10 Lost Albums That Were Released Years Later

During the late '90s, KISS deciding to put the makeup back on was probably a genius move from a business standpoint. Since the era of grimy grunge wasn't doing them any favors, the idea of bringing back the face paint and massive stage get up was going to win over the people feeling nostalgic for the early days. That didn't stop them from leaking one final album with the new version of the band.

Despite them not wanting to have it released, Carnival of Souls is an interesting case study for the band that was known for their over the top personas. Instead of the usual party rock songs of their early days, most of this record feels more like KISS' attempt at grunge music, with songs like Hate and Rain sounding like they could have come off an Alice in Chains record. Albeit, an Alice in Chains record that's going through a bit of a midlife crisis.

Outside of obvious trend chasing though, this album still holds up as something special in the KISS canon, with Paul Stanley showing his softer side on I Will Be There and featuring the only lead vocals from guitarist Bruce Kulick on the track I Walk Alone. You can certainly find better in the grunge market, but if you're a classic rock nerd, this is still well worth the deep dive.