Kiss
Monster

"Monster will send you back to the days of Destroyer" was written a few months ago on their official website. Indeed, with the single already, a rock n' roll radio hit as they define it, the first track of the album "Hell or Hallelujah" makes it feel like listening to "I Stole Your Love" again, the track that opened the Love Gun album in 1977. A great piece, written and sung by the immortal Paul Stanley who couldn't have chosen a better track to open the 20th studio album by KISS. Yes, because it's KISS we are talking about and their new album, released in Italy on October 9, 2012, "Monster"! 

Right after "Hell or Hallelujah", "Wall Of Sound" kicks in, a 2.44-minute track with a riff reminiscent of their 1992 work Revenge, considered one of their best, sung by a very fit Gene Simmons, who shouts over the riff but makes us want to sing along with him with soft and catchy choruses. Tommy Thayer is also in great shape, who, along with Gene and Paul, is among the authors of the song.
Monster continues with "Freak" written by Stanley and Thayer, a track that immediately strikes me and reminds me of Psycho Circus (1998) when with a low voice under dry drum breaks Stanley says "I Pledge allegiance to the state of independence", Thayer is excellent here too. The only song to have a guest, we indeed have Brian Whelan on piano.
"Back To The Stone Age" is opened by the riff played solely by bass and guitar; Eric Singer will enter shortly after creating a perfect backdrop for Gene Simmons' scream, who is also the lead singer of the piece, the only one in this album written by all 4 members of KISS. 

"I wanna hear you shout mercy, I wanna get a little crazy!" shouts Paul Stanley in the chorus of "Shout Mercy" written with Thayer, an engaging piece that keeps up the pace of this album, which, as labeled, contains no filler tracks (No Filler), no ballads (No Ballads) but just Full-Throttle Rock N' Roll. At the end of the piece, Paul delights us with a high note after the song ends during the final break. 
The track that follows is titled "Long Way Down" and is the second single from Monster. When I heard the song a few days ago, I thought it was a collaboration with Led Zeppelin, but it was actually written by Stanley/Thayer, which deviates from the highly recognizable KISS style, making the purchase even more interesting before the album's release. 
A very '70s intro for "Eat Your Heart Out" written and sung by Gene Simmons who entertains us with one of the album's strong pieces, this time in full KISS style. The same Gene sings the following equally beautiful "The Devil Is Me" written with Thayer and Stanley, in which he uses his voice using a lot of lower tones in Revenge style with notable catchy and engaging sung phrases. Thayer is in great shape, exploding his Les Paul on the breaks during the solo without making us miss Ace Frehley. 

And finally, Tommy Thayer puts the cherry on top of his work on this album by writing and singing solo "Outta This World", the second track signed by Thayer after "When Lightning Strikes," a highly appreciated track from the now penultimate Sonic Boom of 2009. In 2012, he still does not disappoint with his Rock N' Roll spirit that emerges even from his lyrics (I'll free your body, if you free your soul/If you're ready to rock, I'm ready to roll). 
Another anthem to Rock N' Roll written by Paul Stanley and sung by Eric Singer "All for the Love of Rock N' Roll" in which Eric Singer, like Tommy, keeps expectations high after his "All for the Glory" always from Sonic Boom. Although the anthems to Rock N' Roll by KISS are immediately compared to their classics (Rock and Roll All Nite, God Gave Rock and Roll to You), this one is enjoyable and doesn't make us regret anything. 
Very charged "Take Me Down Below" sung by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in a duet with very Rock N' Roll lyrics, but we could also say very KISS, similar to the highly appreciated "Stand" in Sonic Boom, also written by Thayer, who drives us crazy with his guitar solos. Monster ends with the fun "Last Chance" under Paul's shouts (This is your last chance!) and the other members' choruses. 

As KISS themselves declared in statements prior to the album's release, in Monster there is a bit of a point made about their career; there are indeed direct references to Love Gun and the '70s, to Revenge, but also to recent times (Sonic Boom). 
It's clear that a KISS album in 2012 could never have the same impact as a KISS album in the second half of the '70s, but after almost 40 years of career and surpassing (even abundantly) 50 years of age for Gene and Paul respectively 63, 61, coming out with a great Rock album like "Monster" is not for everyone.

Guys... we are still talking about the Hottest Band in the World: KISS!