Letters

"There were some terrific metal/hard rock releases this year but my pick of the litter is KISS' �Monster�. Forget the makeup and still stellar stage show - this is about the music and these four guys brought it big time this year. �Monster� is a nice big slab of metallic hard rock created by a band that could easily kick back and ride the wave of their legacy into the sunset, but instead chooses to crunch and grind, still more than able to craft killer riffs with fire and brimstone lyrical hooks. �Wall of Sound�, �Back to the Stone Age� and �Shout Mercy� (among others) harken back to the �Love Gun� era without feeling at all stale. In fact, these guys seem more inspired than ever, a testament to the blue-collar work ethic that has always defined this band for many of us." Source: Noisecreep, Carlos Ramirez, 12/13/2012