- Vinyl (May 27, 2014)
- Original Release Date: 2014
- Number of Discs: 1
Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions is the 17th studio album from American hard 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.
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.
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 EdgeReaders' Choice Award for Song of the Year.
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"[4]
- Eric Singer - drums, percussion, backing vocals
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums Chart[5] | 37 |
| Dutch Albums Chart[6] | 66 |
| European Albums Chart[7] | 84 |
| Finnish Albums Chart[8] | 17 |
| German Albums Chart[9] | 36 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart[10] | 23 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[11] | 29 |
| US Billboard Pop Albums[12] | 27 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Single | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Mainstream Rock Tracks | "Jungle" | 8[13] |
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