Creatures of the Night [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Kiss | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 7, 1997)
• Original Release Date: 1982
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Island / Mercury
• ASIN: B000001ELR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (150 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,144 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) paper sleeve pressing. Universal. 2008. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A return to form, February 19, 2005

By 

Daniel Maltzman (Arlington, MA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creatures of the Night (Audio CD)

In the early 80s, KISS was in trouble. After a string of classic hard-rocking albums, the band started to change direction and follow a disco path with Dynasty and Unmasked (the former being excellent and the latter not being up-to-par). Their troubles were confounded by tensions with drummer Peter Criss and he did not play on either album (although he is credited). Criss was soon replaced by the very talented Eric Carr. KISS next tried its hand in making a concept album with 1981s "Music From The Elder." Although this album was interesting and adventurous, it didn't click with the fans and was an almighty flop. "Killers," a greatest hits album was released the following year with four new rockers, in an attempt by the band and its label to regain some credibility and popularity.

1982s "Creatures of the Night" was going the be the bands make-it-or-break-it album. Although Ace Frehley is depicted on the cover, he neither wrote for, nor played on the album. This album actually has a few people stepping in for Ace Frehley--Steve Ferris, Bob Kullick, and most importantly Vinnie Vincent.

This album was a true return to form for the band. After a lack of focus, they came back with their finest album since "Love Gun" (1977). The band sounds superb. Simmons and Stanley sound committed, as if they wanted to prove that they still had it in them to rock. Although a few different guitar players stepped in for Ace, the band sounds very cohesive. Eric Carr really shines and his drumming is intense. His playing was more proficient and superior to Criss. His drumming gives the album a real shot of adrenaline. And although Ace Frehley was a huge part of the band, surprisingly, his presence is not really missed. The guitar playing by Steve Ferris, Bob Kullick and Vinnie Vincent is superb. Vincent soon became Ace Frehley's permanent replacement.

The songs on this album are all excellent. This is probably the most heavy KISS album in their catalogue. All rockers, with only one balled, the beautiful "I Still Love You." It was Simmons and Stanley's best work in years. Vinnie Vincent also co-wrote three of the songs and proved to be a good writing partner. There are no filler songs here. Every song is a winner. The album opens with the classic title song. It has a killer riff and awesome solo by Ferris. The album never looses momentum, it has one killer song after another. Other standouts include "Rock and Roll Hell," "I Love it Loud" "I Still Love You," and "War Machine."

KISS attempted to regain focus, credibility, and popularity with this album. Although the album was not a huge hit at the time of its release, they mostly succeeded in achieving their goals. The band was reborn with this album and used it as a springboard to regain popularity with a sting of platinum albums in the 1980s. This album was also the end of an era, as it was the last KISS album to feature the band in makeup.

This is probably the best post Criss/Freley KISS album. If you are starting to build a KISS collection--this is one of the first albums to buy--along with ALIVE, KISS, Destroyer, and Love Gun.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kiss at their heavy best. . ., April 15, 2003

By 

"taw001" (Cleveland, OHIO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creatures of the Night (Audio CD)

From the original album cover (thankfully brought back) to the last metallic note recorded, this album is one of THE BEST hard rock albums of all time! KISS is my personal favorite band and I prefer the original lineup, but this album deserves praise for the songwriting and recording. It is an incredibly heavy album for KISS. I use "metallic" to describe it. Other descriptive words that come to mind would be "thunderous" (Eric Carr's drum sound is one of the biggest in recorded hard rock), "powerful" and "in your face". There is NO filler on this disc. It's not a long disc, so listen to it start to finish. One of my favorite tracks is "Danger". "Creatures of the Night" is an amazing track and kicks the album off properly. That song sets the tone for the tracks to follow. "I Love It Loud" is a terrible song live (IMHO), but here it is a masterpiece in it's simplicity. "Saint and Sinner" is one of Gene's shining moments. "I Still Love You" is an excellent power ballad. The recording of this album is a critical part of it's magic. If Eric Carr's drums sounded weaker, the album won't be nearly as bombastic. Just a great, great album. KISS didn't record many like this. "Lick It Up" followed and has some of the same elements ("Not For The Innocent" and "Young and Wasted"), but misses the mark overall when compared to "Creatures". Forget your friends who tell you Revenge is heavy. Not even close. This is one of the best KISS albums. Period. It might even be the best overall. I've been a fan for 25 years and have listened to more bootlegs than most average KISS fans own of their released albums. You know how people talk about "desert island" albums? Pack this one.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kiss' "Creatures of the Night", March 23, 2005

By 

James Choma - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Creatures of the Night (Audio CD)

Time has been kind to 1982's "Creatures of the Night." After the commercial failure that was "The Elder," the band decided to take a back-to-basics approach, and apply a heavier sound. This would set the stage for the band's rebirth w/o makeup for their comeback album, "Lick it Up."

When the album originally came out in 1982, Ace Frehley had left the band and Vincent Cusano (Vinnie Vincent) took over on lead guitar. Yeah, Ace is on the cover, but no, he's not on the album. Nevertheless, it's still my favorite Kiss album cover. While "I Love it Loud" got airplay, it only peaked at #102 in the US. The album peaked at #45, then dropped of the charts with nary a whimper.

It seems that fans redicovered how good this album was after Kiss started gaining a foothold again in the music industry in the mid-80's. After "Lick it Up," "Animalize," and "Asylum," new fans began looking back for more and latched onto "Creatures" again.

It ranks in the top five of my Kiss favorites ("Destroyer," "The Elder," "Dynasty," "Rock & Roll Over," "Creatures"). Much of that has to do with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons having something to prove at the time. They were hungry again and had the desire to reestablish Kiss as a force in the music industry. It has since become a fan favorite as well as a favorite of the band's.