ACE FREHLEY – 10,000 Volts (2024) *HQ*

Produced by Ace & Trixter’s Steve Brown, and mixed & Mastered by Danger Danger’s Bruno Ravel, “10,000 Volts” is the upcoming new album from legendary KISS guitarist ACE FREHLEY. In terms of production Brown and Ace have managed to deliver a bright big sound, not as compressed and digitized sounding as the hard rock/ metal sounds we are getting accustomed to in the 2000’s.
One thing is obvious that each song’s vocal lines and phrasing have been worked on immensely (maybe a bit of auto-tuning but it works). Accompanied by lots of big choruses and three part harmonies, the album is very melodic and catchy.
Each song is short and sweet with a punchy choruses. Each stands on its own and is very strong in terms of accessibility and commercial appeal. “10,000 Volts” is one of Frehley best solo albums.
Steve Brown certainly adds his incredible sense of song structure on this album. ”10,000 Volts” is a really focussed effort, the most complete in Ace’s solo career.
Yeah, the album sounds like Brown’s Tokyo Motor Fist mixed with Ace’s signature guitar playing / voice. And that’s great news!

The detail in the arrangements here are great and this is an amazing headphone listen.
‘10,000 Volts’ the title track and first single has a big, powerful riff that sucks you in. The chorus sticks. There are some really cool little grooves that sit in this song Scot Coogans drumming is exceptional, aside from the driving nature of this song there are some great subtle things happening in the arrangement great start to the album.
‘Walking On the Moon’ the soon to be released second single keeps the momentum going. This song has a swagger to it that has a float to it. You can actually picture yourself strolling on the moon to this. The solo seems to have two parts to it, the first half is super melodic, the second half is signature Ace. This one’s a creeper.
‘Cosmic Heart’s huge opening riff has me salivating at what is ahead of me here. The first verse here kind of loses me and then picks me up again for the chorus and return of the riff. The solo is however perfectly placed and executed. If I had to put it within a KISS album this track would sit really well on The Elder. A few listens in it’s heavy, slick and fresh.

‘Cherry Medicine’ chorus is hooky as hell and catchy as f@ck. What would we change about it? We honestly can’t stand Ace’s vocal on this he should’ve left that one of his band mates, perhaps only sang the chorus or traded verses. A few listens in and it gets better but the verse vocals feels lazy over such a killer song. It’s the most commercial track on the album, with some Alice Cooper on it.
‘Back Into My Arms Again’ has a feeling similar to The Sweet’s classic ‘Fox on The Run’ and when you get to the chorus the melody allows you to sing ‘Fox on The Run’ over it (I challenge you to do it when you hear it). This track has the Steve Brown stamp all over it. Even the solo has this melodic structure that fuses Ace’s style into the tail of it.

‘Fighting For Life’ is a winner. Possibly one of our favourite post-KISS Ace songs. Can’t wait to hear it live and I hope it gets added to the new tour set. Heavy modern and gritty, put it this way it blows anything KISS has done since the Revenge album. I would love to hear Ace put an album like this, so good!!!
‘Blinded’ verse is awesome, pre chorus is meh but the chorus is a killer. Live this will be killer. When you drop the acapella beginning and kick in with just that riff the song engages you differently. Not knowing the hook in the chorus until the chorus just adds something to it. The solo on this one is hot!!

‘Constantly Cute’ musically is fun, so much fun. It’s commendable that Ace is trying something new here but this isn’t an Ace song. A midtempo trippy song, not bad, just different for Ace. No doubt there would have been moment during the writing and production of this album where Ace simply got his way and allowed tracks like ‘Constantly Cute’ to be included.
‘Life Of a Stranger’ is a moody mid-tempo track with possibly one of the best choruses on the album. The structure of this song really gives it power and life. One of the stand out tracks. It builds and really tells a story without the cheese. The piano in this song just adds a depth unreached before on this album. The outro solo is pure Ace class.

‘Up In the Sky’ and its old school count in is instantly reminiscent of Ace’s 1978 Kiss solo album in vibe and feel, it channels something old while still being something new. The pre chorus just grabs you – that riff is pure magic. This is what Ace does best and would sit perfectly aside ‘Hard Times’ from KISS’ ‘Dynasty’ in a setlist.

‘Stratosphere’ is the closing track and an instrumental that follows suit with closing tracks before it unfortunately it takes us 1 minute and 45 seconds to get to what these instrumental tracks are all about; Aces solo. Through the lush nature of this song there are touches of Aces 70s signature sound and licks. One of the stronger and more diverse offerings of an album closing instrumentals.

Please give this album a listen when it drops and not just one listen because there is buried treasure is each and every one of these songs. There is something to be found in every listen.
Song structure and polished melodic production as we have said before is the big win for ”10,000 Volts”. The band behind Ace is simply amazing. I hope these guys including Brown are in his touring band.
One of the best Ace Frehley solo albums, and certainly his best produced.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

01 – 10,000 Volts
02 – Walkin’ on the Moon
03 – Cosmic Heart
04 – Cherry Medicine
05 – Back Into My Arms Again
06 – Fightin’ for Life
07 – Blinded
08 – Constantly Cute
09 – Life of a Stranger
10 – Up in the Sky
11 – Stratosphere

Pre order
amazon.com/10-000-Volts-Ace-Frehley/dp/B0CPB3VPFF