The album kicks off with their quasi-disco hit, "I Was Made For Lovin' You," which not only got to #11 on the Billboard Singles Chart, but was recently covered by Paulina Rubio on her English debut album. The original is way, way better.

Ace does a racing cover of the Rolling Stones' "2000 Man," successfully injecting vintage KISS guitar. He does the same in the bitter breakup song "Save Your Love."

The grinding "Dirty Livin'" is Peter's only song here and the last studio song until Psycho Circus's "I Finally Found My Way." One thing I didn't know was how bad Peter Criss's attitude had sunken. So they had to bring in an uncredited session drummer? That's rough.

The songs from "Charisma" to "X-Ray Eyes" do indeed have the new sound. It still rocks, but it's somewhat slowed down. The sole exception is, yes, Ace's "Hard Times."

The lead vocals distribution was out of the ordinary as well. Gene only got to sing two songs--"Charisma" and "X-Ray Eyes," while Ace got to sing a record three. Well, he would also sing three on Unmasked as well. I favor his contributions over the others, as they save the album from being a disaster. Then there's Paul's three and Peter's one--that makes nine, right?

Dynasty is the first and best of KISS's four transitional albums. Not quite a genre album, but the material still rocks even though not as much as Destroyer or Rock And Roll Over. Even so, this album does not deserve the epithet "stinker."


Great Album With A Bad Rap   February 5, 2005
J. Anderson
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

While not up to the standards of previous KISS releases, DYNASTY was no slouch. Ace contributes more than ever. It's sad to know that this would be the last time they would perform together on a recording of new material until 1998's PSYCHO CIRCUS. This was a band coming apart at the seams. But they got together and rocked one last time. I do not like the fact that this album was labled as KISS' "disco" record. It is nothing of the sort. The only song on the record that would even come close is "I was made for lovin' you" which did have a disco flair. But by 1979 disco was on the way out. And the musical diversity of this album was mis-interpreted by critics and fans alike. Like most bands with multiple superstars, they were exploring other avenues in creative sound. And thank god for that! KISS, especially in the case of Mr. Gene Simmons, was hurting for new ways of musical expression. I mean, there are just so many times you can get away with rhyming the words "knees" and "please". I was happy to see Mr. Simmons back off and let the others contribute more to this effort. His contributions were getting stale, and his themes were always the same: "See what a big rockstar I am! My tallywhacker is so big! It's too much for you! I'm god's gift to groupies!" Really Gene, have some diversity, will you? His solo LP reeks with this stuff. Somewhere around "Rock and Roll Over" Gene started to be much too full of himself, and he continues to be the sex driven power and egomaniac to this very day. They say that Peter and Ace left the band due to drug and alcohol problems. If I was forced to work with Mr. Simmons in his state of mind...I'd probably take to the bottle too! Dynasty is still a great record. It's worth a spin.


Takes me back in time.   November 6, 2004
Rich Hodsdon (Minnesota)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

When I was 10 years old I rode my bike to the record store in Cottage Grove Mn and bought this album with my allowance money.
It remains one of my fave Kiss albums if not my fave. I listened to this album during those tender young years so it's easy to see why it takes me back to such wonderful times. It reminds me how much I miss the 70's. In the months following Dynastys release I saw Kiss play live in concert at the Minneapolis Met Center which was where the huge Mega Mall of America is standing now. My first concert at 11 years old! Judas Priest was the warm up group!

It's somewhat dissapointing now to learn about what went on behind the scenes. It hear that Gene only played bass on one or two songs. And Peter only worked on one song at all which was "dirty livin." Too bad really since they are all such talented musicans as individuals. Except Gene who is very talanted as an organizer and businessman. The brains behind the band so to speak. But not much of a musican.

The real talent behind this album was Ace and Paul. Let's face it folks Paul is one of the greatest rock singers of all time and it REALLY SHOWS on this album. Ace shoves his guitar riffs down your throat and sings not bad either. The controversial disco beat only shows on "I was made for lovin you." And it actually works out well.

I hear there was a session drummer for all but one song on this album and he got no credit at all.

If your just starting out with Kiss it might be good to start with Destroyer or some other album.

I will always love this album for the memories but that's about it.



When Kiss went under   September 14, 2005
Lady of Shalott
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

In the late 1970s, I was a HUGE Kiss fan. There was something truly special about what they were doing up to 1979. You won't find that with Dynasty.

I bought the record as soon as it hit the store shelves in 1979, grabbing the first copy I saw and racing home to get it onto the turntable. A new Kiss album was like Christmas in the spring. Yet when I listened to it, I just wanted to cry. The magic was gone. It was KISS, so I really wanted to like it, but it simply wasn't that likeable.

Decades later, I have listened to Dynasty again, to see if I might change my mind about my original youthful assessment of the album. I have not.

The problem isn't just the disco-rock of the cringe-worthy "I was made for loving you" (the rest of the album isn't really disco). Much of it is a lack of good songs, something that has been plaguing Kiss on most of their albums ever since. You know you've got problems when the best song on the album is a Stones' cover, and you're having to bring in outside songwriters to help (it didn't work). The arrangements are lacking in energy, power, excitement, and charisma (sorry, Gene).

If anything, the album seems like a continuation of 1978's solo albums (which also lacked the special Kiss magic). On Dynasty, each member seemed to be carrying on doing his own thing. It makes sense, then, that the better songs are those done by Ace Frehley, who had the superior of the four solo albums. Kiss's best music was produced during the years when Peter, Ace, Paul, and Gene were working in unity; a mini-orchestra producing a massive, marvelous sound. I still get excited listening to the early stuff, even after nearly 30 years.

If you're a younger fan who's newly discovered Kiss, go back to their early albums (up to 1977 with Kiss Alive II). You won't be sorry. But give Dynasty a pass and save your money.