Ranking KISS Albums

20. Animalize
My least favorite of the KISS Katalog...and it's really unmemorable. While "Heaven's On Fire" is rockin and a live staple for 30-some years, you can really tell Gene was pretty checked out. Creatures and Lick It Up showed KISS fitting in well with the direction of 1980's metal, yet somehow this seemed more like a band playing catch-up.
Highlight Track- "Heaven's On Fire"

19. Monster
Another generic KISS album... it's only slighty higher than Animalize because it at least has KISS continuing their back to basics style from Sonic Boom. Quite a few are pretty weak, and I don't really need to hear Tommy Thayer singing lead either. I think it worked with the original line-up because you had the 4 separate personalities and songwriters contributing, and slotting Tommy in as a singer seems like forcing that dynamic. Oh well. This at least features a few fun songs, like "Take Me Down Below" and the unique vocal intro on "Eat Your Heart Out."
Highlight Track- "Hell Or Hallelujah"

18. Sonic Boom
Highlight Track- "Danger Us"
This album instantly struck me as the classic KISS sound, as if it was the follow-up to Rock And Roll Over, just 30 years too late. There's no gimmicks, no ballads, no pop songs. It's what you'd want from KISS... yet... the sound is awful. It's what I'd say is a prime example of that 'loudness war', where everything is just turned up so loud, that it's "too hot" and becomes distorted. The songs themselves ain't too bad- I dig "Danger Us", "Modern Day Delilah", "Say Yeah"... I guess I'm a sucker for the Paul songs.

17. Crazy Nights
I think this album would be better if not for the glossy, poppy production.. but at the same time, Paul needed some help after the last couple albums seemed to be a do-it-yourself style. I'd say I like half of the album and can do without songs like "Bang Bang You" and "No No No"... but it gets downgraded overall because of the production.
Highlight Track- "Crazy Crazy Nights"

16. Carnival Of Souls
This is the opposite of Crazy Nights, because while I only like half of the album, it gets bumped up because the rougher production fits the material and the good songs outweigh the bad. Its very much a 'Gene album' as he sounds right at home with the deeper direction into metal/alternative, especially with Singer having roots in bands like Badlands and Black Sabbath, and I liked "Childhood's End" and "Hate." Paul does turn in some cool stuff- "I Will Be There", "In The Mirror", and "Jungle" (though I think I prefer John Corabi's rougher singing on that one.) Bruce seemed up for the challenge too, as he seems to be credited on 3/4's of the songs, and even sang on "I Walk Alone."
Highlight Track- "I Will Be There"

15. Love Gun
The title track is one of KISS' finest! The cover is one of their best, easily top 3 KISS album covers!! The rest... kinda shows the cracks in the KISS line-up. Peter Criss' song "Hooligan" is ok, but easily his worst on any KISS album. And then while its notable for being Ace's vocal debut, I'd say "Shock Me" is easily his worst KISS song as well. The one good thing about the album is that Peter and Paul at least seemed to be on the same page, and wore their influences on their sleeves as "Hooligan" and "Tomorrow and Tonight" sound like songs straight outta the 50's. Going along with that early rock n roll sound is their cover of The Crystals.
Highlight Track- "Love Gun"

14. The Elder
This is NOT a bad album. It's still a misfire for KISS... but that doesn't mean it's terrible. "I" and "The Oath" have some pretty heavy riffs; "A World Without Heroes" is a fine ballad; "Under the Rose" sounds like Kansas..if you like that kinda thing; and "Mr. Blackwell" is weirdly unique.
Highlight Track- "I"

13. Psycho Circus
I originally wrote this off as being 'not good' cause I saw that while Ace and Peter were back in the fold, they weren't really back as contributors. However, as it is, this one has it's moments. "Pyscho Circus", "Within", "Into The Void", and "Dreamin" are still enjoyable, but now I'd add "Pledge Allegiance", "You Wanted The Best", and "Raise Your Glasses" to that list. They're almost a little too self-referential and on the nose, but the riffs are still KISS.
Highlight Track- "Dreamin"

12. Lick It Up
I had this one lower than most when I first became a fan, then as I was making this list I initially had it higher, but decided against it. It's fine and rocks just as hard as Creatures of the Night, but I think it lacks a little variety from that album. This one is definitely turned but to 11 when you're playing it, but just isn't as memorable once the record stops spinning.
Highlight Track- "A Million To One"

11. Hot In The Shade
This would be a couple notches higher if it was a few songs shorter. It's another do-it-yourself KISS album and it definitely seems focused on sticking to a straight-on rock n roll sound, but I think they needed a producer or someone like Bob Ezrin to trim the fat. I go back and forth on "Forever", "Rise To It", and "King of Hearts" as my favorite on this album... but that's not to say Gene was absent. His song "Betrayed", co-written with future member Tommy Thayer, aint too bad. And I like "Prisoner of Love" with Bruce, too.
Highlight Track- "Forever"

10. Unmasked
Lick It Up is one that slid down my list as I was reviewing these albums, but this one seemed to move up quite a few notches. I feel like this album wouldn't have been nearly as poorly received if "Shandi" wasn't the lead single. Something like "Is That You?" leads the album and might've been a good choice for a single. While it would've inflated his ego more, "Talk To Me" would've worked just as well as a lead single. Ace does pull his weight here- as his songs are better than Gene's contributions ("she makes love on a brass bed", eh?), and I'd say "Torpedo Girl" is the best of his three. It's wonderfully cheesy and harmless.
Highlight Track- "Is That You?"

