KISS | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Rooted in the campy theatrics of Alice Cooper and the sleazy hard rock of glam rockers the New York Dolls, Kiss became a favorite of American teenagers in the 70s. Most kids were infatuated with the look of Kiss, not their music. Decked out in outrageously flamboyant costumes and makeup, the band fashioned a captivating stage show featuring dry ice, smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, blood spitting, and fire breathing that captured the imaginations of thousands of kids. But Kiss music shouldnt be dismissed -- it was a commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars, cloying melodies, and sweeping strings. It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that dominated rock in the late 80s. Kiss was the brainchild of Gene Simmons (bass, vocals) and Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, vocals), former members of the New York-based hard rock band Wicked Lester; the duo brought in drummer Peter Criss through his ad in Rolling Stone, while guitarist Ace Frehley responded to an advertisement in The Village Voice. Even at their first Manhattan concert in 1973, the groups approach was theatrical, and Flipside producer Bill Aucoin offered the band a management deal after the show. Two weeks later, the band was signed to Neil Bogarts fledgling record label, Casablanca. Kiss released their self-titled debut in February of 1974; it peaked at number 87 on the U.S. charts. By April of 1975, the group had released three albums and had been touring America constantly, building up a sizable fan base. Culled from those numerous concerts, Alive! (released in the fall of 1975) made the band rock & roll superstars; it climbed into the Top Ten and its accompanying single, "Rock N Roll All Nite," made it to number 12. Their follow-up, Destroyer, was released in March of 1976 and became the groups first platinum album; it also featured their first Top Ten single, Peter Criss power ballad "Beth." Kiss mania was in full swing; thousands of pieces of merchandise hit the marketplace (including pinball machines, makeup and masks, and board games), and the group had two comic books released by Marvel as well as a live-action TV movie, Kiss Meet the Phantom of the Park. A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America. The group was never seen in public without wearing their makeup, and their popularity was growing by leaps and bounds; the membership of the Kiss Army, the bands fan club, was in the six figures. Even such enormous popularity had its limits, though, and the band reached them in 1978, when all four members released solo albums on the same day in October. Simmons record was the most successful, reaching number 22 on the charts, yet all of them made it into the Top 50. Dynasty, released in 1979, continued their streak of platinum albums, yet it was their last record with the original lineup -- Criss left in 1980. Kiss Unmasked, released in the summer of 1980, was recorded with session drummer Anton Fig; Criss true replacement, Eric Carr, joined the band in time for their 1980 world tour. Kiss Unmasked was their first record since Destroyer to fail to go platinum, and 1981s Music from the Elder, their first album recorded with Carr, didnt even go gold -- it couldnt even climb past number 75 on the charts. Ace Frehley left the band after its release; he was replaced by Vinnie Vincent in 1982. Vincents first album with the group, 1982s Creatures of the Night, fared better than Music from the Elder, yet it couldnt make it past number 45 on the charts. Sensing it was time for a change, Kiss dispensed with their makeup for 1983s Lick It Up. The publicity worked, as the album became their first platinum record in four years. Animalize, released the following year, was just as successful, and the group essentially recaptured their niche. Vincent left after Animalize and was replaced by Mark St. John, although St. John was soon taken ill with Reiters Syndrome and left the band. Bruce Kulick became Kiss new lead guitarist in 1984. For the rest of the decade, Kiss turned out a series of best-selling albums, culminating in the early 1990 hit ballad "Forever," which was their biggest single since "Beth." Kiss was scheduled to record a new album with their old producer, Bob Ezrin, in 1990 when Eric Carr became severely ill with cancer; he died in November of 1991 at the age of 41. Kiss replaced him with Eric Singer and recorded Revenge (1992), their first album since 1989; it was a Top Ten hit and went gold. Kiss followed it with the release of Alive III the following year; it performed respectably, but was not up to the standards of their two previous live records. In 1996, the original lineup of Kiss -- featuring Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, and Criss -- reunited to perform an international tour, complete with their notorious makeup and special effects. The tour was one of the most successful of 1996, and in 1998 the reunited group issued Psycho Circus. While the ensuing tour in support of Psycho Circus was a success, sales of Kiss reunion album werent as stellar as anticipated. Reminiscent of the bands unfocused late-70s period, few tracks on Psycho Circus featured all four members playing together (most tracks were supplemented with session musicians), as the band seemed more interested in flooding the marketplace with merchandise yet again instead of making the music their top priority. With rumors running rampant that the Psycho Circus Tour would be their last, the quartet announced in the spring of 2000 that they would be launching a U.S. farewell tour in the summer, which became one of the years top concert draws. But on the eve of a Japanese and Australian tour in early 2001, Peter Criss suddenly left the band once again, supposedly discontent with his salary. Taking his place was previous Kiss drummer Eric Singer, who in a controversial move for some longtime fans, donned Criss cat-man makeup (since Simmons and Stanley own both Frehley and Criss makeup designs, there was no threat of a lawsuit) as the farewell tour continued. With the band scheduled to call it a day (supposedly) by late 2001, a mammoth career-encompassing box set was set for later in the year, while the summer saw perhaps the most over-the-top piece of Kiss merchandise yet -- the "Kiss Kasket." The group was relatively quiet throughout the rest of the year, but 2002 started with a bang as Gene Simmons turned in an entertaining and controversial interview on NPR where he criticized the organization and berated host Terry Gross with sexual comments and condescending answers. He was promoting his autobiography at the time, which also caused dissent in the Kiss camp because of inflammatory remarks made toward Ace Frehley. Frehley subsequently declined to appear at an American Bandstand anniversary show; his place was taken by a wig-wearing Tommy Thayer, and Simmons was quick to dismiss the performance as another in a long series of money-oriented decisions. The band kept touring the globe with no new album in stores, but in 2008 they returned to the studio, re-recorded their hits, and released Jigoku-Retsuden aka KISSology or Kiss Klassics (the release was initially exclusive to Japan). In spring of 2009, the band began recording their first studio album in 11 years, and released the results in October with the title Sonic Boom. Produced by Paul Stanley and Greg Collins, the album was exclusively distributed in North America by Wal-Mart. In 2012, the bands 20th studio album, Monster, surfaced, rewriting the cowbell-heavy party rock of their 70s heyday and adding some nods to the sinister metal of 1992s Revenge. In 2014, after 15 years of eligibility, Kiss was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The following year they released a collaborative single with the Japanese idol group Momoiro Clover Z. In 2017, a career-spanning single-disc best-of, Kissworld, was released to coincide with a massive world tour of the same name. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 31 Title: KISS Released: 1974-02-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Strutter (03:12) 2 Nothin’ to Lose (03:27) 3 Firehouse (03:18) 4 Cold Gin (04:21) 5 Let Me Know (02:59) 6 Kissin’ Time (03:53) 7 Deuce (03:05) 8 Love Theme From KISS (02:24) 9 100,000 Years (03:23) 10 Black Diamond (05:12) |
