Swedish heavy metal acts, Portrait and Ram, will have a split album released on December 9th, via Metal Blade Records. There will be three songs from each band on Under Command, which includes a new song each, a Ram cover of Portrait’s “Welcome to My Funeral” and a Portrait cover of Ram’s “Blessed to Be Cursed,” as well as a KISS cover and an Exciter cover. Yeah, that just sounds like a whole lot of awesome fun.

In fact, Ram’s version of “Welcome to My Funeral” (in the player below) and Portrait’s version of “Blessed to Be Cursed” (in the audio player at metalblade.com) have already been released for your listening pleasure.

Under Command Track List:

Side A
Ram
1. Savage Machine (new song)
2. Welcome To My Funeral (originally performed by Portrait)
3. Creatures Of The Night (originally performed by KISS)

Side B
Portrait
1. Martial Lead (new song)
2. Blessed To Be Cursed (originally performed by RAM)
3. Aggressor (originally performed by Exciter)

Make sure to pre-order your copy of the split, at metalblade.com, which will be available on CD and vinyl in different colors. There is also a shape available!

The bands commented on the split:
Ram

Why a split with Portrait? Well after long nights drinking beers and raising hell with several members of Portrait through the years it has become quite obvious where both bands stand when it comes to the question of what real metal is. When we started the band we could count our true supporters on the fingers of two hands because nobody was playing or listening to traditional heavy metal at the time. But Christian of Portrait was one of the first people to ever get a Ram demo in his hands and we knew that he understood what we were about. Over the years both bands have progressed but that die-hard attitude regarding heavy metal has never changed this split is a testament to that.

Portrait

For us it feels great to do a split EP with Ram as they have been around since before we started out and they have inspired us since the very beginning. They are one of very few contemporary bands that we feel connected to in any way, and we share the same view on what Heavy Metal is and what it can become. The material on this EP shows in a good way the vastness of this most elevated genre, from KISS to Exciter and to our own original material – it should be evident to the listener that the roots of Heavy metal are still expanding, within and through our bands.

The bands also commented on their song selections:
Ram

‘Savage Machine‘ is a hard-hitting song that we feel is very fitting for the split. It is straightforward hard heavy metal. It is also the first Ram song to feature our new guitarist, Martin Jonsson, and his brilliant guitar work.

Then ‘Welcome To My Funeral‘ is the first song on the first Portrait demo, I remember getting this tape from the band and playing it loud. We chose this song because it is a great song that we felt that we could add some heaviness to. The lyrics inspired me to add some quires here and there. It all ended up sounding really old school and dark.

We had a long talk within the band about what cover to choose for this split. We decided that it should be a band that all the members had a special relationship to. KISS was the band that got me, Harry, Martin, and Morgan into metal back in the late ’70s/early ’80s. We wanted to do one of their harder songs so we went with ‘Creatures Of The Night’, a masterpiece!

Portrait

‘Martial Lead‘ is a classic Portrait style metal monster with screaming guitars, pumping bass, high-pitch vocals and roaring drums. It was written about one month after our latest album Crossroads was released. It should disappoint no real headbanger and the lyrics deal with the art of bringing madness and terror upon one’s enemies.

We chose ‘Blessed to Be Cursed‘ because it has always been one of our favorite Ram songs and we could also easily rearrange it a bit in order to create our very own version of it. I am satisfied with the result and especially the hypnotic feeling of the verses.

Exciter… the Rambo IV of the Heavy Metal World. We have always loved them and they sure understand the primal energy of Heavy Metal and how to utilize it. We chose ‘Aggressor‘ because it is a perfect song of terror, fitting the concept of this split release splendidly. Also by chosing a song from the ’90s we want to show our appreciation for Exciter’s neverending struggle and their stance of opposition against all rules of right or wrong, no matter what the latest fashion is!

Rock Hard \m/

2014 has been a banner year for us and participating in one of the country’s most beloved events caps off what has truly been a spectacular 40th anniversary. We can’t wait to rock the Big Apple with our fans on Thanksgiving. – KISS’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley‘s statement about playing Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

As it’s been said, it’s tough to retire from a career. And it makes sense. So much of our identity and self-worth is derived from what we do that it can be crushing once it all goes away, especially if we don’t have another outlet to express ourselves. Now imagine being a star, whether it’s a sports star, movie star, or rock star, with adoring fans that praise the very earth you walk upon and give you a rush unlike any drug can provide. How difficult would it be to walk away from a career then?

