Cover: 2 space bears out of 10

The cover is basically the exact same thing as Metallica’s Binge and Purge box, except with a flaming (*snicker*) Kiss logo instead of that dumb stenciled crap that Metallica put on theirs. There’s also a bunch of backstage passes from various eras of Kiss, but they’re so small that they really don’t do much for overall blandness of it all.

Packaging: 8 codpieces of of 10

The overall packaging is really cool. It’s nice that record companies stopped manufacturing huge, clunky box sets and starting making nice compact sets like this. It’s essentially a digipak, only twice as thick. Once unfolded, there’s 4 CD’s and a thick booklet full of liner notes from all of the original albums with new commentary from the band. The liner notes are interesting when they’re used to give historical perspective; what’s embarrassing is when they get really caught up in “the meaning of Kiss.” You can’t help but get a douche chill when Paul Stanley says “Kiss is life.”

The best thing about the packaging is that it’s 4 CD’s. The first two Alive albums were double disc sets. I never questioned why; I always assumed that the length dictated that. Now I can see that it was completely pointless as they both fit on single discs. Maybe they were trying to say something about the “enormity” of those albums and Kiss’ live performances in general. Perhaps single disc sets would have been too puny for the likes of Kiss. What it probably comes down to is money – 2 CD sets cost more. You might not know this, but Kiss really likes money.

Songs: 8 bulletpoofs out of 10

The first two Alive albums pretty much need no comment. For a Kiss fan, those two albums are the definitive live documents of the band at the peak. There actual liveness of these albums has been debated time and again, but let’s be honest – it’s Kiss. Gene Simmons can’t fly, Ace Frehley isn’t really from outer space, Paul Stanley doesn’t really like girls, and Peter Criss can’t play drums. Kiss is all about illusion.

Alive III, while not being nearly as crucial as the previous two, is a damn good album on its own. Kiss’ recorded output in the 80’s was spotty at best, but this collection grabs a few of that era’s more shining moments. It’s the classic songs that actually suffer here; they simply don’t sound the same when performed by competent musicians like Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer. However, one song is greatly improved – the previously limp-dick “I Was Made For Loving You” actually ROCKS. It should also be noted that the whole album is now remastered, so it all sounds considerably better than the original pressing. (How’s about doing the same for Hot in the Shade, dudes?)

Alive IV was originally intended to be Kiss’ millennium concert in Vancouver. The album was delayed numerous times and finally shelved, to be replaced several years later by the Kiss Symphony version (a terrible trend in music around that time, but I digress). What it’s now become is Alive: The Millenium Concert and only available in this set, which sets this set apart from all the other Kiss compilations and repackagings of recent years. Pretty exciting stuff, right? It is…until you actually hear it. Most of the people interested in this era of Kiss have probably seen them, so the novelty of Ace and Peter playing “Heaven’s On Fire” and “Lick it Up” is probably gone for those fans (I know it is for me). There are a couple tracks from Psycho Circus (the title track and “Into the Void”) but most everything else here is better represented on the other Alive albums. Overall, the sound of the album is weak and the performance lacks energy. While Kiss used to be able to somewhat capture their live energy on record, this record shows that Kiss 2000 isn’t much without the visuals – firebreathing, smoke bombs, even Paul Stanley’s fruity little jigs.

Comments:

As a Kiss fan who only owned the first Alive album, I’d have to say this purchase was worth it. If you have the first three Alive albums and aren’t a Kiss completist, I’d say you can probably live without The Millenium Concert. You’re much better off buying the Kissology DVD set, the review of which is coming soon!

- Alan Smithee