KISS "25th Anniversary of Carnival of Souls" by Bruce Kulick

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the KISS LP, "Carnival of Souls".Oct 28th, 1997 was the release date of my final KISS LP. With this anniversary I share a medley of songs from COS, performed with my band live from the KISS Kruise VIII as well as me singing “I Walk Alone” from KISS Kruise IX. "I Walk Alone" was my only lead vocal with KISS and the last song that appeared on the album. Because of the success of the Reunion Tour for KISS, the LP was given the additional name "The Final Sessions" to mark the end of that era of the band without makeup. It was described as a darker, heavier and edgier follow up to the KISS Revenge release.
Directed:
Bruce Kulick
Andrew Sgambati
Edited:
Andrew Sgambati
Carnival of Souls Studio Footage:
KISSology Volume 3
KISS Kruise Footage:
Jean Ramsey
Mike Brunn
Thumbnail:
Sharni Quittenton
KISS Kruise Band:
Todd Kerns Lead Vocal / Guitar
Brent Fitz Vocals / Drums
Zach Throne Lead Vocal / Bass
Special Thanks:
Toby Wright
William Hames
Paul Stanley
Gene Simmons
Eric Singer
Tommy Thayer
Please visit my website for everything about Bruce Kulick
www.brucekulic...

[@MetalJesusRocks]

This album is a total HIDDEN GEM in the KISS katalog. Lots of great tunes 🤘

[@KaddysJamKave]

I remember being excited for Carnival of souls release after build up in magazines that it was going to be Kiss's "heaviest" album to date. I wasn't disappointed... the first 3 songs blew me away!

[@christianwallin4993]

Carnival Of Souls is like the sister album to (Music From) The Elder, in my opinion. Dark, experimental and a bit weird. Same kind of vibes. I like both albums, and find them both unfairly underrated by the fans.

[@Zwopper]

100 percent true! ❤️

[@ronny-2112]

Great album Carnival of Souls, very underrated. I love that has that Grungy and a 90's Hard Rock sound.

[@TOnyGranados]

In my opinion as a fan of the band and now as a musician I always thought since I first heard the formation of Revenge, that it has been and will be the strongest of all the lineups the band has gone through. Thanks to you and Eric Singer KISS was able to sound like never before and they were able to play classical repertoire, giving it strength, vitality, more style and technique (which by the way was much needed :P). I know a lot of purist fans won't like my opinion because they're stuck with Ace and Peter but honestly I think you and Eric made the songs your own. Once, watching MTV Unplugged, one of my cousins ​​asked me: “Who are those guys? (referring to you and Eric) and my answer was: “Those two are more KISS than KISS!!!“. Thanks for the content, Bruce!!

[@EDDGC]

Well maybe you haven't listened to Creaturs of the Night yet, regarding heaviest moment in Kistory. ANd it is Eric Carr, not Singer who gave much to the band in that regard.

[@TOnyGranados]

@@EDDGC With the exception of the last two albums I have listened to all the KISS material. And well, in the studio, the drummer for Creatures isn't Eric, it's a guy named Niko Bolas (to mention just one of the “ghost” musicians who recorded on the album). And as a musician I tell you that Singer is above his predecessors. I'm not telling you this wanting to annoy you or contradict you.

[@hulterbulter]

@@TOnyGranados Niko Bolas was the recording engineer for Eric Carr's drums on Creatures of the Night

[@TOnyGranados]

@@hulterbulter Touché!! I was getting confused with Anton Fig but now I see that he didn't play in “Creatures“. You're right, man.