9. Dressed To Kill
Dressed to Kill and Rock and Roll Over are kinda similar to me- straight forward KISS albums, with little to no ballads, no pop songs, no gimmicks, just rock. They also are two of their best album covers. Its hard to name a favorite.. like Lays Chips, betcha cant eat just one, as there's "Getaway", "C'Mon And Love Me", "Rock Bottom", "Room Service", and "Love Her All I Can". I feel like every song is fast and furious, and rocks at 70 mph!
Highlight Track- "Rock Bottom"

8. Rock And Roll Over
Its almost like a tie with Dressed to Kill- 8A and 8B. Although this one gets the edge for "Calling Doctor Love" cause of that bad ass guitar solo. One of Gene's all-time best mixed with a hot Ace solo!
Highlight Track- "Hard Luck Woman"

7. Asylum
This is another KISS album that has really grown on me over the years. I think if you asked me tomorrow, I may even say it's their best of the 80's. Bruce Kulick joined the band in a bad spot, but immediately jumped in and co-wrote some of the more rockin songs on the album, like "I'm Alive" and "King Of the Mountain" (which has a cool drum intro from Eric Carr.) Gene was still checked out, but his stuff wasn't too bad, like "Trial By Fire." This album seems to have the best mix of KISS cheese with their tendencies to rock.
Highlight Track- "Uh! All Night"

6. KISS
This is a weird one. I LOVE half! The other half is really meh. I could do without "Kissin Time", "Love Theme", even "Firehouse". I like KISS' cheesier moments but I can't get around the lyric- "get the firehouse!" Should that be "firehose".. or was it some early 70's slang that's lost on me. That said, "Deuce" is awesome for it's cheesy lyrics, about "Old Jim" and getting his grandma outta here.
Highlight Track- "100,000 Years"

5. Creatures Of The Night
I remember originally hearing "War Machine" and being blown away-- "No way! This is KISS?!!" Everything is killer on this record... except the song "Killer." It's like while Gene has some of the best moments on the album- "War Machine" and "Rock And Hell"- those other two songs just fall really flat. The title track and "Danger" should also be given some love too.
Highlight Track- "Rock And Roll Hell"

4. Dynasty
People hate this for being a "disco" album but it's not. I guess your interest in this album probably would depend on how much you enjoyed the solo albums, because I feel like Dynasty is just an extension of those albums. The band members had went off and wrote an album's worth of material on their own, for this album, it seems like they were still in that individual mindset. Criss' song is a close call for overall favorite because it's jazzy but still rocks; Gene's are more cheesy nonsense; Paul's are pop-flavored; and Ace contributed another cover, which is better than the last.
Highlight Track- "I Was Made For Lovin You"

3. Revenge
I think this is a rare album in the KISS catalog because Gene's songs are overall stronger than Paul's. For comparison's sake, I'm counting "Unholy", "Domino", "Paralyzed", and "Thou Shalt Not" over "Heart Of Chrome", "Take It Off", "Every Time I Look At You", and "I Just Wanna". While I do love the last 2 of those Paul songs, I cannot stand "Take It Off". I suppose it's not that Paul's are terrible, it's just Gene seemed really energized, and contributed his strongest material in a decade. Doesn't hurt that Bob Ezrin produced this album, too. I remember seeing full page ads for this in Marvel Comics in the early 90's and the band in leather, in front of the steel wall was a cool image.
Highlight Track- "Domino"

2. Hotter Than Hell
This album took a long time to grow on me. It was initially one of their albums I listened to the least, mostly due to the muddy and rough production. Revisiting it last year after some time away, I was almost floored by the strength of the songs. There isn't even a bad song at all, and now the muddy sound that was a turn-off, actually adds to songs like "Parasite" and "Strange Ways." Its like heavy metal infancy- especially since these songs would later be covered by Anthrax and Megadeth, respectively.
Highlight Track- "Hotter Than Hell"

1. Destroyer
I love this album! I think the Bob Ezrin production just puts it over the top, in the category of not just 'good KISS albums' but of being a damn good rock and roll album. There are creepy kid voices, a car crash, bells, calliope music, and all sorts of stuff thrown into the mix. While this might not be their best batch of songs ("Great Expectations", anyone?), Bob Ezrin raised the material considerably. The 2014 remix and remaster is even better.
Highlight Track- "Detroit Rock City"