| KISS : Allmusic album Review : Kiss 1974 self-titled debut is one of hard rocks all-time classic studio recordings. Kiss is chock full of their best and most renowned compositions, containing elements of Rolling Stones/New York Dolls party-hearty rock & roll, Beatles tunefulness, and Sabbath/Zep heavy metal, and wisely recorded primal and raw by producers Richie Wise and Kenny Kerner (of Gladys Knight fame). Main songwriters Stanley and Simmons each had a knack for coming up with killer melodies and riffs, as evidenced by "Nothin to Lose" and "Deuce" (by Simmons), "Firehouse" and "Black Diamond" (by Stanley), as well as "Strutter" and "100,000 Years" (collaborations by the two). Also included is the Ace Frehley alcohol anthem "Cold Gin," "Let Me Know" (a song that Stanley played for Simmons upon their very first meeting, then titled "Sunday Driver"), and one of Kiss few instrumentals: the groovy "Love Theme from Kiss" (penned by the entire band). The only weak track is a tacky cover of the 1959 Bobby Rydell hit "Kissin Time," which was added to subsequent pressings of the album to tie in with a "Kissing Contest" promotion the band was involved in at the time. Along with 1976s Destroyer, Kiss self-titled debut is their finest studio album, and has only improved over the years. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 31 Title: Hotter Than Hell Released: 1974-10-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 33:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Got to Choose (03:54) 2 Parasite (03:02) 3 Goin’ Blind (03:36) 4 Hotter Than Hell (03:30) 5 Let Me Go, Rock ’n Roll (02:15) 6 All the Way (03:17) 7 Watchin’ You (03:44) 8 Mainline (03:51) 9 Comin’ Home (02:38) 10 Strange Ways (03:18) |
| Hotter Than Hell : Allmusic album Review : Although Kiss self-titled debut performed respectably on the charts, it was not the blockbuster they had hoped for. With the album fading on the charts in the summer of 1974, Kiss was summoned back into the studio to work on a follow-up. Producers Richie Wise and Kenny Kerner were onboard again, and even though the sonics are muddier (and more filler is present in the compositions), Hotter Than Hell is another quintessential Kiss release. Many of the songs have been forgotten over the years (few have been featured in concert after the 70s), but there are still more than a few gems to be found. Its unclear if the members of Kiss were having problems with their personal relationships at the time, but its a common thread that runs through the songs. The plodding "Got to Choose" and the rapid-fire "Parasite" deal with love gone bad; the title track is about unobtainable love, while "Goin Blind" is a disturbing tale of a 93-year-old having an affair with a 16-year-old. Also included are the early favorites "Let Me Go, Rock n Roll" and "Watchin You," as well as the original electric version of "Comin Home" (an acoustic version was the opener of 1996s MTV Unplugged) and "Strange Ways," which contains one of Ace Frehleys best guitar solos. Even though Hotter Than Hell actually fared worse on the charts than the debut, it has become a revered album among Kiss fans over the years -- and rightfully so. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 31 Title: Dressed to Kill Released: 1975-03-19 Tracks: 10 Duration: 30:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Room Service (03:00) 2 Two Timer (02:49) 3 Ladies in Waiting (02:33) 4 Getaway (02:43) 5 Rock Bottom (03:55) 6 C’mon and Love Me (02:57) 7 Anything for My Baby (02:34) 8 She (04:08) 9 Love Her All I Can (02:41) 10 Rock and Roll All Nite (02:46) |
| Dressed to Kill : Allmusic album Review : By the release of their third album, 1975s Dressed to Kill, Kiss were fast becoming Americas top rock concert attraction, yet their record sales up to this point did not reflect their ticket sales. Casablanca label head Neil Bogart decided to take matters into his own hands, and produced the new record along with the band. The result is more vibrant sounding than its predecessor, 1974s sludgefest Hotter Than Hell, and the songs have more of an obvious pop edge to them. The best-known song on the album by far is the party anthem "Rock and Roll All Nite," but it was the track "CMon and Love Me" that became a regional hit in the Detroit area, giving the band their first taste of radio success. Since the band was on the road for a year straight, songs such as "Room Service" and "Ladies in Waiting" dealt with life on the road (i.e., groupies), and a pair of songs were reworked from Kiss precursor band, Wicked Lester ("Love Her All I Can" and "She"). With Dressed to Kills Top 40 showing on the Billboard charts, the stage was now set for Kiss big commercial breakthrough with their next release. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 31 Title: Destroyer Released: 1976-03-15 Tracks: 10 Duration: 34:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Detroit Rock City (05:17) 2 King of the Night Time World (03:19) 3 God of Thunder (04:15) 4 Great Expectations (04:21) 5 Flaming Youth (03:00) 6 Sweet Pain (03:20) 7 Shout It Out Loud (02:50) 8 Beth (02:46) 9 Do You Love Me? (03:34) 10 Rock and Roll Party (01:25) |
| Destroyer : Allmusic album Review : The pressure was on Kiss for their fifth release, and the band knew it. Their breakthrough, Alive!, was going to be hard to top, so instead of trying to recreate a concert setting in the studio, they went the opposite route. Destroyer is one of Kiss most experimental studio albums, but also one of their strongest and most interesting. Alice Cooper/Pink Floyd producer Bob Ezrin was on hand, and he strongly encouraged the band to experiment -- theres extensive use of sound effects (the albums untitled closing track), the appearance of a boys choir ("Great Expectations"), and an orchestra-laden, heartfelt ballad ("Beth"). But theres plenty of Kiss heavy thunder rock to go around, such as the demonic "God of Thunder" and the sing-along anthems "Flaming Youth," "Shout It Out Loud," "King of the Night Time World," and "Detroit Rock City" (the latter a tale of a doomed concert-goer, complete with violent car-crash sound effects). But it was the aforementioned Peter Criss ballad, "Beth," that made Destroyer such a success; the song was a surprise Top Ten hit (it was originally released as a B-side to "Detroit Rock City"). Also included is a song that Nirvana would later cover ("Do You Love Me?"), as well as an ode to the pleasures of S&M, "Sweet Pain." Destroyer also marked the first time that a comic-book illustration of the band appeared on the cover, confirming that the band was transforming from hard rockers to superheroes. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 31 Title: Rock and Roll Over Released: 1976-11-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Want You (03:02) 2 Take Me (02:50) 3 Calling Dr. Love (03:44) 4 Ladies Room (03:25) 5 Baby Driver (03:35) 6 Love ’em and Leave ’em (03:43) 7 Mr. Speed (03:18) 8 See You in Your Dreams (02:29) 9 Hard Luck Woman (03:32) 10 Makin’ Love (03:12) |
