Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
Studio album by Kiss
Released	October 28, 1997
Recorded	November 1995 – February 1996
Genre	Grunge
Length	60:11
Label	Mercury
Producer	Toby Wright Gene Simmons Paul Stanley
Kiss chronology
You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! (1996)You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!1996 Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997) Psycho Circus (1998) Singles from Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions "Jungle" Released: 1997 Psycho Circus1998

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions is the 17th studio album from American rock band Kiss. Originally slated for a 1996 release, it was ultimately not released until 1997. It was the band's final album with lead guitarist Bruce Kulick. The album is a departure from the band's classic hard rock style, in favor of a grunge-oriented sound.

Overview

Recorded in late 1995/early 1996, Kiss cancelled the album's original release as they instead committed 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. Because of this, none of the songs on Carnival of Souls were ever performed live.

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". Perhaps coincidentally, 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.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

The only single released from the album was "Jungle", which was a minor success, reaching #8 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks Charts. No music video was made for the single, but it won a 1997 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Award for Song of the Year.

Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine criticized the album, writing, "In some ways, it should have stayed unreleased, since Carnival of Souls hardly captures Kiss at their best." Erlewine further explained, "None of the songs, either the predictable rockers or the by-the-book power ballads, stand out, and the music sounds canned, forced, and overproduced, with little of the self-deprecating humor that made the comeback tour a success."

Track listing

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

Personnel

• Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar, vocals
• Gene Simmons - bass guitar, vocals
• Bruce Kulick - lead guitar, bass guitar on "Rain", "I Will Be There", "Jungle", "It Never Goes Away", "In the Mirror", and "I Walk Alone", lead vocals on "I Walk Alone"
• Eric Singer - drums, percussion, backing vocals

Charts

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

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Single	Position
1997	Mainstream Rock Tracks	"Jungle"	8