Alive: 4

Kiss: Paul Stanley (vocals, guitar); Gene Simmons (vocals, bass); Peter Criss (vocals, drums); Tommy Thayer (guitar, background vocals).
Additional personnel: The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, The Melbourne Symphony Ensemble, The Australian Children's Choir.
Recorded live in Melbourne, Australia on February 28, 2003.
Presumably responding to the demand of fans refusing to accept their retirement, the Kiss juggernaut rebounded from a supposed farewell tour to launch their own label with the release of SYMPHONY ALIVE IV, a double-disc set featuring the make-up clad quartet's collaboration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. With this unusual outing, Kiss follows in the footsteps of seminal classical/hard-rock fusion records like Metallica's S&M and Deep Purple's CONCERTO FOR GROUP AND ORCHESTRA.
Gene Simmons and company keep it interesting by including a section of traditionally rendered tunes as well as those with accompaniment by the smaller Melbourne Symphony Ensemble, and finally a full second CD with the entire orchestra. Noticeably absent is Ace Frehley, whose decision to get off the are-we/aren't-we-retired merry-go-round resulted in the hiring of former Black 'n Blue guitarist Tommy Thayer as his replacement. Die-hards and casual fans will be pleased by a set selection that ranges from powerfully arranged classics like "King of the Night Time World" and "Do You Love Me" to stripped-down renditions of more recent fare such as "Psycho Circus."