Hotter Than Hell [Original recording remastered]

 

 

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Latest in my series of Kiss reviews: My goal is to listen to and review every album before the release of Sonic Boom in October 2009.

HOTTER THAN HELL was my first Kiss album. I had it on a scratched up piece of vinyl that I don't have anymore. Because of the condition of the record and my turntable at the time, I had no idea just how bad HOTTER THAN HELL sounds. And it does sound bad. Kids these days, used to ProTools and gloss, might find it unlistenable. Despite that I have no choice but to give it five stars.

Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise produced again, two guys who didn't know how to achieve the heavy rock that Kiss wanted, but tried anyway. The result is a murky impenetrable sound with drums that sound like Peter's banging away on wooden blocks. The cymbals are nearly impossible to hear. Yet this white noise serves only to make the album heavier and darker to these nostalgic ears.

"Got To Choose" kicks off the album, a Kiss classic. I remember playing it to my 8th grade class much to the teacher's dismay. Gene and Paul sing harmonies together, but this is a Paul song. The acoustic version from MTV UNPLUGGED is also quite excellent. "Parasite" follows, an Ace song that Gene sings and one of the fastest tunes Kiss were to do in the early days. The ALIVE! version is more fully realized. A ballad of sorts, "Goin' Blind" follows. This is a Gene song from his pre-Kiss days, previously known as "Little Lady" and co-written by his Wicked Lester bandmate Steve Coronel. (In its stellar MTV UNPLUGGED version, Gene sings a verse as "Little lady from the land beneath the sea".) This version doesn't do it justice, but lines like "I'm 93, you're 16" hint at territory that Gene would revisit later in other songs. The title track, "Hotter Than Hell" is a Paul song and one of the best on the album if not in Kisstory. The riff and coda are both so memorable. (I miss the days when Kiss used to tack on these extra riffs as codas, they were always so heavy and cool.) Side 1 ends with "Let Me Go, Rock And Roll", a fast rock n' roll Chuck Berry guitar number which I always found comical due to Gene high voice at the beginning. The ALIVE! version has become a classic.

Side 2 begins with a "lost" album cut called "All The Way". It's not played live often but it has one of my favourite choruses: "You just keep-a-talkin' louder, complain to your mother and father, one of these days you'll push me all the way." You just can't get the melody out of your head. Plus it has cowbell! "Watchin' You", a heavy Gene song that sounds like a Sabbath outtake, follows. This song was even revisited for Kiss ALIVE III in a funkier guise. "Mainline" is a Paul song, sung by Peter Criss. It's a little more rock n' roll again, but with that great chrous melody. "Comin' Home" is another Paul song that ended up on MTV UNPLUGGED. Strange how many of these songs sounded great acoustically! It was always an album favourite of mine with great lyrics. The album ends with the dirgey "Strange Ways", a Gene Simmons written song, sung by Peter Criss. This is probably the only song on the album I don't like very much, even though it is so heavy and Sabbathy.

HOTTER THAN HELL will probably never be remixed to make it sound clearer, and maybe it never should be. Even the 1997 remastering did nothing to improve its sound. If that doesn't bother you, then delve in and discover a true Kiss classic. Just look at how many songs keep popping up on setlists to this day. That's the sign of a classic album.

Kiss released their self-titled album in early`74 and toured the much as possible to get themselves famous and a bit of money.Then they returned to the cassablanca records studio to make a new album in hope it would be succesfull.The album didn t do much better than the first ,but with patience the album reached gold status.

On the charts it went at the top 100 but disapeared of the chart fast.It was containing distortion (Apearently on watching you) wich wasn t helping at all ,but they persevered and after the alive!album it went gold .The album is real heavy this is not the dynasty style at all ,the guitar heavy especialy on parasite.It is often criticized because it was their second album in one year ,but it did good even if not better as the debut but is one of their heaviest album (after;creatures of the night,revenge,destroyer ect.)If you ask yourself why is the cover japanese style its because the art director wanted to match the kabuki makeups with the cover.

got to chose;a good opener ,a song about a guy who gotta chose between two girls good chorus.10 on 10.

parasite ;the heavy guitar makes this song great the only heavier track might be watching you,about a woman .Ace wrote the song one of my fav on the album.10 on 10.

going blind;good ballad ,in the song a 16 year girl is with a way too old guy for her.8 on 10

hotter than hell;the most popular song on the album its the title track after all.a married girl mets another guy.a great track ,possibly my fav on the album.10 on 10

let me go rock`n`roll;the shortest song here,great but will become better live a good studio version of it.9 on 10(its way too short!).