[@joeyvanostrand3655]

I've been a lifelong Kiss fan. I'm 45 now and was introduced to them in '84 with the Animalize album. Never looked back. Bruce and Ace are the PRIMARY reason I am a guitar player today. They are such individual talents with a sound and style that is all their own. Even with Grand Funk I know when it's Bruce and when it isn't. I do happen to agree with you about Revenge, mostly. It's their strongest album EVER. Eric Singer was born to be the drummer for KISS and Badlands. Eric Carr was what they needed back in the day to make up for all of those years with Petey and his passable drumming. I don't hold on to some antiquated notion that Peter Criss is even remotely in their range of talent and ability and has any rights whatsoever to that drum throne. He couldn't handle what either Eric play for a warm up on the pads backstage. He had his chance(s) and blew each one like a crack whore trying coax an extra Fiver outta her "date". You can't kend a bridge that's been blown apart. And that leaves Ace. Loose, kinda sloppy, but damn good playing and the man can write a hook. Ace has had his chances. But now, Tommy, who was Ace'e tech and literal teacher for the first reunion tour is now the SpaceAce. Ace's ego and his pigheadedness, and his greed got the better of him. And out the door he went. If those factors hadn't played into Ace's demise for that band, Gene surely would have found a way to accommodate his departure. Because Gene is, has been, and will always be... A Kuhnt.

[@mysteriowc]

This was a cool follow up album to Revenge.

[@mikal]

I remember "Rain" was actually in heavy rotation in the Detroit area, then the album was suddenly pulled and shelved. I was like... "So I can't buy it now? Why was it even on the radio, then?"

[@VikingEric]

One of the best Kiss albums. Love it and listen to it often.

[@gabrielbenitez9257]

Of all the albums, Carnival Of Souls is criminally underrated and I love all the songs in that album. My mom got me that CD when it came out and it was a blast. Sad it barely gets recognition and it got overshadowed when the reunion kicked off.

[@joshbrowntube]

1. Carnival is a really solid record. 2. Damn Bruce, your band is tight. Great musicians for sure.

[@CrazyLG72]

After hearing Jungle on the radio I was pumped for the album. I was blown away how heavy it was and I was ready. Then the reunion happened and I wasnt ready for that. Carnival was put to rest and I was definitely pissed. Kiss was going backwards instead of going forward in which I wanted new material. Once Carnival was released I was excited and lots of the album reminded me of old Black Sabbath. Its still in my top 5 Kiss albums I listen to.

[@ldknoche770]

I felt the exact same way

[@jaysutherland5360]

Same. My first kiss concert was in 90, HITS tour.. I was 7. When revenge came out I was pumped... Unfortunately my dad didn't like it and never went to see that tour. When i heard Jungle my mind was blown. I liked mtv unplugged, but was so pumped for COS. although im made it to almost every kiss tour since the reunion, i was they continued in the revenge /COS direction, and not playing hits from the 70's

[@kissthefox9141]

I had a bootleg of Carnival in 1994 it was a gem then and still is. One of my top 3 favorites from KISS!

[@jamesnick5585]

Master and Slave is such an AWESOME tune!!!!

[@jamesmarcin4787]

Love this album. Had the leaked version that I bought from someone online before the official one came out. Was excited when it when it was officially released Still listen to it often.👍

[@michaelhermanson2985]

I always loved this album. This performance was awesome.

[@byronmacdowell3732]

Such an underrated album. I've been a fan since 1975 and this is my 2nd favorite KISS album. We miss you SO MUCH Bruce!!!

[@raydejesus5091]

Carnival - Revenge 2 Brutal🤟🤟🤟🤟❤

[@andrewskz]

That's my favorite Kiss album

[@AarosConcerts]

Top 5 KISS Records in my opinion!

[@A_PROPHET]

Best album by far

[@tipejo710]

Thank you very much from Madrid Bruce, thank you,your music makes me happy!!! Madrid loves you Bruce, gracias!!!

[@davidr7813]

Love this album, I was sad it was the end of that generation of KISS but what a way to go out.

[@dirkvanderpoel6797]

This was the last great Kiss album. It still sounds fresh and heavy. Great video also. Thanks Bruce 🤘🏻

[@gregsimmons694]

Liked jungle! God bless you Bruce and savior JESUS keep you safe and rocking buddy!