| Rock and Roll Over : Allmusic album Review : With the massive success of their previous album, the experimental Bob Ezrin-produced Destroyer (which contained the surprise ballad hit "Beth"), Kiss could have taken the safe route and continued in that direction -- or return to the raw hard rock of their first four albums. They chose the latter. Hooking back up with Eddie Kramer, the producer of their 1975 breakthrough release Alive! and their very first demo, Kiss rented out the Nanuet Star Theater in upstate New York to record their next album, Rock and Roll Over. With a more direct, in-your-face production, Rock and Roll Over is one of Kiss most consistent records. Two of the albums best tracks became hit singles -- the sleazy hard rocker "Calling Dr. Love" and an acoustic ballad that was originally intended for Rod Stewart, "Hard Luck Woman" (later covered by country star Garth Brooks). But like all other classic rock albums, the lesser-known material is often just as strong -- "I Want You" and "Makin Love" became concert staples over the years, while "Mr. Speed" is one of the most underrated songs in Kiss catalogue. Also included are the fan favorites "Take Me," "Ladies Room," "Love Em and Leave Em," and the original version of "See You in Your Dreams," which was later re-recorded for Gene Simmons 1978 solo album. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 31 Title: Love Gun Released: 1977-06-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Stole Your Love (03:04) 2 Christine Sixteen (03:12) 3 Got Love for Sale (03:25) 4 Shock Me (03:46) 5 Tomorrow and Tonight (03:35) 6 Love Gun (03:16) 7 Hooligan (02:58) 8 Almost Human (02:47) 9 Plaster Caster (03:25) 10 Then She Kissed Me (02:57) |
| Love Gun : Allmusic album Review : Love Gun was Kiss fifth studio album in three years (and seventh release overall, peaking at number four on Billboard), and proved to be the last release that the original lineup played on. By 1977, Kiss merchandise was flooding the marketplace (lunch boxes, makeup kits, comic books, etc.), and it would ultimately lead to a Kiss backlash in the 80s. But the band was still focused on their music for Love Gun, similar in sound and approach to Rock and Roll Over, their previous straight-ahead rock release. It included Ace Frehleys lead vocals on "Shock Me," as well as one of Kiss best and most renowned hard rockers in the thunderous title track. The albums opener, "I Stole Your Love," also served as the opening number on Kiss ensuing tour, while "Christine Sixteen" is one of the few Kiss tracks to contain piano prominently. "Almost Human" is an underrated rocker and features a great Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar solo from Frehley (no doubt due to ex-Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer manning the boards again), while "Plaster Caster" is a tribute to the famous groupies of the same name. The only weak spots on an otherwise stellar album are an obvious "Rock and Roll All Nite" ripoff titled "Tomorrow and Tonight," and a pointless remake of the Phil Spector-penned classic "Then He Kissed Me" (reworked as "Then She Kissed Me"). | ||
 | Album: 7 of 31 Title: The Best of Solo-Albums Released: 1978 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 New York Groove (03:02) 2 Rip It Out (03:39) 3 Speedin’ Back to My Baby (03:37) 4 You Matter to Me (03:15) 5 Tossin’ and Turnin’ (04:00) 6 Hooked on Rock ’n’ Roll (03:38) 7 Radioactive (03:51) 8 Mr. Make Believe (04:02) 9 See You in Your Dreams (02:49) 10 Tonight You Belong to Me (04:40) 11 Move On (03:10) 12 Hold Me, Touch Me (Think of Me When We’re Apart) (03:40) |
 | Album: 8 of 31 Title: Double Platinum Released: 1978-04-02 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:09:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Strutter ’78 (03:42) 2 Do You Love Me? (03:34) 3 Hard Luck Woman (03:24) 4 Calling Dr. Love (03:17) 5 Let Me Go, Rock ’n Roll (02:15) 6 Love Gun (03:16) 7 God of Thunder (04:15) 8 Firehouse (03:19) 9 Hotter Than Hell (03:30) 10 I Want You (03:02) 11 Deuce (03:02) 12 100,000 Years (03:22) 13 Detroit Rock City (03:37) 14 Rock Bottom (intro) / She (05:26) 15 Rock and Roll All Nite (02:46) 16 Beth (02:46) 17 Makin’ Love (03:12) 18 C’mon and Love Me (02:55) 19 Cold Gin (04:21) 20 Black Diamond (04:15) |
| Double Platinum : Allmusic album Review : Double Platinum is a double-album, 20-track collection that gathers all of Kiss biggest hits ("Rock and Roll All Nite," "Beth," "Detroit Rock City," "Calling Dr. Love," "Love Gun"), but what makes it an essential retrospective and introduction is that it doesnt overlook key album tracks and concert favorites like "Cold Gin," "Deuce," "Black Diamond," and "She." If "Strutter" was represented by the original version, instead of a pointless 1978 remake -- which was recorded only to entice collectors into buying an album of music they already owned -- Double Platinum would have been a definitive collection, but as it stands, its simply a very, very good overview. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 31 Title: Dynasty Released: 1979-05-23 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) 2 2,000 Man (04:56) 3 Sure Know Something (04:01) 4 Dirty Livin’ (04:27) 5 Charisma (04:25) 6 Magic Touch (04:42) 7 Hard Times (03:31) 8 X‐Ray Eyes (03:46) 9 Save Your Love (04:40) |
| Dynasty : Allmusic album Review : Dynasty marked the first time that the original four members of Kiss didnt all appear together for the entire album -- session drummer Anton Fig subbed for Peter Criss due to the latters erratic behavior and injuries sustained in a serious car crash. And even though it was a platinum-plus smash, Dynasty marked the beginning of Kiss unfocused period, which would ultimately end in a nosedive of the bands popularity, as well as Criss and Ace Frehley leaving the band by 1982. In latter-day interviews, the band admitted that they started to listen to outsiders about what direction the music should go around the time of Dynasty. And since small children were a large part of Kiss audience by 1979 (due to merchandising and the God-awful TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantom), the band began backing away from heavy metal and embracing pop. Included is their hit disco experiment, "I Was Made for Loving You" (which was no better or worse than any other rock-meets-disco experiment of the late 70s), as well as "Sure Know Something," a melodic pop/rocker that should have also been a smash. Many other tracks would have been better if they werent so glossed up (due to producer Vini Poncia), such as "Charisma," "Magic Touch," "Hard Times," and a great reworked cover of the Rolling Stones obscurity "2,000 Man." Not a horrible album (that distinction would go to 1981s Music from "The Elder"), but certainly not on par with such classics as Hotter Than Hell, Destroyer, or Love Gun. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 31 Title: Unmasked Released: 1980-05-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Is That You? (03:59) 2 Shandi (03:36) 3 Talk to Me (04:02) 4 Naked City (03:52) 5 What Makes the World Go ’round (04:15) 6 Tomorrow (03:17) 7 Two Sides of the Coin (03:16) 8 She’s So European (03:32) 9 Easy as It Seems (03:25) 10 Torpedo Girl (03:45) 11 You’re All That I Want (03:04) |
| Unmasked : Allmusic album Review : Although Unmasked was certified gold shortly after its release in the U.S., it quickly fell off the charts. Deciding factors included the bands failure to mount a stateside tour, the fact that the majority of the compositions on Unmasked were easily forgettable, and longtime fans weariness with Kiss attempts to branch out into other musical styles. Vini Poncia was on board as producer again, and again he replaces the raw, heavy rock of earlier Kiss releases with pop gloss. Several tracks are indeed strong, and would have benefited greatly by a more direct sound, such as "Is That You?," "Talk to Me," "Two Sides of the Coin," "Naked City," and the single, "Shandi." But theres more filler on Unmasked than the average Kiss release -- "What Makes the World Go Round," "Tomorrow," and "Shes So European" are tedious and predictable, both compositionally and sonically. Again, session drummer Anton Fig fills in for Peter Criss, who would officially split from the band soon after the albums release (eventually replaced by Eric Carr). Although the bands popularity dwindled in their homeland, they embarked on a massively successful European and Australian tour, where Unmasked was a huge hit, until years end. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 31 Title: Music From “The Elder” Released: 1981-11-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Fanfare (01:22) 2 Just a Boy (02:25) 3 Odyssey (05:36) 4 Only You (04:17) 5 Under the Rose (04:51) 6 Dark Light (04:18) 7 A World Without Heroes (02:40) 8 The Oath (04:31) 9 Mr. Blackwell (04:52) 10 Escape From the Island (02:52) 11 I / Finale (05:03) |