In that respect, doesn’t it make sense that bands like KISS and Scorpions have been on multiple “farewell” tours? And then when your shows sell out like mad (because fans think it’s their last chance to see you), doesn’t it make sense to think that you’re still relevant, or, at the very least, appreciated? Don’t forget the coin you’ll make on a farewell tour and how alluring that can make a comeback farewell tour all the more possible.

Apparently the topic of retirement has been coming up in interviews with the members of Metallica, and James Hetfield has come out and said that he’s not a fan of the “farewell” tour. He especially disaproves when bands change their mind:

I don’t think that’s fair to anyone. KISS‘ farewell tour for the 10th time? Scorpions
were done and then they tour? You can’t say that and then not do it. I don’t know what’s in store for us. I don’t want to go on the history of how other bands have done it. We’re unique in our own path and unique in how our path ends.

I think Hetfield is right; it sucks when bands announce their farewell with a tour and then turn around and don’t actually bid farewell. It feels like cheating and lying. Worse, it feels like these heroes are trying to cash in…

But, I get it. These guys have been idolized, adored, have had money thrown at them, and have lived exhilerating lives. Why on earth would they ever want to say goodbye to that? If you still felt “needed” during or after your farewell tour, would you not try to stay in the game?

What do you think of the “farewell” tour? What do you think of multiple farewell tours? Is it fair to fans? Voice your opinion in the comments section below.

Rock Hard \m/

Best KISS Albums

Some time ago, I wrote a Holy Trinity article on three ikonik KISS albums. I named the first three albums (KISS, Hotter Than Hell, and Dressed to Kill) as the essentials, the bare minimum required by fans and curious onlookers alike. I also alluded to the fact that KISS has more than one Holy Trinity within its catalog.

Few people could argue with my naming the first three albums as the best KISS albums, but I fully expect some rocks to be thrown my way about this Holy Trinity. To pick three albums from five decade’s worth of material and then to name them the best KISS albums is not far removed from a suicide mission. But I think I’ll take my chances.

With the newly released Monster, it’s time to celebrate KISS by presenting the other Holy Trinity within KISS’ growing discography.

Dressed to Kill – 1975

Some of you might call foul since Dressed to Kill was on my first Holy Trinity. But, the fact remains that it’s an important album in the KISS catalog and can’t be ignored. It’s simply one of the best KISS albums and must be included in any list of best KISS albums.

As the third KISS album, it would be great to say that 1975’s Dressed to Kill launched KISS into superstardom, but that would have to wait for KISS Alive! At the time, however, KISS was still a struggling rock band that was only gaining recognition because of its spectacular live show. Critics still hated them and record sales were dismal. Still, KISS was being shut out of certain venues and other more established acts were fearful of being upstaged and refusing to allow KISS to open for them.

KISS – “Rock and Roll All Nite”

Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, Dressed to Kill contains one of rock’s greatest anthems, and certainly KISS’ greatest anthem, “Rock and Roll All Nite.” While any one of KISS’ first three albums, all released in just over a year of the band’s existence, could be on this Holy Trinity, the instantly recognizable “Rock and Roll All Nite” ensured Dressed to Kill’s ranking. It might not be fair, but if there’s one song from KISS that everyone knows, no matter their age, race, creed, religion, nationality, or musical preference, it’s “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

Some KISS fans might have grown weary of “Rock and Roll All Nite,” thankfully KISS was a hungry band back in 1975 and filled Dressed to Kill with several unforgettable rock tracks. If you’re unfamiliar with the album or if you’re a new member of the KISS Army, make sure to check out “Room Service,” “Getaway,” “Rock Bottom,” “C’mon and Love Me,” and “She.” You might also be interested in Skid Row’s killer version of “Room Service” and Anthrax’ heavy version of “She.”

What’s the next best KISS album on this Holy Trinity list?

You know, chance encounters with band members are sometimes better than an actual sitdown interview. This is so for a number of reasons: First it’s totally casual and all pressure is off. I’m not worried about asking the right questions and the interviewee isn’t worried about giving the right answers. Another reason is because nobody has an agenda to promote anything. It’s just a conversation.

This is precisely the case with my encounter with Scott Shiflett of Face to Face, Vava Death, Jackson United, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Ok, so pinch me, because now I’m twice removed from Dave Grohl since Scott’s brother, Chris Shiflett, is the Foo Fighters’ lead guitarist. I’m also now once removed from Gene Simmons of KISS.

So now we’re onto the purpose of this piece, which is simply to share the story that Scott shared with me, and it involves Gene Simmons.

