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List Price: $19.99 | | Salesrank: 756533
Released: October 24, 2006 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Editorial Review:
Japanese-only release limited to one pressing only. Featuresan animated 3-D 'Psycho Circus' NTSC videotape with 3-D glasses for viewing, a one dimensional version of the 'Psycho Circus' video and a picture CD with 'We Are One', 'Psycho Circus' and 'In Your Face'. All of this comes packaged in a beautiful, full color die-cut 1.5" x 6" x 7.5" display box. 1999 release.
Description of Psycho Circus:
Talk about the roar of the greasepaint: On this first studio effort together since Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley welcomed back once-exiled mates Peter Criss and Ace Frehley with open talons (was it really almost 20 years? How the pterodactyl flies), the unkillable beast called Kiss reels off a few potent additions to its undeniably, er, prodigious body of work. Still stubbornly plodding through the musical tar pits of their classic-rock youth--a little Beatles harmony here, a little Alice Cooper guitar noise there--the dressed-to-ill foursome makes the clock roll back (if not completely unwind) with the fist-waving "I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll" and the if-Green-Day-can-do-it-why-not-us acoustic surprise, "We Are One." Better even than the album is the in-booklet merchandise ad, which hawks Kisstory II in all its "440-page, 9-pound" glory, for a mere $158.95. Like they say: size does matter. --Billy Altman
Psycho Circus Reviews:
Kiss - 'Psycho Circus' (Mercury) 2 1/2 stars 
2009-12-15 - Review no. 266. Knew I still had my copy of this Kiss CD, simply had to take a few minutes to dig it up. I've heard from some of the biggest Kiss fans that I know comment that 'Psycho Circus' is even worse than 'Unmasked' - now that's saying something. I, for one didn't feel this disc was THAT dreadful nor was it good either - it's so-so. Tunes I thought sort of stood out were "I Pledge Allegiance To The State Of Rock & Roll", "Into The Void", the Top 40-ish "We Are One", maybe "Dreamin'" and "Journey Of 1,000 Years". Their follow-up 'Sonic Boom' is much better.
It's good music. 
2009-12-01 - I don't mean to be confrontational, but most of the people here are complaining that peter and ace didn't record much of this album. It should really be judged on the sound of the music and not who recorded it. The music itself it awesome, one of my favorite kiss albums. It's different from the classic kiss but it is great in its own way. If you like kiss and/or the rock genre, buy this album. You won't regret it.
You wanted the best?...... 
2009-11-28 - `Psycho Circus' is not the first nor was it the last fraud perpetrated on KISS fans by the firm of Stanley and Simmons. A reunion album may have turned into a great idea but Ace and Peter are little more than special guests on this LP. The album itself tries too hard to capture the glory years of the seventies with two unbelievably embarrassing songs that quality control should have prevented from appearing (I won't tell you which two because once you hear the songs (look at the titles) it will instantly be obvious. It is also that the original KISS toured in support of this record (man Ace and Peter must have been paid a ton!) since the band was not technically a band by this point. Bruce Fairbairn was less than enamored with the playing of Frehley and Criss that session people (including future KISS lead guitarist Tommy Thayer) played almost all the songs (Ace's "Into the Void" being the lone tune that all four members actually played on). The liner notes won't tell you that but how many times have bands lied on their liner notes (especially KISS!)? The title track and "I Pledge Allegiance" are decent even good KISS songs and the aforementioned Ace song is worthwhile. I also like "Within" which as one reviewer has already mentioned seems like an obvious `Carnival of Souls' leftover. I haven't heard `Sonic Boom' but seeing how `Psycho Circus' was the last real KISS album for over a decade, I don't have high hopes. As Gene has made fairly obvious on his TV show, KISS is now more than ever a corporate brand and not a productive artistic rock band (it is hard to believe Gene made his fame and fortune as a musician, not as a carnival huckster). Longtime fans may enjoy `Psycho Circus' but then they already know the deal...welcome to the show...a true masquerade...
Wow. What happened?
2009-11-10 - I won't go into too much detail in reviewing this album because, it's not a favorite of mine, to be honest. It could have and should have been so much better. The opening title track was pretty good for the most part. It really sets a good mood in getting you prepared for what you hope is to come. And the next track titled Within, which is sung by Gene Simmons was pretty solid as well. But then the album begins to bog down, and is filled with too many vain songs boasting of KISS's success. Songs like I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll, and You Wanted The Best (Which is a kinda catchy song I'll admit), and Raise Your Glasses, are just too much self-centered boasting for my liking, thank you. And the Peter Criss ballad, I Finally Found My Way, while beautifully done, just seemed so hokey and fake to me. Dreamin' borrows it's opening riff from Alice Cooper's song 18, and it is an okay song, but it just seems a little boring and repetitive. We Are One by Gene Simmons is a nice heartfelt and touching song. Sadly though, the only real Rocker on the album is Ace Frehley's Into The Void, which is my favorite track on the entire album. It features all the qualities that we have come to know and love in a mighty Space Ace song. The closer, Journey of 1,000 years, sung by Simmons, is a yawner. Sigh. This album is a big disappointment. As Gene Simmons says in the Family Guy KISS spoof, "That does NOT Rock!", well, it really doesn't. It just does not feel like a true KISS album to me. Which, isn't surprising when you read the now well known background on this album which as I have learned featured many studio musicians such as Kevin Valentine, Bruce Kulick, Tommy Thayer, Bob Ezrin, and who knows who else? Ah, well...Sigh. They can't all be winner's, I guess?
i give it a solid 4 stars 
2009-09-13 - I think this is a solid kiss album.about 4 of the songs stand out as some of my favorites.
i just listened to it after about 4 years the only thing i hate is the sound quality.the highs are tinny and the bass is so flat.but i guess thats cds for ya!i wish this came out on vinyl!
