Here comes a new Tribute album from Nuclear Blast. After Judas Priest, Accept, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Abba (yes !) ... here comes the turn of New York's most well known band ... we are talking of course of Kiss.

As usual with Tribute records, the choice of the songs could be "debated" for 2000 years as Kiss discography covers now more than 25 years. Kiss' fans could argue that this Tribute is missing the most classical songs of the band - Shout It Out Loud, I Was Made For Loving You, Lick It Up, I Love It Loud, Beth, Rock And Roll All Night !!!!! - ... and being myself a mega Kiss fan, I agree.

Now who plays what?

Hammerfall : Detroit Rock City
Skid Row : C'mon And Love Me
Helloween : I Stole Your Love
Pretty Maids : Hard Luck Woman
Anthrax : Parasite
Galactic Cowboys : I Want You
Six Feet Under : War Machine
Hypocrisy : Strange Ways ...... I didn't remember Kiss has written this one to be honest.
Doro : Only You
Maryslim ... (who ?) : Comin' Home *
The Melvins : Goin' Blind
Iced Earth : Creatures of The Night
Overkill : Deuce
Bathory : Black Diamond *

* previously unreleased tracks.

Considering we are talking about Kiss ... the number of unreleased covers is an insult to one of the best - who said the best - US heavy/rock band. Nuclear Blast didn't really invest that much for this tribute. Worse, when you know that Immortal, who are mega Kiss fans and signed by Nuclear Blast - don't appear on this tribute ... I am wondering what were the motivations of the label except money :(

No further comments...

Hammerfall's opening comes as no surprise. Pretty Maids Hard Luck Woman is really fantastic, better than the original version, Galactic Cowboys does a decent job .... but Maryslim and The Melvins covers are jokes, actually bad jokes. So is the cover from Six Feet Under. I could bet a fortune Helloween recorded I Stole Your Love in 15 minutes as the production is pathetic. Where are the drums ? I can't understand how is it possible to not find Running Wild on this tribute ... knowing Rock 'n Rolf is also a mega Kiss fan. Who said money ?

Iced Earth Creatures Of The Night is wonderful - thanks to Matthew Barlow. Overkill Deuce and Doro Only You save the day.

For Kiss fans only I suppose ...

I don't know what is happening with Nuclear Blast ... but if you ask me, I think this label is slowly Goin' Blind :(