KISS : Nevermind of Souls

[Roland Rockover]

As an Italian KISS fan, there's something I've always pondered, and it's about the album Carnival of Souls. You know, the one that got shelved for years and only saw the light of day in '97, after the whole KISS reunion with makeup and all. But, here's the thing – I often think about what would have happened if Carnival of Souls had been released in 1991, right alongside Nirvana's Nevermind. Picture this: an alternate universe where KISS, with all their grandeur and flamboyance, taps into the grunge zeitgeist just as it's exploding.

Now, Carnival of Souls is a dark, heavy, and introspective album – quite a departure from the classic KISS sound, but in 1991, that sound would have been fresh, raw, and perfectly aligned with the grunge movement that was taking over the world. Nirvana's Nevermind was like a cultural earthquake, and it made me wonder how KISS's gritty and grungy side, as shown in Carnival of Souls, could have resonated with the same audience. As an Italian KISS fan, I remember the first time I heard Nevermind. I was in the little record shop in Rome where I worked, and I thought, “Imagine if KISS did something like this!” It’s been on my mind ever since.

Imagine this: KISS releases Carnival of Souls in '91, and they embark on a tour that blends their iconic stage shows with the raw, stripped-down aesthetics of grunge. Picture Gene Simmons, in all his Demon glory, but with a darker, more menacing edge, perhaps even swapping his leather and spikes for something a bit more flannel. Paul Stanley's stage banter would still be there, but with a tone that captures the angst and introspection of the time.

The music itself from Carnival of Souls – tracks like "Jungle" and "Master and Slave" – would have fit right in with the grunge scene. The heavy riffs, the brooding lyrics, and the overall sense of existential dread would have spoken to a generation that was disillusioned with the glam and excess of the '80s. This could have been KISS's Nevermind, a statement that says, "We're still here, we're still relevant, and we can rock just as hard as anyone."

The tour – oh, the tour! Imagine the pyrotechnics and the spectacle that KISS is known for, but with a grunge twist. Smoke machines and laser lights juxtaposed with stripped-down stage setups. Maybe they'd play in smaller, more intimate venues instead of the huge arenas, connecting with fans on a more personal level. I can picture them playing in places like the Palalottomatica in Rome or the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, where the atmosphere would be electric, the crowd a mix of old-school fans and new grunge converts. And the setlist would be a mix of Carnival of Souls tracks and reimagined versions of their classic hits – "Rock and Roll All Nite" with a grunge edge, "Detroit Rock City" with a darker, more haunting vibe.

I can just see the younger fans, those who were all about Nirvana and Pearl Jam, suddenly realizing that KISS had more to offer than they ever imagined. They'd see the showmanship, the dedication, and the sheer talent that made KISS legends in the first place, but they'd also see a band that could evolve and adapt to the changing musical landscape.

In this alternate reality, Carnival of Souls would have been a massive hit, riding the wave of grunge to new heights of popularity. KISS would have been hailed as innovators, bridging the gap between the bombastic rock of the '70s and the raw, unfiltered sound of the '90s. It would have been a fusion of spectacle and substance, a testament to the band's enduring legacy and their ability to reinvent themselves.

Ah, but alas, it's all a dream, a "what if" scenario that plays out in my mind. Still, as an Italian KISS fan, I can't help but think about how Carnival of Souls could have been a defining moment, a second coming of sorts, had it been released in 1991. It's a tantalizing thought, one that makes me appreciate the album even more, knowing the potential it had to change the course of KISS history. Even today, I can't help but imagine how epic it would have been to see KISS bring their unique blend of rock and grunge to Italy's grand stages.





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KISS : Nevermind of Souls
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[Mister Freeze]

[TooOldToCare]

[FreddyFender]

You don't have to live like this - seek help

[kytepunches]

Shit Sandwich

[DangerZone]

This scenario is impossible since in 1991 Kiss were busy aping what Bon Jovi did in 1987.

NeverMind came out in 1991, Kiss aped it in 1995.

