Kiss Unmasked CD

Kiss: Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley (vocals, guitar); Gene Simmons (vocals, bass); Peter Criss (vocals, drums).
Additional personnel: Anton Fig (drums).
Recorded at The Record Plant, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Robert Conte.
Digitally remastered by Bill Levenson.
Although Unmasked was certified gold shortly after its release in the U.S., it quickly fell off the charts. Deciding factors included the band's failure to mount a stateside tour, the fact that the majority of the compositions on Unmasked were easily forgettable, and longtime fans' weariness with Kiss' attempts to branch out into other musical styles. Vini Poncia was on board as producer again, and again he replaces the raw, heavy rock of earlier Kiss releases with pop gloss. Several tracks are indeed strong, and would have benefited greatly by a more direct sound, such as "Is That You?," "Talk to Me," "Two Sides of the Coin," "Naked City," and the single, "Shandi." But there's more filler on Unmasked than the average Kiss release -- "What Makes the World Go 'Round," "Tomorrow," and "She's So European" are tedious and predictable, both compositionally and sonically. Again, session drummer Anton Fig fills in for Peter Criss, who would officially split from the band soon after the album's release (eventually replaced by Eric Carr). Although the band's popularity dwindled in their homeland, they embarked on a massively successful European and Australian tour, where Unmasked was a huge hit, until year's end. ~ Greg Prato
Kiss Unmasked was the group's first album since Destroyer to not go platinum, and it's easy to see why. Driven by pedestrian riffs and melodies, none of the songs are memorable, and the group sounds uninspired throughout the record. Peter Criss left during the recording of the album; session drummer Anton Fig completed the record after Criss' departure. The change in drummers isn't evident in the music, but what the music does make clear is that it was time for Kiss to change their act. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Released in 1980, UNMASKED is the first album by Kiss not featuring the four original members. Although featured on the album cover, drummer Peter Criss was replaced by session man and David Letterman band member Anton Fig. With disco all but dead and new wave setting in, the group took a pop approach with producer Vini Poncia at the helm. While the record may have alienated hard core fans that were used to the band's heavier sound, the record did manage to appeal to Kiss' ever growing kiddie base.
The band's lyrical content remained consistent though, as "Is That You?" describes a vixen-like character close to the group. "Shandi", the only single off the record, is a catchy pop ballad featuring Paul Stanley on lead vocals. Lead guitarist Ace Frehley contributes vocally to 2 tracks: "Talk To Me" and "Torpedo Girl", increasing his input in the group compared to previous years. While UNMASKED may not be Kiss's hardest rocking offering, it's certainly a tight, well crafted rock album that is thoroughly enjoyable and showcases the band's talents.