Hindsight is easier than foresight.

"Unmasked" applies thereabouts as second worst Kiss album ever. Only "Music From The Elder" (1981) found most still unsuccessful, what seems to have a certain justification, because with this hohldröhnenden concept-goo took Kiss trying to be some intelligent - which the disorientation of the band turn of the decade around had fallen, had reached its peak. So far away from themselves they were in 1980 not yet, although it has been in-band allegedly actually thought about a waiver of the whole makeup fuss - "in-band" is, of course: from Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the 50% of the band were sane.
Even on "Dynasty", the previous year's record, was criticized, they would be "Disco". "Unmasked" continued this development. Kiss know now finally no longer how to rock, it was everywhere. From today's perspective must be asked: Did Kiss studio albums (mind you, the live plates We do not want to speak here!) Ever rocked? Has "Dressed To Kill" rocked? Has "Rock And Roll Over" rocked (despite live setting)? Or about "Destroyer"? No. Although the promise was ROCK'N'ROLL (with a minimum of 3 exclamation marks), but the actual degree of hardness equivalent to at most the chewing gum; or, as it brought a precise observational contemporary to me years ago to the point: Kiss make Hard Rock, which does not rock. And this statement must, viewed retrospectively, only from "Creatures of the Night" (1982) are at least teilrelativiert. In the light of such considerations gets "Unmasked" a polyphony that lacks other Kiss plates - because here there were obviously no serious rock intentions, for any reason whatsoever. But suddenly ("She's So European", "Shandi" "Naked City", of course) had the songwriting so unprecedented in Kiss quality, and you got to hear unusual things unusual, at least for the always more manageable Kiss Horizon: keyboard solos! Sociological technical terms! Komische, muckerhafte intros, "Torpedo Girl", you dare Gene Simmons hardly to that he played that! Did he indeed might not. Who cares to be Kiss fan always meant that you were lied to. In "Shandi" is the only band member Paul Stanley present, and at least for this and the previous board Anton "Techniksau" Figure was certainly the better drummer than Peter "problem" Criss, even if that would have been less deranged. However, Ace "Hicks" Frehley shows how also been on "Dynasty", an amazing presence, but that he should be so often been in addition to the cap. Interesting album! Very entertaining! A timeless mainstream plate which has been wronged.