I recently bought Greatest Kiss (both American and German versions) and I must write and say that I think this is the best compliation album Kiss has ever put out!! The songs on the cd just sound incredible and the songlist is some of the best songs ever to be put out. The only problem I had with the American version is the lack of such songs as Love Gun & Black Diamond. But they are included on the German version. With the added songs of Two Sides of the Coin and Flaming youth on the American version makes this album a collector though.

I do believe that Greatest Kiss is a must for any collector's cd library and it gives us a chance to hear what the new remastered version of the first 17 new cds will be like. I can't wait to see the new remasters and hear them. I was so happy to hear that they are going to finally fix all the problems with not only the sound but with the cases too! It has been to long since you could go and buy a Kiss cd and get something exciting inside to go along with great music (even though I do have all the original albums with all the original added in surprises still intact with them in my collection)!

It great to see that Kiss is really starting to show that they do care about the fans and what they want. Even though they have tried to do that every chance they got!

1. Detroit Rock City - This version sounds like the one off Double Platnium. There is no car crash sound effects, and there is also no hiss. The guitars have been made louder, and Ace's guitar solo has been made louder than Paul's rhythm part.

2. Hard Luck Woman - Acoustic guitar is more prominent throughout the whole song. Peter's voice still sounds a little muffled, but I guess that's from the master tape.

3. Sure Know Something - The bass has been turned down, and the guitar parts have been made louder to make it sound more hard rock than the disco sound it had before. Paul's voice has been made a little louder also. Crystal clear sound.

4. Deuce - Straight from the first album, except this sounds 100 % better. Gene's voice, Ace's guitar, and Paul's rhythm guitar all blast from the speakers. Drums still have an echo effect to them.

5. Do You Love Me - Pretty much the same from Destroyer. Sound is still a little muffled, although guitar parts have been made more clear.

6. I Was Made for Lovin' You - Just like 'Sure Know Something'. Gene's bass has been turned down and the guitar parts rock harder, making it sound a little heavier.

7. Calling Dr. Love - Benefits greatly from the remastering. Gene's voice and Ace's awesome guitar solo sound perfect and clear as a bell. You can even hear a little feedback from Ace during the solo. Drums have an echo effect as they did on R n' R Over.

8. Christine Sixteen - Sounds about the same as on Love Gun except that the fade out is longer. Also when Gene speaks, his voice is turned up louder over the music so you can hear him better.

9. Beth - Straight from Destroyer except without the hiss from before.

10. Strutter - No hiss, and Paul's voice is louder. Peter's drums still have the echo effect as on the regular version.

11. Cold Gin - Remastering done very well on here. Ace's guitar parts and Gene's voice have been turned up, and the stereo effects are fabulous. The drums have been beefed up also.

12. Plaster Caster - Sounds a little different from the Love Gun version. Gene's voice sound's like it's been turned up a little to loud. The bass has been turned down in the beginning.

13. Rock and Roll all Nite - Straight from Dressed to Kill without the hiss in the background.

14. Flaming Youth - Ace's guitar turned up louder and Paul's voice more clear over the background music.

15. Two Sides of the Coin - The best remastered song on Greatest KISS. Ace's guitar sounds more heavier and the drums beat louder. Ace's voice also turned up. The song no longer sounds like a pop song, but you can still tell it's from unmasked.

16. Shout It out Loud(Live video version) - If you never got to see KISS on the reunion tour, prepare to be blown away! This song sounds fabulous. The mix is taken pretty much from the video that was out last summer. They take the intro from opening night in Detroit (You Wanted the Best you got the best...) and then segues into Shout it out Loud. Be warned, if the bass on your speakers aren't turned down at the end of the song, you run the chance of blowing your speakers. They upped the bass on an explosion so much that it rattles the windows.

Again, if you have Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits, or Double Platnium or Killers, you won't need to listen to them anymore. This one takes care of them all. Also this is for the U.S. release. The European version has a different track listing. The U.S. release comes in a standard jewel case, and the booklet has the track listing, credits for production, and songwriting, and 2 photos. One has a studio shot of the band taken last year, and the other is a live shot from 1973 - 74. The photo on the back of the case is a live shot from 1976. Considering all the negative comments fans have been giving this album, serious fan's and newcomers should consider adding it to their collection.

Pakaging - B ( The cover is great ! The back cover of the CD has a live shot from 1976 . Other than that , there isn't much . Only 2 photos in the booklet . One is live from 1974 , the other is a studio shot from 1996 )

Sound - A+ ( You won't get better sound on CD from the KISS Classics !)

Songlist - A- ( Everyone has their favorite songlist , but there are a few that could have been left off the album such as " Sure know Something " . Where are Black Diamond , Watchin You , Rock Bottom , and Love Gun ? )

All in all I'd give the album a good grade . NOW LET'S RELEASE A STUDIO ALBUM , AND CARNIVAL OF SOULS !!!!

Now the tunes, the CD starts out with "Detroit Rock City" wich in my opinion sounds no different than the original. The only thing I noticed is that the insturments we more distinctive than the original. So don't expect anything drastic from the remasters like "Smashes" was, after these are remastered not remixed. The version they used on "Greatest KISS" is from Double Platinum not Destroyer. I don't start out with the car crash or the news announcement or anything. There is a couple of added lines and some taken out, just like "Double Platinum".

Overall the CD is great just because it is KISS, but did not really impress me with the digital remastering. The live video version of "Shout it Out Loud" is great, the end where the last bomb goes off will shake your room and give you a sense of being there. It starts out with the announcer saying the patented line. I does have a hint of sounding like the unreleased live tracks off of "You Wanted the Best..". That will make you wonder if those tracks were really recorded live or not.

Decide for yourself..go out and buy it! The song selection is tremendous, finally not just a mainstream greatest hits album. I give it a 3 and a half out of a five, not because the songs suck, but because I have heard them all before and am getting tired of compilation albums. They could have added some more live 96 songs to make it maore interesting.

What is next for the US when they come around again? It seems like everytime they are about to tour to a foreign country they release something. In the US they released "You Wanted the Best..", in Japan they are releasing the remasters, and in every other country they are touring now there is "Greatest KISS". A great marketing scheme, I think so. Hopefully we will get blasted with a new studio album or the dolls and other merchandise. After all we are their home country, aren't we?