Ace Frehley - Anomaly

Yeah, boys and girls, Metal Addicts is getting famous. We are receiving really big shots now of Metal world. Now’s the time for Ace “The Spaceman” Frehley. Even the Kiss most hateful hater will agree that Ace “The Spaceman” Frehley is at least a very talented guitarist who owns a very special guitar playing which one can recognize as his at the very first notes. No doubt that any guitarist that was to replace him on Kiss stage suffered a lot of pressure. He was kind of an eternal shadow to anyone who would get his place. Comparisons were easy to pop up. But no one was able to beat the master. Ace “The Spaceman” Frehley is incomparable. To review Ace Frehley’s “Anomaly” is such a honor that I can’t express it at all.

As a huge Kiss fan, I confess that for some reasons I’ve never paid attention to any member solo career. From their first solo albums, I only heard Gene’s and Ace’s, but as a matter of fact, none of them were really atractive to me. From Ace Frehley’s solo career I only listened to 1987’s Frehley’s Comets.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t see a decent show with him. I mean decent because I actually saw one for the Reunion Tour back then in 1999, but I’d rather not comment it as such a fiasco it was.

So, when I got Ace Frehley’s “Anomaly” to review I got anxious, but a little suspicious. When an artist of such a long run in the music business comes out with a new effort we must expect three things: a reinvention of himself, all the same back to back, or a career rerun. Ace Frehley’s “Anomaly” is the third option. “Anomaly” features us at least an inspired Ace Frehley. A musician with anger in his eyes to make what he does better: music. Moreover, “Anomaly” set Ace free to longer guitar solos as in “Genghis Khan.”

I labeled “Anomaly” as a rerun album because in it there are songs of all Ace’s phases: from Kiss to his solo career and some songs that sound a bit, let’s say, modern. Who said an old dog can’t learn no new tricks. As long as I mention it, there are two instrumental songs in “Anomaly.” Sometimes one may think “Anomaly” is almost an autobiography due to the bunch of songs where Ace mentions his life impressions. Not only because of that, but mostly because listening to “Anomaly” one can trace Ace’s musical influences. And there’s one most stressed: Led Zeppelin. And just a little Black Sabbath to give some spice to the stew. In “Anomaly” there are, at least, three tracks Ace pays the just respect to Led Zeppelin and, of course, to Jimmy Page.

“Anomaly” is no masterpiece, but sure is a pretty decent album with some great and inspired songs, and at least features us that Ace “The Spaceman” Frehley is back in great shape.

I generally don’t write that much on reviews, but you must consider that Ace and Kiss are my teenage heroes. They made it bearable, so I must pay my respects to them. I could write all over all the 15 tracks, but I won’t bother you with more lines about Ace “The Spaceman” Frehley “Anomaly.” The condition is only if you give “Anomaly” a try. It’s worth it.

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