while All For The Glory makes a significant revelation with Eric Singer on the lead vocals. Eric is the drummer that has been around for many years, playing with the greatest names of Rock like Alice Cooper, BLACK SABBATH, Gary Moore, Lita Ford, Brian May, THE CULT and many more. In All For The Glory Eric shows his wonderful vocal skills in a KISS studio album.
Danger Us brings on the amazing KISS concerts opener Deuce with a similar riff and While Lighting Strikes introduces Tommy Thayer on the vocals and reminds me a lot of the KISS classic Calling Dr. Love. I think these similarities are acceptable, these guys have a particular way to write songs, it's not going to change after 35 years. After all, these songwriting recipes are their trade mark, so you can understand why these songs all have a glimpse of Kisstory.

I'm An Animal is the heavier song of the album, with Gene handling the vocals (who else?) giving a wild animal's hunger for freedom with a sense of anarchy and destruction. Say Yeah! concludes Sonic Boom and it is going to be a wonderful live song on the upcoming KISS concerts, a song built especially for the loud over-the-top screaming KISS Army fans.  I read that there is not going to be a new KISS seventies album, without Peter and Ace, but I think Sonic Boom proved them wrong. Eric Singer has his own style that gives a fresh edge to the band and Tommy Thayer (maybe the weakest guitarist KISS ever had...) is getting as close to the unique solo playing and style of Ace Frehley as possible.

Sonic Boom is coming out from Walmart along with a six song live recorded DVD on the 5th of April, 2009 in Buenos Aires as part of the of the 'Alive 35 World Tour' and another CD with the Kiss Klassics re-recordings; an offer we can't refuse, for sure!