So, let me set this up. We, myself and King Hazard, were in the media center at Amnesia Rockfest and in dire need of electricity for our portable devices. Unfortunately everyone else was in the same situation and all outlets were occupied in the lounge. So we made our way down the hall, turned the corner, and found some outlets along the wall, and along the opposite wall were the hotel rooms being used as dressing rooms.

So, in and out goes Joey Cape of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Lagwagon. He actually stopped to talk to us a few times and he’s a super nice guy. I wanted to sit down with him to get his top 5 horror movie picks, but I ended up swamped in Day 2 show reviews. I swear, I’m going to catch up with him on the phone. So, Scott, as he’s been known to do, was filling in with Me First (in addition to performing with Face to Face the day before), and one of the times that the dressing room door swung open he caught sight of my KISS shirt, which has the cover of the debut album on the front.

Honestly, I wear this shirt pretty damn often, so much so that King Hazard is tired of looking at it.

Anyway, Scott starts things off by saying, “cool shirt,” and then he jumps right into talking to me about Peter Criss’ make-up for that album cover’s photoshoot and how it took three hours to apply by an actual make-up artist, going on to mention how Gene Simmons was annoyed by that fact.

It turns out that his knowledge about KISS isn’t his only connection to the band. Apparently Scott’s uncle was the vice president of Casablanca Records, KISS’ first label. Well, via that connection, when Scott was 11 years old, he attended Gene Simmons’ birthday party in 1977, when Love Gun was out. This is when the true identities of the members of KISS was still a very guarded and clandestine secret, and while Scott admitted he doesn’t really remember much from the party, he does remember “the adults” joking around and saying such things as, “you better watch out, so-and-so has a camera,” which was followed by laughter.

That’s the shit. That’s what dreams are made of. That’s what happens “When You Wish Upon a Star.” That doesn’t happen to normal people.

Scott also shared with me the fact that Love Gun was the first album he ever purchased with his own money, which he earned by collecting aluminum cans. When I told him that my first KISS records were actually a part of a set called The Originals, he told me that he had had the same thing. He traded some kid down the street his copy of some Rolling Stones album for it. Laughing, Scott says that after hearing Love Gun he just knew that he had to have more of the same.

The conversation pretty much concluded with Scott telling me that he had heard “Love Gun” on the radio before ever seeing KISS, indicating that his love of the band started with the music and not the image. Oddly, though, he never saw KISS live until 1996 for the reunion tour, which was also my first time seeing them.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the little anecdotal story.

Rock Hard \m/

I’m really surprised that he made that statement that I’ve been imitated but not completely copied, or something to that effect, with Tommy sitting right there. I think Tommy was crouching down in his seat, I was told. But that was a nice thing for Gene to say. I wonder if he’s buttering me up for something in the future.

– Ace Frehley on Gene Simmons’ Rock HOF speech

But the evening’s “pointing the finger at the HOF” didn’t begin with the actual members of KISS; it started with Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, who inducted the band and, as Stanley said in his speech, “championed [KISS] shamelessly and unapologetic.” As Morello introduced and inducted KISS, he said:

You can kiss my KISS-loving ass because KISS wasn’t a critics’ band. It’s the people’s band… Impact, influence and awesomeness — KISS have all three in spades… Tonight, this isn’t the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s the Rock and Roll All Nite and Party Every Day Hall of Fame.

All in all, the four members were gracious and friendly on the stage as they accepted the honor. Sure, Criss said he’d always be the Cat Man, in or out of the make-up (much to the chagrin of the fan shooting the video in the player above). And sure, Stanley went off on a tangent about the HOF being an elitist club making the decisions when it should be the fans who spend the money to buy the records. But they were all surprisingly cordial.

As a fan, I’m thrilled that KISS is finally in the HOF, because as Stanley said, it’s validation and vindication. The only thing that could have made it better is if Ace and Peter showed up in make-up to show everyone who the real Cat Man and Space Ace are!

What’s your take on they’re acceptance speeches? How do you feel about KISS being in the HOF?

Rock Hard \m/

It’s no secret that KISS has been dissatisfied with the HOF, nor have the founding members Gene Simmons and Stanley kept it a secret that they don’t feel honored at all. But it’s a whole other thing when you hear Stanley speak so eloquently and intelligently about what the HOF is and his feelings about the circumstances under which KISS is being inducted. Basically, Paul Stanley is the mutha-fuckin’ man!

Watch the AP video in the player above for some straight-shooting from Paul.

