Kiss
Music From "The Elder"

THE REVIEW

We are in 1981, and the band known for their famous live performances and brilliant successes seems to be experiencing a period of crisis (in terms of sales). The previous album, "Unmasked," didn't have great success, mainly due to the misunderstanding of the name: most fans thought they had removed their makeup.
"Music From “The Elder”" is the first album featuring Eric Carr, an excellent Italian-American drummer (his real name is Paul Caravello), alongside historical members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Ace Frehley. This concept album was born from the idea of Gene Simmons, who conceived a story of a race of immortal beings observing humans.
The Elder is a complicated album, but a masterpiece, where metal and progressive blend to create sensational pieces: the legendary Kiss show what they are capable of!

The album opens, after a little brass intro titled “Fanfare”, with “Just A Boy”, very melodic, where Paul Stanley's fantastic voice stands out, reaching the highest notes. “Odyssey” is an intense piece, full of tension, where the instruments are accompanied by the American symphony orchestra and a piano that opens and closes the piece, and whose bridge seems almost psychedelic. “Only You” is a metal piece, starting with a guitar, whose sound is very acidic and metallic. This is the first piece at the beginning of the album where the lead vocal is Gene Simmons, who gives his best throughout the album. Immediately after, “Under The Rose” follows, another magnificent piece, made majestic and imperial by the male choirs of the “St. Roberts Choir”, and by the wonderful riff that follows the chorus. Follows “Dark Light”, written and sung by Ace Frehley, which starts with a timid guitar, until it explodes in a metallic riff. Ace's voice asserts itself once again: it's a pity that he hasn't sung many throughout the discography. Notable is also the guitar solo. But it is “A World Without Heroes” (written by Gene Simmons along with Lou Reed) that is the true masterpiece of the disc, a quiet song that serves as a break, where Gene Simmons's voice is warm and emotional, accompanied by violins, giving that touching melancholic touch. “The Oath”, is another metal piece, but with noticeable progressive nuances, especially in the choruses; furthermore, the lyrics are a masterpiece. “Mr. Blackwell”, (another piece signed Simmons-Reed) is perhaps the most enigmatic song on the album, and in some parts the heaviest. “Escape From The Island” is the instrumental of the album, a sweeping musical ensemble in prog-metal style, characterized by powerful breaks and notable guitar virtuosity. “I”, instead, is the closing of the album, a true masterpiece, with powerful choral and melodic choruses. This was the only song to enjoy moderate success, even reaching the top ten in Italy, and was performed at the Sanremo festival, with a live connection from America.

Unfortunately, "Music From “The Elder”" was a complete failure, the least sold album in Kiss's history, and even today the most underrated.