| Music From “The Elder” : Allmusic album Review : By the end of 1980, Kiss knew that their next album had to be a strong one, a glorious return to hard rock à la their classic Destroyer. New drummer Eric Carr had refueled the bands desire to rock, and the quartet began working on a straight-ahead rock album in early 1981. Midway through, the band felt that they were rewriting past songs, and the sessions were aborted. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley then came up with the idea of recording a concept album, based on a mythical original story by Simmons. Destroyer producer Bob Ezrin was back and encouraged the bands concept album idea (against both Ace Frehleys and Carrs wishes). Simmons and Stanley had high hopes for Music from "The Elder" (such as a movie, an elaborate tour, a follow-up record, etc.), but it completely bombed upon release. The reason? The music is totally uncharacteristic of Kiss -- it resembles heavy prog rock for the most part. Some of the songs could have been classics if the pompous and/or hard-to-decipher lyrics were replaced, such as "The Oath," "Only You," "I," and "Just a Boy." Only two tracks resemble the Kiss of old (Frehleys "Dark Light" and the instrumental "Escape from the Island"), while the rest is downright embarrassing ("Odyssey," "A World Without Heroes," "Under the Rose"). Music from "The Elder" was the final straw for Frehley, who would leave the band in 1982. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 31 Title: Killers Released: 1982-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 46:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I’m a Legend Tonight (03:59) 2 Down on Your Knees (03:30) 3 Cold Gin (04:21) 4 Love Gun (03:16) 5 Shout It Out Loud (02:38) 6 Sure Know Something (04:01) 7 Nowhere to Run (04:32) 8 Partners in Crime (03:46) 9 Detroit Rock City (03:55) 10 God of Thunder (04:11) 11 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:19) 12 Rock and Roll All Nite (03:59) |
| Killers : Allmusic album Review : 1981s The Elder was such a bomb worldwide that Kiss record company outside the U.S., Casablanca/Phonogram, demanded that the band immediately assemble another greatest-hits package to prove to their befuddled fans that they were still a heavy metal group, not experimental prog rockers. Since a greatest-hits set was issued just four years prior in the form of the double LP Double Platinum, the band decided to include four brand-new tracks along with some hits, under the title of Killers (a single album). The new tracks ("Im a Legend Tonight," "Down on Your Knees," "Nowhere to Run," "Partners in Crime") resembled the Kiss of old more than anything the band had released for a few years by this point (again, guitarist Bob "Alive II" Kulick subs for Ace Frehley). The only hits on Killers that hadnt already appeared on Double Platinum were "I Was Made for Loving You," "Sure Know Something," and "Rock and Roll All Nite (Live)"; the rest were repeats ("Love Gun," "Detroit Rock City," "God of Thunder," "Cold Gin," and "Shout It out Loud"). Killers didnt accomplish what the record company hoped it would -- re-establishing Kiss as chart-toppers -- but it did show their fans outside the U.S. that the band meant business again. [The Australian and Japanese versions of Killers include a slightly different track listing.] | ||
 | Album: 13 of 31 Title: Creatures of the Night Released: 1982-10-13 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Creatures of the Night (04:02) 2 Killer (03:20) 3 Keep Me Comin’ (03:55) 4 Rock and Roll Hell (04:12) 5 Danger (03:56) 6 I Love It Loud (04:15) 7 I Still Love You (06:06) 8 Saint and Sinner (04:50) 9 War Machine (04:14) |
| Creatures of the Night : Allmusic album Review : By 1982s Creatures of the Night, Kiss had finally ditched their plans of becoming "respectable artists" (starting with 1979s Dynasty) and had come to the realization that they were a loud, no-holds-barred heavy metal band. Easily their best since 1977s Love Gun, Creatures of the Night contains very little filler and sounds as if Kiss had been reborn (it also includes one of the heaviest drum sounds ever captured in the studio by any rock band). The band is inspired and enthusiastic throughout, especially on such rockers as the opening title track, "Killer," "War Machine," "Saint and Sinner," and one of their great anthems, "I Love It Loud." Also included is one of Kiss better ballads, "I Still Love You" (later featured on 1996s Unplugged set), as well as "Rock and Roll Hell," a song written about Ace Frehley, who would soon officially make his resignation from the band public. Guitarist Vinnie Vincent (real name: Vinnie Cusano) handles guitar duties here and was eventually named as Frehleys replacement, playing on the ensuing tour. Although Creatures of the Night deserved to be the album that put Kiss back on top of the charts, it performed below expectations (topping out at number 45), as did its tour. Hence, the album is one of Kiss most underrated. It didnt take a genius to figure out that the makeup had grown stale and was now getting in the way of their music. The time had finally come for the band to unmask. [Creatures of the Night was later reissued in 1985 with a different cover (non-makeup) and remixed. But when all of Kiss albums were remastered and re-released on CD in 1996, the original 1982 version was used.] | ||
 | Album: 14 of 31 Title: Lick It Up Released: 1983-09-18 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Exciter (04:11) 2 Not for the Innocent (04:23) 3 Lick It Up (03:56) 4 Young and Wasted (04:05) 5 Gimme More (03:44) 6 All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose (04:33) 7 A Million to One (04:10) 8 Fits Like a Glove (04:04) 9 Dance All Over Your Face (04:16) 10 And on the 8th Day (04:02) |
| Lick It Up : Allmusic album Review : Due to the underachievement of their exceptional 1982 comeback album, Creatures of the Night, Kiss knew the time was right to drop the makeup, so in September 1983 the band shocked their fans by unmasking on MTV. Their first non-makeup album, Lick It Up, followed soon after and successfully re-established the band among the heavy metal masses worldwide. Kiss also reconnected with their stateside fans -- Lick It Up was the bands first record to achieve gold status since 1980s Kiss Unmasked. The albums success was spurred by MTVs repeated airing of the imaginative video for the albums strong title track, and songs such as "Exciter," "Not for the Innocent," "A Million to One," and the rap-rocker "All Hells Breaking Loose" confirmed that the band was back on the right track. Vinnie Vincent again proved to be a worthy replacement to original guitarist Ace Frehley but would unfortunately leave the band after the completion of the Lick It Up worldwide tour (eventually resurfacing with the Vinnie Vincent Invasion in the late 80s). Lick It Up is undoubtedly Kiss best non-makeup album. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 31 Title: Animalize Released: 1984-09-13 Tracks: 9 Duration: 36:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’ve Had Enough (Into the Fire) (03:53) 2 Heaven’s on Fire (03:20) 3 Burn Bitch Burn (04:42) 4 Get All You Can Take (03:44) 5 Lonely Is the Hunter (04:28) 6 Under the Gun (04:01) 7 Thrills in the Night (04:21) 8 While the City Sleeps (03:41) 9 Murder in High‐Heels (03:53) |
