{"id":10100,"date":"2012-07-02T11:24:53","date_gmt":"2012-07-02T01:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=10100"},"modified":"2012-07-05T06:42:11","modified_gmt":"2012-07-04T20:42:11","slug":"kiss-to-unleash-a-monster-in-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2012\/07\/kiss-to-unleash-a-monster-in-october\/","title":{"rendered":"KISS to unleash a Monster in October"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u201cThe music is all hard-edged \u2014 they call it “thunderock” \u2014 and throughout their electrical storm solid craftsmanship prevails<\/em>.\u201d \u2013 Rolling Stone, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNice to hear some things never change<\/em>.\u201d Spin, 2009<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a real, flesh-and-blood rock and roll band with people who\u2019ve spent 40 years doing what we believe in<\/em>.\u201d \u2013 Paul Stanley, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rock legends KISS<\/strong> return with Monster<\/em>, the 20th studio album in their historic career, set for release in October<\/strong> through Universal Music Enterprises. The 12-track, straight-ahead rock \u2018n\u2019 roll album features collaborations among all four members\u2014including co-founders Paul Stanley<\/strong> and Gene Simmons<\/strong> and longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer <\/strong>and drummer Eric Singer<\/strong>\u2014in an album that shows the band at the top of its game. And that\u2019s saying something, considering their illustrious, 40-plus year history<\/strong>\u201428 U.S. gold albums, the\u00a0most gold records for any American rock band,\u00a040 million sales in the U.S., and a total exceeding 100 million worldwide.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Monster<\/em><\/strong> is the group\u2019s<\/strong> first studio album since<\/strong> the band\u2019s 2009 smash success, Sonic Boom,<\/em> and was also produced by Paul Stanley with Greg Collins at Conway Studios in Hollywood, CA, and The Nook in Studio City, CA.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s first single, the full-throttle, autobiographical rocker \u201cHell or Hallelujah<\/em>,\u201d will be available digitally on Tuesday, July 3.\u00a0 Stanley calls the album\u2019s lead track, \u201ca battle cry that encapsulates the entire record\u2026 one way or another, we\u2019re going to do it our way<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monster <\/em><\/strong>represents KISS\u2019 nod to the music that first inspired them to pick up their guitars and flame-throwers and don makeup to entertain millions.<\/strong> The group goes back to their own beginnings with the Who-like \u201cFreak<\/em>,\u201d while Gene lives up to the title track\u2019s declaration on the raucous rock of \u201cBack to the Stone Age<\/em>\u201d and the bludgeoning \u201cThe Devil is Me.<\/em>\u201d Even guitarist Thayer takes a turn on his own with \u201cOutta This World<\/em>,\u201d a tribute to his KISS \u201cspaceman\u201d character, while drummer Singer provides the vocals (and the back story) for the arena anthem \u201cAll for the Love of Rock & Roll<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no symphony orchestras, boy choirs, keyboards, outside producers or songwriters on this album<\/em>,\u201d promises Gene Simmons.<\/strong> \u201cThe best thing we did was to turn inwards to ourselves. Tommy and Eric have revitalized this band, with a work ethic and the talent to back it up. This is a real band effort. KISS has become a behemoth. We\u2019re going where no bands have gone before<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

On July 4, the band will perform at The Forum in London<\/strong>, the concert will serve as a benefit for the British \u201cHelp for Heroes<\/a>\u201d organisation, which raises money for its wounded, sick and injured troops. The band owes its own debt of gratitude to the English, admitting that Monster <\/em>is influenced by the country\u2019s great, legendary rock groups who influenced and inspired them to pick up their instruments in the first place.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all Anglophiles in this band<\/em>,\u201d says Simmons. \u201cAmerica may have invented rock and roll, but England knew what to do with it. They gave us the Beatles, the Stones, Led Zeppelin and the Who<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

More info at:<\/strong> \u00a0www.kissonline.com<\/a><\/p>\n

First single \u201cHell or Hallelujah\u201d <\/em>available July 3. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Album \u201cMonster\u201d<\/em><\/strong> available in October.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

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