[@stevebond7387]

The guy singing Genes songs is awesome! Sounds killer🤘🏼🔥👍🏼

[@jakecamp12]

I love this CD, it reminds me of the first 3 KISS albums. It is raw and dirty and brings the heavy that was missing in some of the slicker 80's releases. I think Master & Slave is one of the most underappreciated KISS songs.

[@dannymiller7880]

Love it ,,deserves better Awesome album I.ll be there,,Paul's best ever vocals

[@jevonmaclellan]

I truly think Revenge and Carnival of Souls is where you found the sound of Bruce and you’ve grown upon that with Union and you solo work as well it’s very progressive and still holds up today BK3 has some of my favourite tunes, believe it or I just opened up KZbin and stumbled on this video love it!!

[@muzbuz1043]

The last great KISS album. The reunion was good, it made the original 4 so much money, BUT this was the last thing that the band did, that I still enjoy. Thank you Bruce.

[@metalkatstudio]

Love this album.

[@blueracer8635]

Carnival of Souls is a great album. Top notch all the way thru. Great tribute Bruce.

[@craigswensen434]

Such a great album.

[@gregsimmons694]

Saw Bruce at a guitar clinic in Mansfield Ohio years ago! Thanks Bruce!

[@shawnfranklin9581]

COS completely rules!

[@mauroserra7103]

My favourite kiss album.

[@rollabrown]

Todd "fucking" Kerns !!! See you guys soon on the KK11!!! So love you guys!! Bruce you guys always ROCK the ship!!

[@kissdiaries]

What an amazing Album

[@Wishpool]

I remember getting it when it came out. So heavy!! You have such talented musicians backing you with Todd Kerns, Zach Throne, and Brent Fitz! 🤘

[@LeolCapel]

Amazing album i fucking love it, and inspire me as guitarist!

[@brettburow2367]

I am so thankful that I was able to see the original band on the reunion tour, but this version of Kiss was just hitting their stride starting with Revenge. As much as I love Revenge, I think COS was probably an even better record. I'm glad Kiss was able to reunite with Ace and Peter but when that lineup ran its course, I wish they would have got back with Eric and Bruce and picked up where COS left off. Thank you for all the great music, Bruce!

[@chrisbooth478]

Same here, or have two versions of KISS with and without makeup. Save the makeup version with Peter and Ace for special occasions or events, with them not being around each other as much maybe they could get along better?

[@John_Doe657]

Great album and very competitive with the grunge acts of the 90s allthough it came to late to late at the end of the seattle-sound era to have a greater inpact.

[@IgnatiyShuChannel]

One of my favorite albums. It's very underestimated

[@toma.4808]

A much better release than psycho circus imo. The revenge era kiss was really beginning to take off and kick ass. While I'm glad we got to see a reunion, you had a great thing going with singer,Gene and Paul. And Bruce it's no secret u and Eric Carr helped to proudly carry the kiss banner through those rough 80s. As a longtime kiss fan Thank you

[@MPLSprintmaking]

Well, that was fucking awesome.

[@simonscott1121]

Last KISS album I bought. Killer vocalist here btw Bruce.

[@mikegonzalez3079]

Carnival of Souls is a piece of Art.

[@brianstrutter1501]

LOVE THIS ALBUM!!! This will be what i listen to the rest of the month

[@DrAce2025]

Loved when this album came out. Couldn't wait to hear it. It was an awesome album and still is today. One of my absolute favorites of KISS. Thank you Bruce for putting this on here. Your band sounds awesome!!

[@dominiquemichaud9034]

hello from France , canival 's one of my best album ever ....... it deserve a real packagin ....it would be great from KISS to think of a real reissue ..

[@97warlock]

Such a killer batch of songs. 96/97 was a great time, awesome time.