| Animalize : Allmusic album Review : With two strong albums back to back (Creatures of the Night and Lick It Up), Kiss fans were confident that the bands next album would be just as good. Although 1984s Animalize was a big hit (eventually going double platinum), it was the beginning of the bands second unfocused period. Instead of leading the heavy metal pack with raw hard rock (i.e., their classic albums from the 70s), in the mid- to late 80s, Kiss seemed to be copying other successful pop-metal bands (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, etc.), both musically and visually. Mark St. John replaced the departed Vinnie Vincent on guitar (guitarist number three in a span of three years) and proved to be a highly technical player, the complete opposite of original member Ace Frehleys straight-ahead style. Still, there were a few strong compositions on Animalize, such as the MTV hit "Heavens on Fire" and two heavy tracks: the opener, "Ive Had Enough (Into the Fire)," and "Under the Gun." But by this point, bassist Gene Simmons was more interested in pursuing an acting career than being an integral member of Kiss, so many of his compositions are either forgettable ("While the City Sleeps") or just plain embarrassing (the Spinal Tap-esque "Burn Bitch Burn"). Although a commercial success, Animalize was not nearly as strong as its two predecessors. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 31 Title: Asylum Released: 1985-09-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 King of the Mountain (04:20) 2 Any Way You Slice It (04:04) 3 Who Wants to Be Lonely (04:03) 4 Trial by Fire (03:26) 5 I’m Alive (03:47) 6 Love’s a Deadly Weapon (03:31) 7 Tears Are Falling (03:54) 8 Secretly Cruel (03:44) 9 Radar for Love (04:02) 10 Uh! All Night (04:02) |
| Asylum : Allmusic album Review : By 1985, Kiss were a shadow of their former selves. Gone was the raw rock of their not so distant past, as well as their memorable "heavy Beatles" songwriting. In its place was a sound that was too similar to other pop-metal bands at the time, as well as unimaginative, predictable songs, as evidenced on Asylum. The album marked the appearance of Kiss fourth guitarist in four years, Bruce Kulick -- brother of Bob Kulick, who played as a session guitarist on Alive II, Killers, and Paul Stanleys 1978 solo album -- who had replaced Mark St. John on the 1984-1985 Animalize tour. Besides the popular video/single "Tears Are Falling," Asylum is chock-full of nondescript fluff ("Im Alive," "Trial by Fire," "Secretly Cruel," "Loves a Deadly Weapon," etc.). Although the band again treads on Spinal Tap territory with "Uh! All Night," several tracks could have benefited greatly from a heavier sound, such as "King of the Mountain," "Any Way You Slice It," and "Who Wants to Be Lonely." Although it attained platinum status, Stanley and Gene Simmons would rightfully dismiss Asylum later on. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 31 Title: Crazy Nights Released: 1987-09-15 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Crazy Crazy Nights (03:46) 2 I’ll Fight Hell to Hold You (04:09) 3 Bang Bang You (03:53) 4 No, No, No (04:17) 5 Hell or High Water (03:27) 6 My Way (03:59) 7 When Your Walls Come Down (03:23) 8 Reason to Live (04:00) 9 Good Girl Gone Bad (04:35) 10 Turn On the Night (03:18) 11 Thief in the Night (04:06) |
| Crazy Nights : Allmusic album Review : Just when you thought Kiss couldnt be further removed from their raw rock/metal roots with 1985s lackluster Asylum, the band sinks even further with 1987s popfest Crazy Nights. Kiss were the most unfocused they had ever been by 1987 (the absence of original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley obviously had something to do with it). They hooked up with producer Ron Nevison, who had recently produced chart-topping records for Heart and Ozzy Osbourne. Keyboards had no business being on a Kiss record, yet they rear their ugly head throughout Crazy Nights. "Turn on the Night," "Reason to Live," the anthemic "Crazy Crazy Nights" (a British Top Ten hit), and perhaps the worst Kiss song ever recorded, "My Way," are all bogged down with keyboards. Still, a song or two does contain music that would be reminiscent of the Kiss of old if it werent for Nevisons glossy production ("No, No, No," etc.). Rather than being a true hard rock force, a status they had begun to reclaim on 1982s Creatures of the Night and 1983s Lick It Up, Kiss were merely trying to replicate the hit formula of other bands of the day (Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc.). As Crazy Nights displays, their lack of success in that area was dire. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 31 Title: Chikara Released: 1988-05-25 Tracks: 14 Duration: 59:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rock and Roll All Nite (02:46) 2 Detroit Rock City (05:17) 3 Love Gun (03:16) 4 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (07:54) 5 Creatures of the Night (04:02) 6 I Love It Loud (04:15) 7 War Machine (04:13) 8 Lick It Up (03:56) 9 All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose (04:33) 10 Heaven’s on Fire (03:20) 11 Thrills in the Night (04:21) 12 Who Wants to Be Lonely (04:03) 13 Uh! All Night (04:02) 14 Tears Are Falling (03:54) |
| Chikara : Allmusic album Review : To coincide with their tour of Japan in the spring of 1988 (in support of their Crazy Nights album), Kiss released the Japan-only compilation Chikara. Focusing mainly on material from the Creatures of the Night album forward (Lick It Up, Animalize, and Asylum), several tracks are included from Kiss glory days as well, plus a few remixes ("I Was Made for Loving You," "Creatures of the Night," "I Love It Loud," and "War Machine"). And while these remixes are not entirely groundbreaking, collectors and serious fans will enjoy hearing these uncommon versions. While even casual fans will surely be familiar with such old trusty chestnuts as "Rock and Roll All Nite," "Detroit Rock City," and "Love Gun," Chikara features the crème de la crème of the often spotty non-makeup era of Kiss. You wont have to listen to a whole album of filler to be able to appreciate such 80s standouts as "Heavens on Fire" and "Tears Are Falling," as they are prominently featured here. Since its pressing was extremely limited (only 100,000 copies were made), Chikara is one of the rarest Kiss releases. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 31 Title: Smashes, Thrashes & Hits Released: 1988-11-14 Tracks: 15 Duration: 52:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Let’s Put the X in Sex (03:48) 2 (You Make Me) Rock Hard (03:28) 3 Love Gun (03:29) 4 Detroit Rock City (03:48) 5 I Love It Loud (03:43) 6 Deuce (03:19) 7 Lick It Up (03:56) 8 Heaven’s on Fire (03:20) 9 Calling Dr. Love (03:27) 10 Strutter (03:20) 11 Beth (02:47) 12 Tears Are Falling (03:54) 13 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) 14 Rock and Roll All Night (02:56) 15 Shout It Out Loud (03:05) |
| Smashes, Thrashes & Hits : Allmusic album Review : Smashes, Thrashes & Hits is a compilation of Kisss greatest hits from their 80s career. Since there werent enough chart-toppers from that period to fill an entire album, however, 70s classics from their more theatrical days are also included, such as "Love Gun," "Shout It Out Loud," and "Rock and Roll All Nite." (Peter Criss power ballad, "Beth," is also featured on the album, but is a re-recorded version with then-drummer Eric Carr on vocals.) This combination of classic power rock and pop-metal is what makes the record entertaining, and the albums two new tracks, "Lets Put the X in Sex" and "(You Make Me) Rock Hard," continue to display Kiss interesting melodies. Although necessary only to the avid Kiss fan, Smashes, Thrashes & Hits is an acceptable compilation and is another good introduction to the band. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 31 Title: Hot in the Shade Released: 1989-10-17 Tracks: 15 Duration: 58:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rise to It (04:04) 2 Betrayed (03:40) 3 Hide Your Heart (04:26) 4 Prisoner of Love (03:45) 5 Read My Body (03:49) 6 Love’s a Slap in the Face (04:05) 7 Forever (03:52) 8 Silver Spoon (04:42) 9 Cadillac Dreams (03:47) 10 King of Hearts (04:27) 11 The Street Giveth and the Street Taketh Away (03:32) 12 You Love Me to Hate You (04:04) 13 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (03:48) 14 Little Caesar (03:11) 15 Boomerang (03:31) |
