Let’s set the stage: it’s 1980. The disco dust from Dynasty hasn’t quite settled, and KISS – those leather-clad gods of rock and roll thunder – are standing at a creative crossroads. The world knew them as the fire-breathing, blood-spitting, platform-booted icons of excess. But behind the scenes, something was shifting. And then came Unmasked.
Despite the title, no faces were actually revealed (not yet, anyway). Instead, Unmasked peeled back the layers musically, trading in their signature hard rock snarl for something glossier, bouncier, and – depending on who you ask – shockingly radio-friendly.
The Album That Made You Go “Wait, Is This KISS?”
Produced once again by Vini Poncia (the man who smoothed out the edges on Dynasty), Unmasked leaned heavily into pop-rock territory. Gone were the gritty riffs of Love Gun and Destroyer. In their place? Breezy melodies, polished harmonies, and a sense that the band was chasing chart success rather than stage dominance.
Let’s talk tracks:
- ‘Shandi’ – A Paul Stanley-led ballad with soft vocals and shimmering production. Massive in Australia. Surprising everywhere else.
- ‘Talk to Me’ – Ace Frehley takes the wheel with a song that sounds like a power-pop radio hit, and it works.
- ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘What Makes the World Go ‘Round’ – Candy-coated hooks that feel more like Hall & Oates than the KISS Army was used to.
For some fans, it was fresh. For others, sacrilege.
Unmasked – Track List
- Is That You?
- Shandi
- Talk to Me
- Naked City
- What Makes the World Go ‘Round
- Tomorrow
- Two Sides of the Coin
- She’s So European
- Easy As It Seems
- Torpedo Girl
- You’re All That I Want
Band Turbulence Behind the Scenes
While the album cover, designed like a comic strip, cheekily teased the band ‘unmasking’ for the press, there were deeper changes happening backstage. Most notably: Peter Criss didn’t play a single drumbeat on the album. That honour went to Anton Fig (yes, the same Anton from David Letterman’s band), who had also ghost-played on Dynasty.
Peter’s days in the band were numbered – he’d officially leave not long after. Ace Frehley, meanwhile, was starting to step up creatively, contributing three songs and playing most of the guitar parts. He even appears more animated in promotional appearances, perhaps realizing the band was shifting around him.
Critical Confusion Meets Overseas Adoration
Critically, Unmasked landed with a thud in the U.S. The rock press scoffed, calling it KISS-lite, and fans weren’t entirely sure what to do with it. Sales dipped compared to earlier efforts. But here’s the twist: Unmasked was a gigantic hit in places like Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. ‘Shandi’ was a bonafide smash Down Under, leading to one of the most hysterically adored KISS tours ever – complete with Beatlemania-level scenes at airports.
In retrospect, this international success suggests Unmasked may have been ahead of its time. It’s a glam-pop record with impeccable production and slick songwriting – it just wasn’t what the core fanbase was craving in 1980.
A Misunderstood Middle Child in the KISS Catalog
Unmasked is often treated like the awkward cousin in the KISS family photo – too pop for the hard rock purists, too weird for mainstream pop fans. But give it a proper spin today, and you’ll find a tightly crafted record that’s charming in its audacity.
Yes, it lacks the sledgehammer riffs of earlier albums, but it’s full of confident songwriting and bold choices. It captures a band in flux, caught between their bombastic past and an uncertain future, experimenting with what stardom could look like without the shadows of their own mythos.
Final Thoughts: Underneath the Makeup, a Whole New Sound
Unmasked was more than an album. It was a signal flare—telling the world that KISS was changing, even if they weren’t quite ready to drop the act (literally). It’s an album that’s aged better than anyone expected, especially as newer generations dig through the band’s catalog without the weight of 1980s expectations.
So, if you’re a longtime fan who once dismissed it, or a newbie curious about the band’s softer side—give Unmasked a spin. You might just find that behind all the glitter and gloss was a band unafraid to take a risk.
