Kiss - Symphony, Alive IV
Sanctuary
Kiss Live
Disc 1: 11 songs (46'50) Disc 2: 10 songs (49'30)
Release year: 0
Kiss, Sanctuary
Reviewed by Danny
Major event


"ALL RIGHT MELBOURNE
YOU WANT THE BEST AND YOU GOT THE BEST
THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD …. KIIIIIIIIIIIIISS"

If you are a regular reader of metalreviews.com, you remember our 2002 April's fool joke : Alive IV. Even though we added a lot of fantasy in this review, Alive IV was supposed to be release in summer 2002 … and at that time, there was no plan for an orchestra. Almost 12 months later, this long awaited live album finally hit the streets this July 2003. Kiss - who just signed a deal with Sanctuary records - decided last year to change the "look" of its fourth live album because they felt the time has come to offer something new and different to their fans. In fact, almost all Kiss' classics are already available in the three Alive albums. Alive IV - the fourth chapter - was dead before born.

From a typical live album, Paul & Gene decided to record a symphonic live show at Melbourne. Like Deep Purple, Metallica and many other metal bands. The posterity album ? Who knows ... During the past three decades, Kiss sold more than 80 million records worldwide and were awarded 28 gold and 31 platinum albums. To celebrate the band's 30th Anniversary, Paul, Gene, Peter … and Tommy teamed up with the 60 musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to record an exceptional live album. The line-up is unfortunately not the original one. Peter Criss is back and survive last year's crisis, but on the other hand Ace left the band … or has been asked to live the band (I let you choose). Tommy Thayer - a very good friend of Gene Simmons - replaces Ace Frehley. What a shame ! No New-York Groove, no Gold Gin :(

Kiss Symphony, Alive IV comes as a double CD including three parts :

DISC One :
Act One:
01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Let Me Go Rock & Roll
04. Lick It Up
05. Calling Dr. Love
06. Psycho Circus
Act Two (Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Ensemble):
07. Beth
08. Forever
09. Goin' Blind
10. Sure Know Something
11. Shandi

DISC Two:
Act Three (Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra):
01. Detroit Rock City
02. King Of The Night Time World
03. Do You Love Me
04. Shout It Out Loud
05. God Of Thunder
06. Love Gun
07. Black Diamond
08. Great Expectations
09. I Was Made For Lovin' You
10. Rock And Roll All Nite


The show starts with Deuce. Why not ? I would have started with War Machine, I Love It Loud, Detroit Rock City, God Of Thunder, Shout It Out Loud … but not with Deuce. Act 1, with Strutter, Lick It Up, Let Me Go Rock n Roll or Psycho Circus is quite a standard live performance. I am a bit confused by Psycho Circus which doesn't sound as the studio version. Like it is the case for Makin' Love (Alive II) which sound better than the original track, Psycho Circus on Alive IV is less powerful, less magical.

The emotional moments turn up on Act. II. Beth, Forever, Goin' Blind, Sure Know Something and Shandi reveal a new facet with the Melbourne Orchestra. My favorite tracks for this second act are Forever - reminding me Eric Carr - and the wonderful Shandi.

Act III starts with Detroit Rock City and this time the orchestra "takes" place inside Kiss music world. On Act II, the "merging" wasn't complete. On the famous Detroit Rock City's solo, the violins enhance the emotions of Kiss' most notorious classic. A great moment of music. Like it was the case on Alive II, King of The Night Time World follows the opener : here again the merger with the Melbourne Orchestra is a complete success. Do You Love Me smells like Wagner. "Is it a successful experiment" asks Paul ? Well, crowd's answer is loud and crystal clear. Shout It Loud is also a nice surprise, even though the orchestra is "covered" by the wonderful vocal performance of Paul & Gene.

God Of Thunder pursues. Is it possible for the Melbourne Orchestra to go beyond the original feeling of this cult track? Yes and no. God Of Thunder looses its "dark side" but becomes on the other hand more theatrical. Not bad at all. The end of this special anniversary show sees Love Gun, Black Diamond, I Was Made For Lovin' You and Rock And Roll All Nite scorching the sky of Melbourne. Love Gun and I Was Made For Lovin' You being terrifically bombastic ;) Great Expectations sounds like an alien ... but I suppose that Gene appreciate the way this track sounds ... with the orchestra.

30 years of music, 30 years touring, 30 years with and without the make-up. How many black-metal bands have been influenced by Kiss make-up? How many famous bands opened the show for Kiss? The list is soooooo long. How many bands disappeared after three records, after five years … or just after a new "metal-wave" fashion. Kiss is here since 1973 and this Alive IV is a reminder to all these journalists who said "this noisy New-York band will die as fast as they saw the light". Yeah sure, after 30 years, they are still the hottest band in the world ;)

I can't wait to see the DVD now. After having learned by heart this Alive IV, I would like to see the whole show with my eyes. We will have to wait until September or October of this year. Let's pray they will not postpone the DVD version … for another year.

Killing Songs :
Shandi, I Was Made For Lovin' You, Forever, Detroit Rock City
Danny quoted no quote
Other albums by Kiss that we have reviewed:
Kiss - Destroyer (REMASTERED) reviewed by Jeff and quoted CLASSIC
Kiss - KISSology: The Ultimate Kiss Collection, Vol. 1: 1974-1977 (DVD) reviewed by Jeff and quoted no quote
Kiss - Kiss Symphony - The DVD reviewed by Danny and quoted no quote
Kiss - Rock And Roll Over reviewed by Jeff and quoted 100 / 100
Kiss - Alive IV (April's Fool) reviewed by Danny and quoted 100 / 100
To see all 8 reviews click here
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