Sonic Boom

Sonic Boom finds KISS returning to its own basics after a long studio absence, on the band’s nineteenth album. Putting thick guitar riffs, hand-clapping beats and choruses anyone can hum up front, it sounds the band’s core without hesitation — a straight-ahead rock-and-roll album that carries a sense of homage to the classics. From the drive of the lead track “Modern Day Delilah” and the catchiness of “Never Enough” to the sing-along of “Say Yeah” and the push of “Russian Roulette,” every song carries a highly immediate hook. Rather than flashy tricks, the writing values the strength of the songs themselves and the feel of a band playing as one. Its great appeal is a return to the simple, powerful rock and roll KISS does best, instead of chasing modern trends, and a commanding sound that seems to seal in the heat of the live room runs throughout. Even after a long career, it reaffirms the band’s fundamental fun — a fulfilling comeback record.