Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (also known as simply Carnival of Souls) is the seventeenth studio album by American rock band Kiss, released in 1997. It is the band's final album with lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, as well as their last album with drummer Eric Singer until 2009's Sonic Boom. The album is a departure from the band's classic hard rock style, in favor of a dark and dense grunge-oriented sound.[1] It is also the band's last album of their unmasking era.

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 28, 1997
RecordedNovember 1995 – February 1996
GenreAlternative rockheavy metal grunge
Length60:11
LabelMercury
ProducerToby Wright
Gene Simmons
Paul Stanley
Kiss chronology
Greatest Kiss
(1997)
Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
(1997)
Psycho Circus
(1998)
Singles from Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
  1. "Jungle"
    Released: 1997

Overview

The album was recorded between late 1995 and early 1996, but Kiss cancelled its release after committing to a reunion tour with the band's original lineup. Bootleg copies were circulated by fans, prompting the band to officially release the material in 1997 under the title Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions. According to guitarist Bruce Kulick, the bootleg versions in distribution lacked songs that are part of the official release. There was no accompanying tour to support the album, and none of the songs on Carnival of Souls have ever been performed live by Kiss.

Two former members of the band Black 'N Blue co-wrote songs on Carnival of Souls; vocalist Jaime St. James co-wrote "In My Head", and guitarist Tommy Thayer collaborated on "Childhood's End". Thayer would join Kiss as the band's permanent lead guitarist in 2002. The album's closing track, "I Walk Alone", features lead vocals from the band's then-lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, his only lead vocal performance with the band. Carnival of Souls is the band's longest album, clocking in at 60 minutes and 11 seconds.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Rock Hard8/10[3]
Visions2/12[4]

Guitarist Bruce Kulick wrote at his official website that Carnival of Souls had "people equally vocal about it being their favorite Kiss CD or thinking it's the worst Kiss album ever".[5] The album reached #27 on Billboard charts and the only single released from the album, "Jungle", made #8 on the US Mainstream Rock (chart). No music video was made to promote the single, which later won a 1997 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Award for Song of the Year.[6]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Hate"Gene Simmons, Scott Van Zen, Bruce KulickSimmons4:36
2."Rain"Paul Stanley, Kulick, Curtis CuomoStanley4:46
3."Master & Slave"Stanley, Kulick, CuomoStanley4:57
4."Childhood's End"Simmons, Tommy Thayer, KulickSimmons4:20
5."I Will Be There"Stanley, Kulick, CuomoStanley3:49
6."Jungle"Stanley, Kulick, CuomoStanley6:49
7."In My Head"Simmons, Van Zen, Jaime St. JamesSimmons4:00
8."It Never Goes Away"Stanley, Kulick, CuomoStanley5:42
9."Seduction of the Innocent"Simmons, Van ZenSimmons5:16
10."I Confess"Simmons, Ken TamplinSimmons5:23
11."In the Mirror"Stanley, Kulick, CuomoStanley4:26
12."I Walk Alone"Simmons, KulickKulick6:07

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Austrian Albums Chart[7] 37
Dutch Albums Chart[7] 66
European Albums Chart[8] 84
Finnish Albums Chart[7] 17
German Albums Chart[7] 36
Norwegian Albums Chart[7] 23
Swedish Albums Chart[7] 29
US Billboard Pop Albums[9] 27

SinglesBillboard (North America)

Year Chart Single Position
1997 Mainstream Rock Tracks "Jungle" 8[10]

References

  1. Floren, Ingo (2004). The Official Price Guide to Kiss Collectibles. Ingo Floren. ISBN 1400050294.
  2. Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions at AllMusic
  3. "KISS - Carnival Of Souls". ROCK HARD Heavy-Metal-Magazin.
  4. "visions.de | Platten | KISS | Carnival Of Souls". www.visions.de.
  5. "BK Celebrates Carnival of Souls on its 15th Anniversary". Bruce Kulick official homepage. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  6. Metal Edge Magazine June 1998 Pantera, Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Single Issue Magazine by Gerri Miller (Editor)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2014-01-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Billboard". 1997-11-15.
  9. "Kiss Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  10. "Billboard chart history-Kiss singles". Retrieved February 12, 2009.
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