In an interview posted at cbsnews.com, Stanley said:

The Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame is fluff. It’s a farce. It’s like an Addams Family bar mitzvah. I’m gonna go, but let’s not kid ourselves, you know. That’s not the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame is walking the streets.

From the same interview with Anthony Mason, I personally love Stanley’s response to why he doesn’t want to perform with co-founders Ace Frehley or Peter Criss; it’s just so much more tactful than the way Simmons says things:

Mason: Gene Simmons says they’re not fit to wear the makeup anymore.
Stanley: It’s a great soundbite.
Mason: Do you agree with it?
Stanley: I agree that they don’t belong in the band. And they don’t belong in a position to represent the band.

And when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame asked the original members to perform together again, Stanley resisted.

Mason: For old time’s sake, one more time, you wouldn’t want to do that?

Stanley: How many times have you been married?
Mason: Twice
Stanley: How about for old times sake you go back and spend the night with your ex-wife?
Mason: That’s the way you look at it?
Stanley: That’s the way you’d look at it. You wouldn’t make good music.

What do you think of Paul Stanley’s position on the HOF? Do you think the HOF has any credibility despite being a privately owned entity?

Rock Hard \m/

If you’ve been claiming to be a huge KISS fan, this is your chance to prove it! Only 1,000 KISS fans worldwide will be able to claim the Ultimate KISS Fan title because only 1,000 of these boxsets will be made. KISSTERIA – The Ultimate Vinyl Road Case outshines anything KISS has assembled in the past, even that 4-foot book.

I’ve never seen such an assemblage put together to celebrate a band’s 40th anniversary, much less any anniversary. It’s as extravagant as only KISS can do, and it’s all on vinyl. To save you the sticker shock after you get your panties wet from reading the details below, you better have some bank if you want this — it’s priced at $1,749.99 USD!

Below are the details as posted at: www.myplaydirect.com The pre-order link is there as well.

Rock Hard \m/

KISSTERIA – THE ULTIMATE VINYL ROAD CASE
KISS only delivers the best and for their 40th anniversary Mercury Records and UMe are proud to present the greatest vinyl boxset in all the land, KISSTERIA – The Ultimate Vinyl Road Case!

Thirty-four LPs, featuring nineteen studio albums, five Alive releases and their four solo albums pressed onto audiophile 180g vinyl for the first time since as far back as 1985 for some titles. Also included are six exclusive vinyl albums (pictured left) not available via any other offering. With all audio newly remastered in ultra-high definition DSD (Direct Stream Digital), KISSTERIA – The Ultimate Vinyl Road Case offers a maximum fidelity treatment for each iconic album.

Additional bonus items include twelve 11”x17” archival posters including the band’s very first promo poster, KISS vinyl cleaning cloth, KISS turntable mat, KISS dominoes set, four band lithos highlighting four decades of the band and a certificate of authenticity proudly displaying the limited edition number of each boxset. Weighing nearly 50 pounds when fully assembled, 1,000 fans worldwide will be lucky enough to own this legendary vinyl boxset and prove to the millions of KISS followers all over the world who amongst them are the MEGA FANS.

$1,749.99

It’s been a long time coming, and KISS is finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You’d think the band would be ecstatic about the news after 15 years of eligibility, but they’re not, as Paul Stanley expressed to Classic Rock Magazine when asked if he was happy to be nominated:

No. It means a lot to the fans and I understand it because it’s validation for them. So for that reason I accept graciously and accept on their behalf.

But the displeasure with the HOF institution hasn’t been the only blithe that’s mired KISS‘ nomination. There have been various accounts of the story, but KISS and the HOF have apparently butted heads over who will be inducted (notably, only the original four are being given the honor) and about a live performance with the original members.

In the end, there will be no live performance. And while only the original four are being inducted, all surviving members of KISS will be sitting at the same table. Personally, I’d love to be a fly at this table to see how Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Bruce Kulick, Eric Singer, Vinnie Vincent, and Tommy Thayer conduct themselves together.

Kulick told Rolling Stone that he’s extremely happy that KISS wants him at their table. By contrast, prior to receiving the invite, Singer told Rolling Stone that he didn’t really care about attending, but would do it if Gene and Paul wanted him there.

The induction ceremony takes place at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY, on April 10th, and HBO show the event in May.

Read More: Current + Classic KISS Members to Be at Rock Hall Induction | https://loudwire.com/kiss-members-share-table-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-induction/?trackback=tsmclip

What do you think about only the original members being inducted? Certainly, other members have played an important role in the history of KISS, right?

Rock Hard \m/