They stayed true to being 4 years behind

[Ol' Dirty Bastard]

Kisstards, never once.

[DemonFilth2001]

Dog shit post about a dog shit album.

[BernieTaupson]

It was no less a genre jump than every single album they had done after 1978.

Disco, pop with some nuwave keyboard, concept album, metal, pop metal, thrash metal, grunge.

[Dyslexicheart]

One of the most mediocre schticks on Sludge. Too long man, get your mom to edit it.

[Mister Freeze]

They stayed true to being 4 years behind

This is an accurate review for the vast majority of Kiss albums.

[Love_Industry]

Carnival of Souls had no chance of being successful as a Kiss album at any point in time. One of the few examples where a label intervened when a previously successful band delivered an unsellable product in the 90s.

What do the worst selling Kiss albums have in common? Yes, they are all darker and more serious than the usual Kiss album. Music from the Elder, Creatures of the Night, Revenge, Carnival of Souls... you get the idea. A Kiss album should mostly consist of upbeat songs about partying and getting laid, that's what they are good at and what the fans want. On Revenge at least Paul was mostly on brand.
You could argue that Unmasked and Hot in the Shade bombed almost as bad but HITS is just a lazy album with weak songs released when the band had little momentum. Unmasked - not sure why it didn't sell but it didn't have a hit single or concert classic that lasted so the songs may be a bit bland, and hard rock was heading in a different direction in 1980 when Back in Black, Blizzard of Ozz and British Steel were huge and NWOBHM was in full swing.

Edit: Creatures is not a disliked album, it just bombed sales wise.

[BernieTaupson]

Unmasked didn’t sell in the USA because the fad had worn off and the overexposure of the shitty movie and the four solo albums.

Australia was a couple years behind so for them KISS peaked in 1980 not 1978. And South America 1983. In both instances they were dead in the water 18 months later and couldn’t tour there again for years. Such is the fickle “pop” audience, they just jumped to the next big thing.

[El Vampiro Blanco]

This scenario is impossible since in 1991 Kiss were busy aping what Bon Jovi did in 1987.

NeverMind came out in 1991, Kiss aped it in 1995.

They stayed true to being 4 years behind

They were faster aping the Wall... Only took them 2 years!

[BernieTaupson]

[Mister Freeze]

Unmasked - not sure why it didn't sell but it didn't have a hit single or concert classic that lasted so the songs may be a bit bland, and hard rock was heading in a different direction in 1980 when Back in Black, Blizzard of Ozz and British Steel were huge and NWOBHM was in full swing.

I like Unmasked. But it's a good Spandau Ballet album. Not a good KISS album.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Unmasked is basically a Dynasty remake... I guess their logic was that IWMFLY was a big hit, so let's do that again. They weren't the only big band still making disco records in 1980...

https://youtu.be/FR3r0z3_oig?si=h--YutOyBow9Gv9L

[Love_Industry]

Unmasked is basically a Dynasty remake... I guess their logic was that IWMFLY was a big hit, so let's do that again. They weren't the only big band still making disco records in 1980...

Not sure if I agree... sure, they are both lighter, poppier Kiss albums but Unmasked is hardly disco. It's mostly a pop album with keyboards on every song and everyone writing in the same style that was popular around 1980, while Dynasty is all over the place stylistically with indeed 2-3 disco songs - IWMFLY, Dirty Livin' and maybe the cover of 2000 Man, pop tunes Sure Know Something, Charisma and Magic Touch and the other three close to classic Kiss hard rock that could have been on Destroyer or Love Gun- just not as good.

[DangerZone]

This scenario is impossible since in 1991 Kiss were busy aping what Bon Jovi did in 1987.

NeverMind came out in 1991, Kiss aped it in 1995.

They stayed true to being 4 years behind

They were faster aping the Wall... Only took them 2 years!

that’s probably cause Bobby Ezrin was there to push it along

[Bono Nettencourt]

Talk about a cocaine decision... and he followed it up with Alice Coopers equally awful DaDa.

[BernieTaupson]

dada is good!