| Hot in the Shade : Allmusic album Review : Realizing that their last albums werent even close to being in league with their output from the 70s, Kiss made a conscious effort to get back on track with 1989s Hot in the Shade. The group began trying out new material, and was soon forced to issue a record in conjunction with an upcoming tour. Hence, Hot in the Shade is a slight improvement over its flat predecessors (Asylum, Crazy Nights) -- but not by much. The songwriting is still unfocused, but at least the keyboards that plagued Crazy Nights had thankfully been put away, and the production isnt as pop-oriented as most of their other 80s albums. The album did spawn Kiss first Top Ten single in ten years with the syrupy ballad "Forever," but again, the group missed the mark by padding the album with lots of filler ("You Love Me to Hate You," "Loves a Slap in the Face," "Cadillac Dreams," etc.). Also included were a couple of obvious attempts at hit singles ("Rise to It" and the dreadful "Hide Your Heart"), and a track that sounds like a total ripoff of Def Leppards "Pour Some Sugar on Me," titled "Read My Body." Drummer Eric Carrs only lead vocal on a Kiss record, "Little Caesar," is one of the albums few bright spots, but Hot in the Shade unfortunately proved to be Carrs last album with Kiss; he died from cancer in 1991. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 31 Title: Revenge Released: 1992-05-14 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Unholy (03:41) 2 Take It Off (04:50) 3 Tough Love (03:44) 4 Spit (03:32) 5 God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You II (05:20) 6 Domino (04:01) 7 Heart of Chrome (04:02) 8 Thou Shalt Not (03:59) 9 Every Time I Look at You (04:39) 10 Paralyzed (04:14) 11 I Just Wanna (04:07) 12 Carr Jam 1981 (02:46) |
| Revenge : Allmusic album Review : Despite coming off a monster ballad with Hot in the Shades Michael Bolton-penned "Forever," Kiss was plagued by financial instability due to Simmons and Stanleys extravagance; worse, drummer Eric Carr succumbed to cancer in November 1991. But even with the grunge movement in full effect, Kiss was luckily recognized as a major influence on everyone from Trent Reznor to Lenny Kravitz -- their 70s legacy intact despite the bands often dubious choices in the 80s. And even though they, too, were on the brink of commercial extinction, being savvy businessmen first and foremost, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley fully understood the lay of the land. Not only did they need to make a definitive record, they needed to completely re-invent themselves, visually and sonically. The first step was to secure hard rock veteran Eric Singer to fill Carrs shoes; next, the band rekindled its relationship with producer Bob Ezrin. Again, never ones to ignore lucrative business opportunities, Simmons and Stanley swallowed their pride and rejoined forces with former bandmate Vinnie Vincent. Together, they co-wrote Revenges three centerpieces -- "Unholy," "I Just Wanna," and "Heart of Chrome." Bringing Vincent back to the Kiss fold ultimately proves to be the albums coup de grâce. Some of the cuts are excellent, delivered with conviction and panache, but for all the hype, the album is also tainted with filler. On the up tip, Ezrins mongo-enormous production galvanizes the Kiss sound, making it fresh again. The bands promotional efforts would help propel the albums first-week sales sky high, culminating with a Top Ten Billboard chart entry, but indifference once again plagued the ensuing arena tour. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 31 Title: You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! Released: 1996-06-25 Tracks: 13 Duration: 59:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Room Service (03:38) 2 Two Timer (03:14) 3 Let Me Know (03:38) 4 Rock Bottom (03:23) 5 Parasite (03:35) 6 Firehouse (03:50) 7 I Stole Your Love (03:35) 8 Calling Dr. Love (03:35) 9 Take Me (03:06) 10 Shout It Out Loud (03:39) 11 Beth (02:24) 12 Rock and Roll All Nite (03:59) 13 KISS Tells All (17:33) |
 | Album: 23 of 31 Title: Greatest KISS Released: 1996-11-11 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:14:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Detroit Rock City (03:37) 2 Black Diamond (05:12) 3 Hard Luck Woman (03:32) 4 Sure Know Something (04:01) 5 Love Gun (03:16) 6 Deuce (03:05) 7 Goin’ Blind (03:36) 8 Shock Me (03:46) 9 Do You Love Me? (03:34) 10 She (04:08) 11 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) 12 Shout It Out Loud (video version) (03:39) 13 God of Thunder (04:15) 14 Calling Dr. Love (03:44) 15 Beth (02:46) 16 Strutter (03:12) 17 Rock and Roll All Nite (02:46) 18 C’mon and Love Me (02:57) 19 Rock Bottom (03:55) 20 God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You II (05:20) |
| Greatest KISS : Allmusic album Review : Kiss has been the subject of numerous best-of compilations over the years, some released stateside (1978s Double Platinum, 1988s Smashes, Thrashes & Hits), while others only in specified regions (1982s Killers in Europe, 1988s Chikara in Japan, etc.). The 1996 collection Greatest Kiss was originally intended to only be issued outside the U.S., but since it was selling well as an import stateside, it was eventually issued domestically one year later. There are four different versions of Greatest Kiss, each including a slightly different track listing: European/Australian, Japanese, Mexican, and U.S. Instead of focusing only on overlooked songs not included previously on their past best-of packages, Greatest Kiss is an extremely haphazardly assembled collection since the majority of the songs have been included on the aforementioned collections ("Rock and Roll All Nite," "Deuce," "Beth," "Detroit Rock City," etc.). Tracks making their first appearance on a Kiss anthology are "Sure Know Something," "Christine Sixteen," "Plaster Caster," "Flaming Youth," "Two Sides of the Coin," and a 1996 live version of "Shout It Out Loud." Instead of getting it right and focusing only on truly overlooked gems (such as "Magic Touch," "Larger Than Life," "Shock Me," "Parasite," "Talk to Me," "Rocket Ride," "Watchin You," "Mr. Speed," "New York Groove," "I Stole Your Love," "King of the Night Time World," etc.), Greatest Kiss ultimately misses the mark. For the newcomer, stick with 1978s better-assembled Double Platinum. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 31 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 1997 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:15:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Crazy Crazy Nights (03:46) 2 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) 3 Detroit Rock City (03:37) 4 Lick It Up (03:56) 5 Hard Luck Woman (03:32) 6 Calling Dr. Love (03:44) 7 Beth (02:46) 8 Love Gun (03:16) 9 God of Thunder (04:15) 10 Sure Know Something (04:01) 11 Deuce (03:05) 12 Do You Love Me? (03:34) 13 Strutter (03:12) 14 Rock and Roll All Nite (02:46) 15 Plaster Caster (03:25) 16 Hotter Than Hell (03:30) 17 Shock Me (03:46) 18 Cold Gin (04:21) 19 Black Diamond (05:12) 20 God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You II (05:20) |
 | Album: 25 of 31 Title: Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions Released: 1997-10-25 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:00:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Hate (04:37) 2 Rain (04:46) 3 Master & Slave (04:57) 4 Childhood’s End (04:20) 5 I Will Be There (03:49) 6 Jungle (06:49) 7 In My Head (04:00) 8 It Never Goes Away (05:42) 9 Seduction of the Innocent (05:16) 10 I Confess (05:23) 11 In the Mirror (04:26) 12 I Walk Alone (06:08) |
| Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions : Allmusic album Review : Before Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley reunited with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, they recorded Carnival of Souls with guitarist Bruce Kulick and drummer Eric Singer, intending to release the record either in late 1995 or early 1996. Once the reunion took off, Carnival of Souls was shelved and Kulick and Singer were unceremoniously given their walking papers, the final chapter of their history erased from public record. Unsurprisingly, the unreleased album became a hot bootleg in collectors circles, paving the way for its official release in the fall of 1997. In some ways, it should have stayed unreleased, since Carnival of Souls hardly captures Kiss at their best. None of the songs, either the predictable rockers or the by-the-book power ballads, stand out, and the music sounds canned, forced, and over-produced, with little of the self-deprecating humor that made the comeback tour a success. Only the dedicated -- who probably already own it on bootleg -- will have the patience to wade through the record to find the few minor items of worth. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 31 Title: Psycho Circus Released: 1998-09-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Psycho Circus (05:30) 2 Within (05:10) 3 I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll (03:32) 4 Into the Void (04:22) 5 We Are One (04:41) 6 You Wanted the Best (04:15) 7 Raise Your Glasses (04:15) 8 I Finally Found My Way (03:40) 9 Dreamin’ (04:12) 10 Journey of 1,000 Years (04:47) 11 In Your Face (03:35) |
| Psycho Circus : Allmusic album Review : Since the 1996 reunion tour was a blockbuster success, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons decided to keep Peter Criss and Ace Frehley around for a little while longer -- long enough to record a full-fledged reunion album, Psycho Circus. Anyone expecting a stylistic breakthrough from a reunited (allegedly revitalized) Kiss would be unfamiliar with the bands history. Throughout the years, the only real change has been in the guitarists and drummers; the bands sleazy, big, dumb pop-metal has remained the same. The problem is, its the kind of music that sounds more convincing when its performed by a young, hungry band that makes records on the cheap. That way, the albums really sound as sleazy as the men who make them. As the band pushes 50, Kiss no longer sound young, hungry, or sleazy -- they sound like professional dirty old men. And since theyre professionals, they can turn out some catchy hooks when called upon, but Psycho Circus ultimately feels worn out, more of a huge advertisement for an impending tour than a full-fledged record. Certainly, theyre crafty enough to toss out a few anthems to please fans ("I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll," "You Wanted the Best"), and that may be enough to appease fans longing for an album by a reunited Kiss, especially since Frehley is a better, more charismatic guitarist than anyone else that has floated through the band. But cynics (i.e., anyone who isnt a hardcore fan) will probably view it as pandering. Which raises an interesting question: who is more cynical, Kiss for writing fan-baiting rock & roll anthems simply to sell records, or the reviewers who call them on it? | ||
 | Album: 27 of 31 Title: Box Set Released: 2001-11-20 Tracks: 94 Duration: 6:04:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Strutter (04:58) 2 Deuce (03:26) 3 Keep Me Waiting (03:26) 4 She (03:07) 5 Love Her All I Can (02:41) 6 Let Me Know (demo) (03:37) 7 100,000 Years (demo) (05:53) 8 Stop, Look to Listen (demo) (04:02) 9 Leeta (demo) (02:28) 10 Let Me Go, Rock ’n Roll (demo) (04:05) 11 Acrobat (06:21) 12 Firehouse (demo) (04:37) 13 Nothin’ to Lose (03:27) 14 Black Diamond (05:12) 15 Hotter Than Hell (03:30) 16 Strange Ways (03:18) 17 Parasite (03:02) 18 Goin’ Blind (03:36) 19 Anything for My Baby (02:34) 20 Ladies in Waiting (02:33) 21 Rock and Roll All Nite (02:46) 1 C’mon and Love Me (03:05) 2 Rock Bottom (03:23) 3 Cold Gin (live) (06:40) 4 Watchin’ You (03:49) 5 Don’cha Hesitate (demo version) (02:40) 6 Mad Dog (demo) (02:32) 7 God of Thunder (demo) (02:54) 8 Great Expectations (04:21) 9 Beth (02:46) 10 Do You Love Me? (03:34) 11 Bad, Bad Lovin’ (demo) (03:35) 12 Calling Dr. Love (03:44) 13 Mr. Speed (demo) (03:34) 14 Christine Sixteen (03:12) 15 Hard Luck Woman (03:32) 16 Shock Me (03:46) 17 I Stole Your Love (03:04) 18 I Want You (soundcheck recording) (03:31) 19 Love Gun (demo) (03:19) 20 Love Is Blind (demo) (02:46) 1 Detroit Rock City (03:55) 2 King of the Night Time World (03:05) 3 Larger Than Life (04:01) 4 Rocket Ride (04:07) 5 Tonight You Belong to Me (04:40) 6 New York Groove (03:02) 7 Radioactive (demo) (03:09) 8 Don’t You Let Me Down (03:41) 9 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) 10 Sure Know Something (04:01) 11 Shandi (03:36) 12 You’re All That I Want, You’re All That I Need (demo) (04:17) 13 Talk to Me (live) (03:40) 14 A World Without Heroes (02:40) 15 The Oath (04:31) 16 Nowhere to Run (04:32) 17 Creatures of the Night (04:03) 18 War Machine (04:13) 19 I Love It Loud (04:15) 1 Lick It Up (03:56) 2 All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose (04:33) 3 Heaven’s on Fire (03:20) 4 Get All You Can Take (03:44) 5 Thrills in the Night (04:21) 6 Tears Are Falling (03:54) 7 Uh! All Night (04:02) 8 Time Traveler (demo) (04:57) 9 Hell or High Water (03:27) 10 Crazy Crazy Nights (03:46) 11 Reason to Live (04:00) 12 Let’s Put the X in Sex (03:48) 13 Hide Your Heart (04:26) 14 Ain’t That Peculiar (demo) (03:10) 15 Silver Spoon (04:42) 16 Forever (single mix) (03:50) 1 God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You II (05:20) 2 Unholy (03:25) 3 Domino (demo) (04:02) 4 Every Time I Look at You (04:39) 5 Comin’ Home (02:51) 6 Got to Choose (live Unplugged) (03:31) 7 I Still Love You (06:09) 8 Nothin’ to Lose (03:42) 9 Childhood’s End (05:26) 10 I Will Be There (03:49) 11 Psycho Circus (04:50) 12 Into the Void (04:22) 13 Within (04:28) 14 I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll (03:32) 15 Nothing Can Keep Me From You (04:03) 16 It’s My Life (original version) (03:45) 17 Shout It Out Loud (new video version) (03:38) 18 Rock and Roll All Nite (live) (06:06) |
 | Album: 28 of 31 Title: The Very Best of KISS Released: 2002-08-27 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:14:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Strutter (03:12) 2 Deuce (03:05) 3 Got to Choose (03:54) 4 Hotter Than Hell (03:30) 5 C’mon and Love Me (02:57) 6 Rock and Roll All Nite (03:59) 7 Detroit Rock City (03:37) 8 Shout It Out Loud (02:50) 9 Beth (02:46) 10 I Want You (03:02) 11 Calling Dr. Love (03:44) 12 Hard Luck Woman (03:32) 13 I Stole Your Love (03:04) 14 Christine Sixteen (03:12) 15 Love Gun (03:16) 16 New York Groove (03:02) 17 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) 18 I Love It Loud (04:15) 19 Lick It Up (03:56) 20 Forever (03:52) 21 God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You II (05:20) |
