"ALL RIGHT MELBOURNE
YOU WANT THE BEST AND YOU GOT THE BEST
THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD …. KIIIIIIIIIIIIISS"
If you are a regular reader of metalreviews.com, you remember our 2002
April's fool joke : Alive IV. Even though we added a lot of fantasy
in this review, Alive IV was supposed to be release in summer
2002 … and at that time, there was no plan for an orchestra. Almost
12 months later, this long awaited live album finally hit the streets
this July 2003. Kiss - who just signed a deal with Sanctuary
records - decided last year to change the "look" of its fourth
live album because they felt the time has come to offer something new
and different to their fans. In fact, almost all Kiss' classics
are already available in the three Alive albums. Alive IV - the
fourth chapter - was dead before born.
From a typical live album, Paul & Gene decided to record a symphonic
live show at Melbourne. Like Deep Purple, Metallica and
many other metal bands. The posterity album ? Who knows ... During the
past three decades, Kiss sold more than 80 million records worldwide
and were awarded 28 gold and 31 platinum albums. To celebrate the band's
30th Anniversary, Paul, Gene, Peter … and Tommy teamed up with
the 60 musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to record an
exceptional live album. The line-up is unfortunately not the original
one. Peter Criss is back and survive last year's crisis, but on the
other hand Ace left the band … or has been asked to live the band
(I let you choose). Tommy Thayer - a very good friend of Gene Simmons
- replaces Ace Frehley. What a shame ! No New-York Groove, no
Gold Gin :(
Kiss Symphony, Alive IV comes as a double CD including
three parts :
DISC One :
Act One:
01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Let Me Go Rock & Roll
04. Lick It Up
05. Calling Dr. Love
06. Psycho Circus
Act Two (Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Ensemble):
07. Beth
08. Forever
09. Goin' Blind
10. Sure Know Something
11. Shandi
DISC Two:
Act Three (Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra):
01. Detroit Rock City
02. King Of The Night Time World
03. Do You Love Me
04. Shout It Out Loud
05. God Of Thunder
06. Love Gun
07. Black Diamond
08. Great Expectations
09. I Was Made For Lovin' You
10. Rock And Roll All Nite
The show starts with Deuce. Why not ? I would have started with
War Machine, I Love It Loud, Detroit Rock City, God Of Thunder, Shout
It Out Loud … but not with Deuce. Act 1, with Strutter,
Lick It Up, Let Me Go Rock n Roll or Psycho Circus is quite
a standard live performance. I am a bit confused by Psycho Circus
which doesn't sound as the studio version. Like it is the case for Makin'
Love (Alive II) which sound better than the original track, Psycho
Circus on Alive IV is less powerful, less magical.
The emotional moments turn up on Act. II. Beth, Forever, Goin' Blind,
Sure Know Something and Shandi reveal a new facet with the
Melbourne Orchestra. My favorite tracks for this second act are Forever
- reminding me Eric Carr - and the wonderful Shandi.
Act III starts with Detroit Rock City and this time the orchestra
"takes" place inside Kiss music world. On Act II, the
"merging" wasn't complete. On the famous Detroit Rock City's
solo, the violins enhance the emotions of Kiss' most notorious classic.
A great moment of music. Like it was the case on Alive II, King
of The Night Time World follows the opener : here again the merger
with the Melbourne Orchestra is a complete success. Do You Love Me
smells like Wagner. "Is it a successful experiment"
asks Paul ? Well, crowd's answer is loud and crystal clear. Shout
It Loud is also a nice surprise, even though the orchestra is "covered"
by the wonderful vocal performance of Paul & Gene.
God Of Thunder pursues. Is it possible for the Melbourne Orchestra
to go beyond the original feeling of this cult track? Yes and no. God
Of Thunder looses its "dark side" but becomes on the other
hand more theatrical. Not bad at all. The end of this special anniversary
show sees Love Gun, Black Diamond, I Was Made For Lovin' You
and Rock And Roll All Nite scorching the sky of Melbourne. Love
Gun and I Was Made For Lovin' You being terrifically bombastic
;) Great Expectations sounds like an alien ... but I suppose
that Gene appreciate the way this track sounds ... with the orchestra.
30 years of music, 30 years touring, 30 years with and without the
make-up. How many black-metal bands have been influenced by Kiss
make-up? How many famous bands opened the show for Kiss? The
list is soooooo long. How many bands disappeared after three records,
after five years … or just after a new "metal-wave" fashion.
Kiss is here since 1973 and this Alive IV is a reminder
to all these journalists who said "this noisy New-York band
will die as fast as they saw the light". Yeah sure, after 30
years, they are still the hottest band in the world ;)
I can't wait to see the DVD now. After having learned by heart this
Alive IV, I would like to see the whole show with my eyes. We
will have to wait until September or October of this year. Let's pray
they will not postpone the DVD version … for another year.