It’s been six long years for Ace Frehley, the former guitarist of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, Kiss, who released his first studio record of original material on Feb. 23, 2024. Frehley’s last studio record was 2018’s Spaceman which reached the No. 49 spot on the Billboard 200 list. In the post-Kiss area, Frehley’s newest record, 10,000 Volts has a total of 11 songs and has a total run time of 41 minutes of classic rock and roll. Frehley has announced multiple tour dates in support of his new album.
What I love most about this record is how tight the band is. This lineup consists of Ryan Spencer Cook on bass, Jeremy Asbrock on guitar and Scot Coogan on drums who is currently on his second tour of duty with Frehley.
The thing some listeners and fans might not know about this record is the secret weapon behind the scenes. Trixter guitarist, Steve Brown is at the helm as producer and songwriter on this record. I highly recommend listening to Brown’s work with Trixter to understand how great he is.
The first song on the track is the title track, the perfect opener to the record. The chorus of “She hit me like 10,000 volts, when I saw her face, she hit me like 10, 000 volts, feel like I was in space,” mixed in with Frehley’s vocals is excellent.
Track three, “Cosmic Heart,” is a harder rock song for an Ace Frehley record. Coogan lays the beat down on the drums while Asbrock trades wonderful guitar licks with Frehley as Cook hammers down the rest of the rhythm section. The chorus is almost as bone-chilling as the classic Frehley solo towards the back half of the track.
Tune five, “Back Into My Arms Again,” shows Frehley’s softer side. This tune is a great listen. The use of acoustic guitars from Asbrock is genius and I love how clear Cook’s basslines are on this tune. Frehley is exploring his pop side with this tune and this should be played on every rock radio station across America, or at least be played with the windows down and the stereo blasting as Frehley’s songs should be played. “Back Into My Arms Again” is an earworm song with a catchy chorus. Fans can thank Brown whose own Trixter songs of “Give It to Me Good,” and “One In a Million,” off of 1990’s Trixter are equally catchy.
The sixth track, “Fightin’ For Life,” is the polar opposite of “Back Into My Arms Again.” The previous track is a love song and is all happy, “Fightin’ For Life,” is Frehley’s take on how it’s a “dog-eat-dog world every day.” The power and energy of this song is inspiring. To see the “Spaceman,” cranking out such fantastic tunes will make even the most diehard Kiss fans smile ear to ear.
“Blinded” appears as the seventh song on the record and is a continuation of the catchy riffs brought on by the Frehley band. There is something about Frehley’s sound that makes him instantly recognizable and it’s no different on this song. When the chorus kicks in with the rest of the band, they are all harmonizing and firing on all cylinders. The solo to accompany “Blinded” should go down as one of Frehley’s best. It’s short, sweet, and to the point that packs an ever-lasting punch.
The next three tracks, “Constantly Cute,” “Life Of A Stranger,” and “Up In The Sky,” bring forth the common theme of this record. The classic Frehley sound is mixed with Brown’s top-tier songwriting which leaves fans itching for more music. Each song is unique in its own right, some sounding more pop-like than the one that comes after it. Each of the three songs is great in its own right and helps move the record along.
It has been custom on Frehley’s records that the very last song is dedicated to an instrumental piece and this album is no different. The tradition is kept alive as Frehley sparks some of his best solo work on “Stratosphere.” Coogan’s driving beat guides Space Ace forward as Asbrock and Cook take a backseat to let the guitar god show off his mastery.
After the public back and forth with Kiss, Frehley talked a massive game when it came to the quality of work with his solo record, stating that it would make other members of Kiss jealous. Frehley did back up what he was saying. The quality of this record is top-notch and should be talked about in the same conversations as his other solo material, most notably Kiss: Ace Frehley, Frehley’s Comet and Trouble Walkin’. While listening to this record, I immediately thought of Frehley’s song, “Rock Soldiers.” The chorus of “Ace is back and he told you so!” screams volumes on this album. This album truly is a return to form for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.
10,000 Volts is one of Frehley’s best records to date and is, without any argument, in his top five best solo efforts. Fans should have no issue seeing Frehley’s brilliance on this record. Listeners should rejoice that Frehley has only gotten better with time and that with future albums like this one, Frehley will be spitting out catchy tunes for years to come.
Rating:
9/10
Tracklist:
1. 1o,ooo Volts
2. Walkin’ On The Moon
3. Cosmic Heart
4. Cherry Medicine
5. Back Into My Arms Again
6. Fightin’ For Life
7. Blinded
8. Constantly Cute
9. Life Of A Stranger
10. Up In The Sky
11. Stratosphere
Ace Frehley’s Band Is:
Ace Frehley – Lead Guitar / Lead Vocals
Ryan Spencer Cook – Bass
Jeremy Asbrock – Guitar
Scot Coogan – Drums
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in New York/New Jersey and go to school in Connecticut majoring in Journalism and I am always looking for the next concert to attend.
