KISS� Halloween release, trick or treat?

The release of �Psycho Circus� has been both a blessing and a curse for the millions of KISS fans around the world.

It has been a blessing because it is the first time in nearly two decades that the original lineup -- Ace Frehley (The Spaceman, lead guitar/vocals), Peter Criss (The Cat, drums/vocals), Paul Stanley (The Starchild, guitar/lead vocals) and Gene Simmons (The Demon, bass/vocals/merchandising) -- has recorded new material. It has been a curse because it has resurrected specters that have lain dormant since 1980, when this most famous incarnation of the band fell to pieces.

To date, the curse of KISS� closet-dwelling skeletons has overshadowed the blessing of a studio reunion. Facts that came to light during fierce mudslinging in the late 1980s included the claim that Frehley didn�t play on certain tracks in �76 and �77, and that Criss didn�t contribute to two, perhaps three, entire albums. Just how much bass Simmons played on all their records has also come into question.

Peter�s predicament is particularly precarious. He has had problems with his arms, which has prompted some to say that, at 53, he just can�t scratch the kitty litter any more.

Check out any online bulletin board about KISS, and you�ll see fans claiming that Criss didn�t play at all on the album and that Frehley�s input was minimal, perhaps due to problems with alcohol. Fans are also up in arms about the many outsiders with writing credits on �Psycho Circus.�

So, ghosts of KISSmas past inhabit the present. Is this, then, a �real� KISS album? Is it really the original KISS together in the studio? Or is it a scam on a greater scale than the Milli Vanilli debacle? Speculation, even by those purported to have ears sensitive enough to discern telltale sonic signs that the original four weren�t there, is merely a game for bulletin boarders on the Internet.

What is certain, however, is that KISS has a whole lot riding on �Psycho Circus.� First and foremost, they have to prove that they are a viable, relevant band still capable of making great hard rock. They have to prove that the phenomenal success of their Alive/Worldwide reunion tour was not a fluke fueled by nostalgia and curiosity. They have to prove they are still, as they often boast, �the hottest band in the world.� All these are things they can do only with a platinum album and a sold-out tour.

�Psycho Circus� delivers on most fronts, but falls short of what die-hard fans really ached for: a �70s-style hard rock album. I think, though, that this is to KISS� credit. They have cleared at least one of their hurdles by recording a very good hard rock album that establishes them as a contemporary act, not an anachronism.

The title track, for example, is a straightforward rock tune about KISS� excitement about being back for another album and tour. Like all of the group�s songs, it is not brainfood. It is visceral, and extols the virtues of being a member of KISS and being a fan in the ranks of the ubiquitous KISS Army. The guitars are loud and catchy, the drumming powerful. (Is it really Criss?) Stanley�s voice, unbelievably underrated and overlooked in rock, is strong and clear.

�Within,� the second track, was written by Simmons. It�s basically a 50-something�s take on grunge, with brooding lyrics and dark, heavy guitar that tell the story of a man trying to simultaneously detach himself from the outside world and feel its mental and physical stimuli. Along with �We Are One,� an upbeat Beatle-esque pop tune, the song marks a departure for Simmons, who in the past was more at home writing about deflowering 16-year-olds and the charms of the Holiday Inn chain.

�You Wanted the best, You Got the Best,� the first song ever on which all four share vocals, is unashamed party rock, an anthem a la �Rock And Roll All Nite� obviously designed to be sung in concert to whip the crowd into a frenzy. It is also one of several cuts that strives to further strengthen the bond between KISS and the fans. Simmons sings, �the fans wanted us to play/we hear and we obey.� We do it all for you ...

Another anthem-type song is the juvenile �I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock �n� Roll.� It�s catchy enough, but unfortunately proves that Stanley hasn�t been able to jettison his tendencies to write maudlin numbers.

�Into the Void� is Frehley�s showcase, a no-nonsense rocker with pounding guitar and the kind of classic licks that have helped make him a legend. The Japan-only bonus track, �In Your Face,� is more of the same, only with Frehley�s brand of simple rhyming and sarcastic delivery.

�I Finally Found My Way� is the obligatory Peter Criss ballad, a �Beth� for the millennium. It is a pretty enough song, but rings hollow as an attempt to recreate the success of its 1976 Gallop-winning predecessor. The main problem is that Stanley and heralded producer Bob Ezrin wrote the song. Why Criss, not a bad writer and definitely a talented singer, couldn�t write his own tune is baffling.

�Psycho Circus,� indeed a historic event in rock history, is, overall, a solid album that is sure to satisfy most fans. It illustrates that KISS knows how to play great hard rock, and speaks volumes about the group�s appeal and staying power.

As always, the bottom line for KISS will be the live show, where they�ll have to deliver the new tunes live to both fans and skeptics. The world will find out soon enough, for KISS will debut the �Psycho Circus� tour on Halloween night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, with The Smashing Pumpkins opening.