As a Kiss fan I have always maintained an interest in Ex-members solo careers. Bruce Kulick has been no exception. Bruce had been the most active member of the Kiss family over the almost 15 years since his departure, releasing solo albums as well as a touring member of Grand Funk Railroad and ESP. His latest solo CD BKIII has been almost 5 years in the making, and has a wide range of guest performers to make this album a very appealing package on paper.

I was a bit hesitant on whether it would deliver though, but I must admit he has done really well with it. The CD starts off with Kulick handling the lead vocals on “Fate”, a blistering number with many references to Kulicks tenure with Kiss within the lyrics – a really great kick off track. Next up is “Ain’t Gonna Die” with Gene Simmons handling the vocals. This is one of my favourite songs on the disc as it instantly reminds me of the stellar Kiss “Revenge” CD, and Simmons and Kulick make a really great songwriting partnership.

Kulick’s Union partner in crime John Corabi is up next with the song “No Friend Of Mine”, Corabi is such an underrated songwriter and he and Kulick gel so well, the song stuck in my head for along time after the initial listens. Track 4 and first single off BKIII features none other than Gene’s son Nick on vocals. ‘Hand Of The King’ reminds me of Stone Temple Pilots, but with Nick’s Jim Morrison styled vocals thrown in. Wouldn’t have been my choice as single, but a very cool but dark track none the less.

Kulick handles the vocals on the next track “I’ll Survive”. The song recounts when Bruce was shot on the Sunset Strip a few years ago, but to me just doesn’t deliver the emotion needed to tell the story and the music is very dull and slow. The late Knack singer Doug Fieger’s last known recording “Dirty Girl” is my favourite track on the CD, its such a great up-tempo song, and should have been the first single for sure. Kulick again takes lead vocals on “Final Mile”. Its a great song, very well written, but to me, Kulick’s vocals do not do the song justice, his voice is more suited to the really gritty rock song. I think he should have found a female guest vocalist on this one.

Tobias Sammet from Edguy/Avantasia rips into “Im The Animal”. He is a great vocalist and song writer and really delivers the goods on this one, love the song a lot. Kulick is up again with “And I Know” which is just a phenomenal song, only just pipped by “Dirty Girl” as the standout. Bruce’s vocals really go well with this number, and I love the 80’s style gang backup vocals on it. Would really love to hear this one live. Toto guitar legend Steve Lukather duels with Kulick on the only instrumental “Between The Lines”, I’m not usually a fan of any instrumentals, but the two guitar heroes take you on a wild ride on this track, cool stuff. Closing out BKIII is the very Beatle-Esque song “Life”. A slower number with Kulick handling the lead, its a really great closer with lots of nice orchestration.

All in all Bruce really went all out to make this an All Star Affair and the songs really reflect some quality writing. I do wish he used less Kiss family members as his songs can stand on their own without Kiss. Hopefully it wont take as long to get a new CD from Bruce...

* Check out our interview with Bruce Kulick right here!