After the long-awaited, full-makeup reunion tour featuring the original four members of Kiss criss-crossed the globe three or four times to rave reviews back in 1996 and 97, attention naturally turned to what the group could do together in the studio.
The answer came in the form of 1998's 'Psycho Circus,' and if it wasn't a home run, and certainly didn't hark back to the sound of their original '70s albums, it's much better than many critics seem to think it is.
The title track and lead single brought back a bit of that twin-guitar 'Detroit Rock City' magic, and a surprisingly diverse set of arena-ready anthems such as 'I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll,' 'We Are One' and 'Dreamin'' hold up to repeated listening.
The only real unified moment on the record is the history class 'You Wanted the Best,' which finds all four musicians trading vocals and recounting their story, but Ace Frehley makes a most welcome return on his solo spotlight, the stomping 'Into the Void.'
To our ears, though, the star of the show is Gene Simmons, who turns in the surprisingly touching 'We Are One,' the expansive 'Journey of 1,000 Years' and the sophisticated 'Creatures of the Night'-era groove of 'Within.' Which song from 'Psycho Circus' is your favorite?