[@walterlemos5950]

Hi Bruce, what a great job you did on that record, fantastic. thanks for your magic.

[@karelchmelir2006]

Absolut amazaing !

[@ALF.Argentina]

I love COS. I hope KISS will play a song from this album at KKXII, because it’s the only one album not performed live at all. Thanks BK for the medley at the kruise and for I walk alone & Jungle with Union and BK band 🙌

[@teambermessiah1157]

one of the best kiss albums ever! Should of been a few more like this album

[@sanderberkvens6270]

Love ya Bruce! 🤟🏼

[@dandakissisabelle]

Awesome, hugs from Brazillllll

[@FankDWalter]

These songs would never be performed live if it wasn't for you. Thank you!

[@FinalConsensus]

Your band absolutely rocks Bruce!

[@Maanebaronen]

I walk alone is my favorite song on the album. So great Bruce got lead vocals on a kiss album. Definitely the voice most suited to this kind of Grungy material. Wish there was more on the album.

[@madpixie02]

Haaaa. Man I love this album. Alive III, Revenge and Carnival of Souls. My top three. Unfortunatly, the end of my favorite KISS era. Extraordinary line-up and musical maturity. Thank you Bruce.

[@Sandro2367]

Top album.

[@jestershouse]

Wish there was a tour from this CD

[@erenn6476]

I really don't understand why many fans dislike this album; it was a solid release. Bruce I miss your presence in and your music with KISS. Also love your 3 solo albums.

[@TREVERLAST]

Thank you Bruce for sharing & celebrating Carnival of Souls. Great job!

[@briankerr2307]

I love this record so much. Me and my son were jamming some of it this morning. Me on guitar, him on drums. He’s 7, I’m 38 and we were both just winging it. Good times. Controversially - or not- this is my favourite lineup of Kiss.

[@LibertyisandofChrist]

Great!

[@morriemariani9646]

If cos was properly produced it would be an all time classic in the catalogue. In the mirror instant classic

[@DekeRadio]

Absolutely LOVED this album. I once had a friend, who is also a longtime KISS fan, say to me, "Carnival of Souls kind of makes me wish the original lineup never got back together". While I don't agree with him, I totally understand why he would say that. Such an underappreciated record.

[@kellers5696]

Love COS. Ur song I Walk Alone is awesome!!! So wish u sang more in KISS

[@robertriecker7867]

Love this album

[@DJKonchi]

Powerful album, great kruise medley

[@DMJoeBing]

I remember, post-Revenge, that I liked the darker, heavier direction. This album is the most underrated album, followed by The Elder. Thanks for this video Bruce. This album is what really made me focus on playing heavy guitar. Sabbath started me on that path, but this locked it in.

[@1978soloalbums]

Love hearing these songs played so well

[@DEATHVIPER1777]

This was a fantastic album!!!!

[@danielpittenger5496]

This is still one of my favorite albums by KISS. It doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Thank you Bruce for uploading this video.

[@itsjohnnymillion]

Jesus that band is good. Excellent job, Bruce and company.

[@quiricomazarin476]

God knows all things you don't have to tell him.

[@djroach3237]

This record kicks ass! I got the CD right after the release date! It gave me a shot of adrenaline! Revenge part 2!

[@brunomoreno2731]

I love this album,is the kind of sound i like.

[@freedomisntfree2089]

Some fans didn't like Carnival of Souls, but I definitely liked it, it was straight forward heavy, no bullshit. It just fell aside and was ignored due to the reunion tour plans.

[@Zwopper]

My top 4 KISS albums in no particular order are: Carnival Of Souls Crazy Nights The Elder Hotter Then Hell Thank you Bruce! Stay strong! The Bruce Cruise! 💪😎👍

[@pattymacleod1210]

Definitely one of my top 5 Kiss albums! Love the darker sound, great album to crank up when you're feeling frustrated!

