Alive III

by KISS

Product Description:

Kiss: Paul Stanley (vocals, guitar); Gene Simmons (vocals, bass);

Eric Singer (vocals, drums); Bruce Kulick (guitar).

Additional personnel: Derek Sherinian (keyboards).

Recorded live in Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana during Kiss' 1992 "Revenge Tour."

If ALIVE III doesn't quite contain the overall quality of material that ALIVE! or ALIVE II did, it nonetheless offers its share of gems. Out of the later (post-makeup) Kiss songs, "Lick it Up" and "Heaven's on Fire" seem to hold up best when thrown in the company of "Detroit Rock City" and "Deuce."

Luckily the duds are few, made up for by an inspired reworking of the "Star Spangled Banner" (which should make any self-respecting head-banger place his hand over his heart while continuing to bang his head) and the somewhat radical reworking of the old Argent chestnut "God Gave Rock and Roll to You." Seemingly inspired by these covers and the energy surge that must come from playing in Detroit (The "Rock City" where much of the album was recorded), Gene and Paul put on a show more than worthy of the Kiss name and legacy. ALIVE IV anyone?