all the way;good song ,sung by gene not quite famous,underated but good!7 on 10.

watching you;along with parasite,hotter than hell this is on the album s top 3.wonderfull song by gene (he also sings it)real heavy with the cool superhuman voice., great live.10 on 10.

mainline;sung by peter criss his vocals fits the song catchy chorus a hight point on the album.its not that heavy,but being a huge peter criss fan i love it.8 on 10

comin home;the only song i dont like on the album its ok,but im not a fan of this track.6 on 10

strange ways;sung by peter,good nothing less or more.7 on 10

Finaly a great album fan or casuals will probly like it,if not for the sound the album would might have done better as kiss say they were not happy with its sound .this rewiew is my opinion youn can think differntly or i could be wrong ,you decide!

THIS ONE'S MAYBE KISS BEST ALBUM YET! I REALLY LOVE IT!

IT'S HEAVY!

SOME SONGS ARE SOME OF KISS GREATEST SONGS!

GOT TO CHOOSE:9/10. HOT RIFF! GREAT BASS LINE!I ENJOY THIS SONG!

PARASITE:10/10.THE RIFF IS HOTTER THAN HELL!MAYBE KISS BEST SONG

GOIN' BLIND:10/10. KISS BEST BALLAD! GENE'S SOUNDS GREAT!

HOTTER THAN HELL:10/10. HEAVY SONG! HOT, HEAVY RIFF!

LET ME GO, ROCK `N' ROLL:7/10.I'VE NEVER ENJOYED IT, BUT GOOD!

ALL THE WAY:8/10. GREAT SONG. GENE'S VOCALS ARE GOOD ON IT!

WATCHIN' YOU:10/10. HOT! GREAT SONG! IT'S A LITTLE BIT HEAVY!

MAILINE:6/10. I'VE NEVER LIKE THIS ONE, BUT IT DOESN'T SUCK!

COMIN' HOME:6/10. NOT TO GOOD,BUT NOT BAD EITHER!

STRANGE WAYS:10/10. HEAVY, GREAT SONG! I LOVE IT! GREAT WRITING!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Another classic from KISS
Makeup clad rockers KISS released their follow-up to their self-titled debut entitled Hotter Than Hell in October of 1974. Read more

Published on July 7 2004 by Terrence J Reardon

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars - KISS's sophomore album
Hotter Than Hell (1974.) KISS's second album.

In the earlier half of 1974, KISS released their debut album. It was an excellent album, but sadly, it failed to sell well. Read more

Published on Jun 15 2004 by Taylor X

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars - An excellent sophomore effort
Hotter Than Hell (1974.) KISS's second album.

In the earlier half of 1974, KISS released their debut album. It was an excellent album, but sadly, it failed to sell well. Read more

Published on May 16 2004 by Taylor X

5.0 out of 5 stars Heavy follow up.
Got to Choose:6/10 Nice way to start the album.
Parasite:8/10 Heavy riff and hard rockin' song.
Goin' Blind:9/10 The song creep's me out but, I love it. Read more

Published on April 8 2004 by kingv38

5.0 out of 5 stars The coolest one
Hotter than hell has the coolest album cover in history, and the sound of the album is the creepiest ever. Read more

Published on Mar 15 2004 by eksosrock

3.0 out of 5 stars ***1/2. Good, but lesser than its predecessor
Kiss' second album, and the second one released in 1974, contains a number of fine songs, most notably the impressive heavy metal classic "Goin' Blind", the anthemic... Read more

Published on Feb 25 2004 by Docendo Discimus

4.0 out of 5 stars Far better than whimpy dressed to kill,except for production
This album has much better energy,compositions and arrangements than dressed to kill.The sound quality on this remastered edition is not as bad as the original release and does... Read more

Published on Feb 20 2004 by peter tucci

5.0 out of 5 stars in the top 3..........
this album is sooooooooooooooooooo good. it's in my top 3 along with their debut and ALIVE! i have no clue why it gets such a bad rap. Read more

Published on Dec 27 2003 by supercircus

4.0 out of 5 stars Kiss still cared back in 1974
"Hotter than hell" is Kiss' second album and it is without doubt a very good one and a worthy follow up to the debut. Read more

Published on Dec 18 2003 by L. B. Ivarsson

4.0 out of 5 stars Slow, Thud Rock at its Finest
In 1974 Kiss released its first album which didn't sell very well. While touring they recorded another album and released it as soon as they could. Read more

Published on Nov 27 2003 by scriptmasterj

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