Fans of Kiss received an exciting surprise in late 2025 when Peter Criss emerged from a long hibernation with a brand new studio album.

Released just two weeks after he and his co-founding Kiss bandmates received their Kennedy Center honors, Peter Criss marks the return of the original Catman to straightforward rock 17 years after his foray into smooth-jazz balladry on 2007’s One For All.

Read More: The History of Peter Criss’ Post-Kiss Solo Career

Criss has assembled an impressive band for this album, featuring David Lee Roth / Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan, Late Night With David Letterman / Blues Brothers keyboardist Paul Shaffer, and guitarist Mike McLaughlin. McLaughlin also receives co-writing credit for the music on every song.

“In the Dark” has an appealing strut, “For the Money” features an infectious chorus, and “Creepy Crawlers” showcases Criss’s commendable take on Alice Cooper-style theatrical rock. John 5, who takes over for McLaughlin on three songs, uses the album-closing “Rubberneckin'” to display his countrified chicken scratch skills.

The lyrics are cliched and generally a weakness throughout; at several points, you may wonder if Criss is improvising them as he goes. And that’s before you reach the bonus track “Hard Rock Knockers,” which makes Joe Walsh’s I.L.B.T.’s seem like Shakespeare.

However, if you concentrate on the music, Peter Criss is better and more consistent than any of the five solo albums Criss previously released, including the 1978 album he made while still a member of Kiss.

The next question is, where does Peter Criss rank among the 27 other solo albums various members of Kiss have released over the years? You’ll find the answer below…