3. Creatures Of The Night (1982)
1982 saw KISS in terminal decline and unsure of its musical direction. The saccharine pop of Dynasty and Unmasked had yielded little success - besides the worldwide hit single I Was Made For Loving You, which is one of my favourite ever songs - but had seen the band's fanbase desert in droves. In a last ditch grab for musical credibility (!) they turned to Bob Ezrin to help them piece together the concept album Music From The Elder (1981). If you want to know what it sounds like when cocaine addiction meets self-delusion then buy Music From The Elder. The physical manifestation of a band losing the plot Music From The Elder is KISS' Heaven's Gate, a horribly beautiful failure. It also marked the debut of new drummer, Eric "The Fox" Carr. Minus the departed Ace Frehley (although his face appears on the official album cover to fulfil contractual obligations) Creatures Of The Night sees the band desperate to get back on track and to prove the point that they aren't finished. Drafting in a team of songwriters including Bryan Adams, and a barrage of hot shot guitarists vying for the vacant lead guitarist/superhero position, KISS set about winning back its heavyweight title. In their corner they had a secret weapon who effectively saved their career. Vinnie Vincent co-writes 3 songs and plays jaw-dropping solos on 6, single-handedly dragging the band kicking and screaming out of the wilderness. Producer Michael James Jackson (Red Rider, Jesse Colin Young) sets the drums to "Stun" and conjures the sound of rolling thunder as he allows Eric Carr to finally show off his distinctly Bonhamesque chops. None of the songs require singling out as the whole album is one long, incandescent highlight. The album may have sold disappointingly, but KISS was finally able to establish a musical credibility it never had before and reach out to the casual listener rather than playing solely to an increasingly disengaged fanbase. Creatures Of The Night represents the band's rebirth and the brutal metal and roll sound acted as a springboard for them to regain a modest level of popularity. This album also marked the end of an era, as it was the last KISS album to feature the band in makeup.