| The Very Best of KISS : Allmusic album Review : Although several other hard rock acts have seen their hits repackaged more times than Kiss (namely the Who, Motörhead, Black Sabbath, etc.), the masked quartet certainly isnt far behind, as 2002 saw the groups latest in a long line of collections, The Very Best of Kiss. Despite recycling many of the same selections over and over on these sets (1978s Double Platinum, 1988s Smashes, Thrashes & Hits, 1997s Greatest Kiss, etc.), fans will flock to the stores to buy any piece of Kiss merchandise to complete their collections, hence the arrival of another of hits. While The Very Best of Kiss does contain a smattering of songs to make their debut on a hits collection (the live version of "Rock and Roll All Nite," "Got to Choose," "I Stole Your Love," "New York Groove," and a few non-makeup-era tracks), the majority of the track listing is comprised of songs already included on the aforementioned previous titles. Instead of finally doing it right and issuing a double-disc set that spans their career (à la the Whos 2002 anthology, The Ultimate Collection), there are too many hits and standout tracks that get skipped over by limiting it to a single disc. For newcomers to the band who want to get a brief overview of Kiss, The Very Best of Kiss is adequate, but certainly not the definitive collection. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 31 Title: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of KISS Released: 2003-08-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Strutter (03:12) 2 Deuce (03:05) 3 Hotter Than Hell (03:30) 4 C’mon and Love Me (02:57) 5 Rock and Roll All Nite (03:59) 6 Detroit Rock City (03:37) 7 Beth (02:46) 8 Hard Luck Woman (03:32) 9 Calling Dr. Love (03:44) 10 Love Gun (03:16) 11 Christine Sixteen (03:12) 12 I Was Made for Lovin’ You (04:30) |
| 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of KISS : Allmusic album Review : The discount-priced 20th Century Masters compilation presents the highlights of the first half-decade of Kiss existence, drawing from recordings originally released between 1974 and 1979. For that period, compilation producer Bill Levenson begins by picking four LP tracks from the bands initially unsuccessful first three albums: "Strutter" and "Deuce" from Kiss, the title track from Hotter Than Hell, and "Cmon and Love Me" from Dressed to Kill. The remaining eight tracks represent Kiss highest charting singles of the next several years, among them the breakthrough live version of "Rock and Roll All Nite," the Top Ten ballad "Beth," and their second gold-selling single, "I Was Made for Lovin You." For such a brief and focused compilation, the only significant omission to note is "Shout It Out Loud," which charted in both studio and live version, the former getting to number 31 on the Hot 100. Of course, a more career-spanning collection would have included the 1990 Top Ten hit "Forever," but thats saved for a second volume. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 31 Title: Sonic Boom Released: 2009-09-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Modern Day Delilah (03:37) 2 Russian Roulette (04:33) 3 Never Enough (03:26) 4 Yes I Know (Nobody’s Perfect) (03:02) 5 Stand (04:50) 6 Hot and Cold (03:35) 7 All for the Glory (03:50) 8 Danger Us (04:22) 9 I’m an Animal (03:47) 10 When Lightning Strikes (03:43) 11 Say Yeah (04:27) |
| Sonic Boom : Allmusic album Review : In the 11 years since their last album, the big and bloated Psycho Circus, the reunited, original, make-up wearing Kiss split once again when Ace Frehley and Peter Criss hit the door. In a shocking move that disgusted Kiss purists, remaining members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons decided that Ace and Peters characters were up for grabs, and handed the make-up over to their new guitar-playing spaceman, Tommy Thayer, and their catman 2.0, Eric Singer, for subsequent tours. It was hardly the first time Paul and Gene were painted as an anything-for-a-buck duo -- theyve licensed everything from Kiss action figures to Kiss caskets after all -- but maybe, just maybe, it was a sincere move after all, one designed to please fans. Unlike Psycho Circus with Ace and Peter, Sonic Boom with Tommy and Eric captures the spirit of the original group through simple, unashamedly macho songs that could have appeared on any of their pre-Destroyer albums. Lunkheaded lyrics like "The deck is loaded when I like what I see" ("Russian Roulette") or "Danger you, danger me, danger us" ("Danger Us") arent so much an issue when the hooks are as solid and the songs are as exciting as they are here. "Yes I Know (Nobodys Perfect)" is the quintessential Gene song with the usual demon bass fills, plenty of cowbell, and "Baby its time to take off your clothes" lyrics, while the closing "Say Yeah" is a sure fan pleaser, falling somewhere between "Black Diamond" and "Nothin to Lose." Besides the underlying feeling that theres a bit more smirking than before, theres little sign the original duo have matured, which is good news, but the old-school idea of one song for the spaceman ("When Lightning Strikes") and one for the cat ("All for the Glory") shouldve been dropped, as both slow down the proceedings, plus Erics number sings of "Were all for one and were all for the glory" with absolutely no sense of irony. No one will be turned on to the band by Sonic Boom, and all the usual criticisms -- dumb, sexist, gaudy, and dumb -- apply, but the Kiss Army have waited over two decades for something this solid and fun. Pretend this is the back-to-basics follow up to Love Gun, and those 20 years of so-so albums fade away. Classic and maybe even a little awesome, Sonic Boom makes that "hottest band in the world" tag much easier to swallow. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 31 Title: Monster Released: 2012-10-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Hell or Hallelujah (04:07) 2 Wall of Sound (02:55) 3 Freak (03:35) 4 Back to the Stone Age (03:01) 5 Shout Mercy (04:04) 6 Long Way Down (03:51) 7 Eat Your Heart Out (04:06) 8 The Devil Is Me (03:41) 9 Outta This World (04:29) 10 All for the Love of Rock & Roll (03:21) 11 Take Me Down Below (03:24) 12 Last Chance (03:05) |
| Monster : Allmusic album Review : As Kiss approach 40 years of ridiculously dumb rock & roll fun, it makes sense that their 20th studio album, Monster, is more self-referential than anything. Following 2009s Sonic Boom, the album marks the second set of tunes by a revamped "original" Kiss lineup, with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons joined by new guitarist Tommy Thayer and re-emerging drummer Eric Singer donning the makeup and personas originated by Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, respectively. Dressing up these semi-random players in the classic comic book costumes is just step one in re-creating the feel of Kiss 1970s over the top heyday. Monster is a tremendous throwback to the superhuman partying and heavy metal Ragnarök of Kiss albums like Destroyer and Love Gun, with meaty riffs, hamfisted drumming, and a combination of Simmons patented demonic growls and Stanleys interstellar party-starting, not to mention amounts of cowbell that would have been above average even in 1977. "All for the Love of Rock & Roll" is a big-hearted boogie rocker that would have fit on Frehleys stoney 1978 solo album, while the campily sinister metal riffage of "The Devil Is Me" and "Freak" fit more into the era of slick radio metal of 1992s Revenge. The muddy analog a cappella intro of "Eat Your Heart Out" sets the tone for tongue-in-cheek double entendres updating "Shout It Out Loud" with slightly different lyrics but the same bell-bottomed irreverence. Its only when Kiss stray from their most formulaic compositions that they start to falter. The remarkably dumb sex tale "Take Me Down Below" isnt just improbable macho fantasy, its uninspired and boring. Musically, lyrically, and stylistically, it offers nothing, not even the joyful stupidity of the throwback feel of much of Monster. At this point in their career, attempts at innovation are Kiss worst enemy. Its amazing to think that the bandmembers who once sang "My power is my age" and "Dont let them tell you that theres too much noise/Theyre too old to really understand" are still trotting out the same schtick as Paul and Gene enter their early sixties. These 12 songs might not score many new recruits for the Kiss Army, but for the innumerable fans of multiple generations who grew up with and lived their glory days listening to Kiss, the familiarity is what will make the record a keeper. With Monster, Kiss hit the mark best when rewriting the sound they developed as youngsters and when they keep it simple, predictable, and fun. | ||