A legendary career has seen its share of iconic LPs along with a few stinkers
20. Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
Licking It Up (Analysis): Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions, the band’s 17th studio LP, represents a striking departure from the classic KISS sound as they attempted to jump on the grunge bandwagon. It was released in 1997, which was a weird time for music in general. Earlier in the decade, grunge had unceremoniously bumped glam rock out of the spotlight. Apparently, it was as good a time as any for KISS to get experimental again (let’s not forget about 1979’s Dynasty). While KISS definitely has a signature sound, they were always a little more eager to try the genres of the day on for size than other rock artists like AC/DC… for better or worse.
From the very first notes of “Hate,” it’s evident that Carnival of Souls treads on unfamiliar ground. It awkwardly lands somewhere between Helmet and ’90s Anthrax in style exuding a gritty, dirge-like sound — in stark contrast to the glam and hard rock that had defined KISS in the past. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s vocals are darker and angrier, and Bruce Kulick’s guitar work delves into more dissonant and aggressive tones. Lyrically, the album expresses themes of inner turmoil and anger, reflecting a more introspective approach. KISS without makeup or a sense of humor begs the question: Is it really even KISS?
Loving It Loud (Best Song): “Hate” features a brooding atmosphere with chugging guitar work by Kulick while Simmons’ grainy vocals and deep bass lines as “The Demon” blend with the darker sound. Simmons conveys a sense of inner conflict and anger as the lyrics expound about hate at the heart of man, and saints and sinners. It’s a little reminiscent of “Unholy” both lyrically and musically, which makes it more familiar territory for the band.
Skippin’ Time (Worst Song): Maybe it’s because Kulick is singing, maybe it’s the weird effects, but “I Walk Alone” just doesn’t feel anything like a KISS song. It’s true, most of this album comes out of left field, but this track is the worst offender. It’s a slow, mediocre, and cheesy pseudo-grunge song. Kulick certainly lends his expert lead guitar skills to the mix, which is the only thing keeping it going at all. – Colette Claire
15. Sonic Boom (2009)
Licking It Up: The first KISS album in 11 years at the time, the band’s 19th effort Sonic Boom proved that the band still had some firepower left in its arsenal. The LP features straight-ahead rock tunes that blend memorable melodies with solid riffage from lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, not to mention the driving rhythm section courtesy of Eric Singer and Gene Simmons. The album’s hard-hitting and energetic sound harkened back to the band’s ’70s heyday with tracks like “Russian Roulette,” “I’m an Animal,” and “Say Yeah.”
Sonic Boom didn’t reinvent the wheel, but after 18 albums, it really shouldn’t have to. The apparent power, energy, and unapologetic attitude made it clear that KISS could still deliver the goods. Indeed, fans were hungry after 10-plus years for a return to form. Thus, Sonic Boom stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of one of rock n’ roll’s most iconic bands and a reminder that KISS were very much alive and well even in 2009, when pop, indie rock, and hip-hop ruled the day.
Loving It Loud: “Modern Day Delilah” serves as the opening statement of the album, and it’s a powerful one. It could have just as easily been written in 1989 rather than 2009, and this only lends to its credibility as a true KISS song that should appear on any quintessential KISS playlist. It features Stanley’s signature smooth but raspy vocals and a catchy, hard-rocking riff at the opening, not to mention a killer lead guitar solo by Thayer.
Skippin’ Time: In keeping with the ’80s vibe of this record, KISS felt the need to throw in a cheesy, uplifting, mid-paced power ballad — in this case, the song “Stand.” While the positive vibe is nice and the guitar solo is just as killer as all the rest on this album, the chorus is kinda weak both musically and lyrically. This part of the ’80s very much should’ve stayed in that decade. – C. Claire
10. Revenge (1992)
Licking It Up: KISS showed no signs of slowing down and growing old gracefully on Revenge, which marked the debut of drummer Eric Singer following Eric Carr’s death in November 1991.
While it wasn’t the return of the old-school KISS in full makeup, Revenge was still a welcome change for fans. A thunderous sonic storm, the album embraced a heavier, more aggressive sound than some of their previous efforts. Simmons’ snarling vocals on “Unholy” and Stanley’s soaring melodies on songs like “Take It Off” set the tone for an album that’s equally fierce and melodic. On “Take It Off,” Stanley’s charismatic delivery drives the song’s chorus along with an energetic rhythm, making it a standout on the album. Hard-rocking gem “Domino” is also notable with its infectious riffs and hooky chorus, exemplifying KISS’ ability to craft straightforward, no-frills rockers.
It is KISS, so of course there also had to be a hit ballad among all this heaviness. Their cover of the 1971 Argent song “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You” — or “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You II” as KISS dubbed it — was originally recorded for the soundtrack to Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey but, luckily, it also made it onto Revenge. The band made this track their own while adding it to their stable of live hits.
Loving It Loud: “Unholy” immediately grabs you by the throat with Simmons’ menacing lead vocals and thundering bass lines, punctuated by the chugging guitar riffs and a dark, aggressive overall vibe, make “Unholy” one of the heaviest of the entire KISS catalog. This may seem like blasphemy, pun completely intended, to some KISS fans to not put “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You II” as the best song, but, technically, it is not a KISS song and fans of KISS’ heavier side will agree that “Unholy” is the superior track.
Skippin’ Time: While a sweet, acoustic driven ballad isn’t much of a deviation for KISS, “Every time I Look at You” feels out of place on this album especially with “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You II” being the clearly superior ballad. It’s an obvious attempt to garner a chart topper power ballad and it is reminiscent of a lot of similar songs that were popular at the time. Taken by itself, or maybe even released by another artist, it is an okay song, but it just doesn’t fit into the overall vibe of Revenge. – C. Claire
05. Dressed to Kill (1975)
Licking It Up: Released in 1975, KISS’ third studio album Dressed to Kill is probably best known for spawning one of the band’s signature songs, “Rock and Roll All Nite,” which helped launch KISS to superstardom.
While Dressed to Kill didn’t exactly light the charts on fire, KISS’ live shows did, and it was during the tour for Dressed to Kill that KISS were propelled from cult status to full-blown rock icons. Shows began selling out as buzz circulated about blood spitting, smoking guitars, and fire breathing during their performances.
Musically, Dressed to Kill saw KISS coming into their own. The album features crisp guitar riffs courtesy of Ace Frehley, thunderous rhythms from Gene Simmons and Peter Criss, and hooks that instantly get stuck in your head. Aside from “Rock and Roll All Nite,” tracks like “C’mon and Love Me,” “She,’ and “Two Timer” are the perfect vehicle for KISS’ catchy, hard-rock swagger.
There was also a marked improvement production-wise on Dressed to Kill, emphasizing the band’s inherent pop inclinations while adding just the slightest metallic edge to the instrumentation. The hooks sound sharper, and the riffs and performances are far tighter than those found on Hotter Than Hell.
Loving It Loud: Hands down, “Rock and Roll All Nite” is the best song on Dressed to Kill. Not only is it catchy as hell, but it is iconic to KISS as a band. They play it as their closing song at nearly every show. However, it didn’t become the hit that we know today until it was recorded live during the Dressed to Kill tour, and released on the live album Alive! later that year.
Skippin’ Time: “Getaway”
To be fair, “Getaway” has decent guitar work, but on what is already a relatively short record, it feels like filler. The song honestly could’ve been released by any number of different bands from the same era ranging from Alice Cooper to Foghat with a stock, souped-up ’50s rock sound that was popular at the time and would eventually come to spawn an entire generation of glam rock. It’s also reminiscent of other better KISS songs. – C. Claire
Colette Claire 