[@josez1]

Love this album. I have “I walk alone” and “Jungle” on my phone. I have the cassette cover inside picture signed by both Bruce and Eric.

[@Rextum]

Brilliant live stuff. Thank you Bruce! I would love to hear even more songs from Carnival, I love the B-side especially. I walk alone, In my Head, It never goes away, Seduction of the Innocent… so dark and desperate. Good music to listen to alone in a dark room🤟🏻😎👍🏻

[@finishin.my.coffee8780]

I waited so long for this. Never thought it would see the light of day, then all of a sudden one day I saw the announcement in some magazine that it was coming out Oct. 28. I made sure to buy it ASAP. I loved the darker vibe and heavier guitar. The extended jam at the end of Jungle was really cool. Something that often gets overlooked on this record is Eric's drumming. It's some of the best I've heard from him, especially if that tiny kit on the cover is what he used for the whole recording process. The only thing I'd change about this record, given the opportunity, is that I'd have used the original cover art; the leather-clad head with the flames. The ending...that final artificial harmonic note that ends I Walk Alone...it really drives it home that that early 90s era is over. It's bittersweet. Thanks, Bruce!

[@jayburnett7880]

One of my favorite Kiss albums. Thanks for the video!

[@TwistedKISSter]

The KISS I wish that would’ve lasted forever! Great stuff. Is there anywhere to access the Blogs covering the making of this album and the others? Those were fantastic reads.

[@ACEDIAMOND666]

I got Carnival Of Souls on a cassette tape when it came out in 1997. I still have it on a cassette tape....but I had to transfer it some years ago. That backup cassette tape is what I still have, and it still rips!

[@desivazquez7584]

Ty Bruce,this album not only was my 3 all time favorite KISS albums but i also followed you during your supergroup Union. Kudos and thanx a bunch.

[@mztbass]

Dude, your footprint on this was amazing. It instantly became my favorite of the entire KISS collection.

[@markbirchette8740]

Happy Anniversary Bruce!🎸Smoking ass band too!

[@ukrpgfan4029]

Stunning album, I wish they had carried on in this way.....

[@gustavosilvera9396]

Hi Bruce! happy 2023 to you and Lisa! I still remember that stage when I lived in Argentina... I had a wonderful romance with revenge, I listen to carnival and before the album comes out I listen to REUNION TOUR!!!! Man, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes at that moment, honestly.... But what you've done in carnival, it's a masterpiece and very meticulous!! You always understood very well where the Kiss guitars without Ace should go, accommodating the present times, AND I LOVE YOU FOR THAT. WE ALL LOVE YOUR WORK ALWAYS, AND CARNIVAL IS YOUR BABY FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL THE END! Thank you for being a LIVE PART OF KISSTORY, UNTIL THE END OF DAYS... (Freddie M) God bless you, THANK YOU FOR YOUR MUSIC!

[@AJStrong]

Seriously one of the best KISS albums released and arguably the best release you played on, Bruce.

[@thanktheuniverse9438]

You know that as your band were playing the melody, the KISS members were listening and impressed. You play better than the official band. 💪

[@JonathanTapia-j4v]

this is the path kiss should have taken, is such a shame we never saw what else they were capable of making, at least this album managed to remain alive, literally a hidden gem

[@jasongoad1084]

This is so awesome. Yall should be opening the Kiss Tour!!

[@brianmeek9597]

It's always great to hear kiss but it's also interesting to hear other sing their songs and to do it with one of the members and past members. As always Bruce kick ass.

[@mirkotasso]

Great album!

[@courtneyross7879]

Would be cool IF Gene and Paul re-released the CD with the originally intended artwork, maybe along with some bonus gems, like recording session footage that hasn’t already been posted on KZbin. Also would have been neat to see them do more of a small venue tour of the album with an intimate type setting…kinda like how Robert Plant did gigs in 2022.

[@montecarlostar]

That was nice, but I wish you would have talked more about it, Bruce!