Customer Reviews

Revenge

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Being a huge fan since the age I could afford to buy albums, I've waited a long time for a KISS album of this quality. I bought the album in May 1992 when it was released mostly because it was my duty as a member of the KISS ARMY to buy every album of the of the band history including new ones. Was I surprise when I heard 'UNHOLY' co-written by none other than Vinnie Vincent, the most underatted songwriter in hard rock history! That song was our anthem in spring-summer 1992! The song quality of Gene Simmons exceeded his last well known contribution which was the Lick it Up album! I mean, GENE just wanted kick all the grunge bands ass! 'Spit','Domino' and "Thou Shall Not' rocked with the best of them. Paul Stanley writing was up to par, like all the songs he's written. 'Take it Off' and "I just Wanna' stands out. But his song 'Everytime I Look at You' should have been a huge hit not unlike Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing'. Oh well, life's not perfect! Anyway, BUY the album if you don't own it! It's the best album KISS released in the non-make-up years!!!!

THE BAND: Paul Stanley (vocals, guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass), Bruce Kulick (guitar), Eric Singer (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (1992) 12 tracks clocking in at approximately 49 minutes. Included with the disc is a 10-page booklet, containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, band photos, and thank you's. Stanley has 7 song writing (or co-writing) credits and Simmons has 6. Also noted producer Bob Ezrin (producer of one of their classics, "Destroyer") has 6 co-writing credits, and Vinnie Vincent has 3. Label - Mercury.

COMMENTS: Kiss has been around for years... putting out several, if not many, studio releases each of the last 3 decades. Where the band had several classic albums released in the 70's; two albums (out of many) - "Creatures Of The Night" and "Lick It Up" being their heaviest and best studio albums of the 80's; and one studio album clearly jumping out during the 90's - "Revenge". Polished, slick, and full of crunchy chords and melodies. This is the first album recorded after the death of drummer Eric Carr (R.I.P. 11/24/91). New drummer Eric Singer has some great credentials - playing with Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, The Cult, Lita Ford, and Badlands. The back cover photo indicates the band is BACK (from many mediocre albums) and ready to rock - clad in their long black leather jackets (right out of "The Matrix"). "Revenge" stunned many listeners - reaching #6 on the Billboard Top 200 (albums) in 1992. The songs "Domino" and "I Just Wanna " reached #26 and #34 respectively on Billboard's "Mainstream Rock Tracks" list. "God Gave Rock & Roll To You II" reached #4 in the U.K. (but did not chart in the U.S.). Album highlights include: Track 1 "Unholy" - a great slow rocking opener from Gene; Paul's "Take It Off" and "Tough Love" have some great guitar work; the above mentioned hits in "Domino" and "I Just Wanna"; and notably a lost instrumental gem to close the album - Eric Carr's "Car Jam 1981". The only song I find myself disliking is Paul's ballad "Every Time I Look At You"... which I feel is a direct rip off of Rod Stewart's "The First Cut Is The Deepest". Despite this one song, Kiss really put a great album together. The band is in top form and Eric Singer is/was a nice replacement for Carr. *If you're a big fan of "Revenge", you have to check out "Alive III" which was recorded on the "Revenge" tour and features 4 tunes from the album. "Revenge" rocks mean and lean... great album (4.5 stars).

In 1991, Kiss drummer Eric Carr lost his courageous battle with a rare type of carcinoma, leaving Kiss and the rock and roll world empty and vacant. Carr, who replaced original drummer Peter Criss in 1980 held the drummer's seat and locked the grooves for 10 years. With his death and loss in one hand, Kiss decided to do what it does best with the other....press on and write and record another album. The aggression caused by their frustration in dealing with such tragedy shows as well. Kiss' Revenge is a CD that captures Kiss in their strongest creative elements. The album is everything you would expect and want from Kiss. Great guitar riffs, deep penetrating bass, pounding drums, awesome guitar solos, extremely tight lead and backing vocals and, above all, very, very strong songs. The songs, while catchy, grove oriented and well, very Kiss, also show a degree of heaviness never displayed before. It's impossible for me to pick favorites from this release, cause I like em all. If anyone has ever heard Domino, Unholy and God Gave Rock and Roll To You, the entire album is based on that feel. It is far from disappointing. The only downfall is the sappy "Everytime I Think Of You", which I consider to be almost a spinoff of REO Speedwagon's Can't Fight This Feeling"...

So, as far as the post-makeup era, Revenge is the strongest to date. With superior drumming from Eric Singer, and Awesome lead guitar playing from Bruce Kulick, I feel that this is Kiss AT THEIR PEAK. Not in terms of popularity (see the makeup years for that), but in terms of musicianship; you won't find a CD that showcases such musicianship in their catelog.

THIS RECORD ROCKS. They brought back in Bob Ezrin to produce it (he did DESTROYER for kiss, and their biggest flop, MUSIC FROM THE ELDER. He also did THE WALL for Pink Floyd). Well the production absolutely ROCKS. By that I mean that the guitars jump out of the speakers and assault you; when the new drummer Eric Singer hits the drums, you can feel it hit your chest. And that is even if you have the volume on 3!

The songs are all good for the most part. We all know Simmons can't sing, but that doesn't really stand out here. In fact, this album probably represents his best vocal performances for KISS. And Paul - who CAN sing - does his job very well. Bruce Kulick is a mean guitar player. On this album they include a drum solo that Eric Carr did before he died from cancer. It is great, and definitely worth a listen.

There is something nasty about this album. It's like the guys in the band are really on the warpath, really want to make a statement. And they do. TURN IT UP!

I joined Kiss Army at age 50.

Nowadays, Kiss "has to" be Kiss, working man's Kiss, but, often, they shook the template. This was their greatest 80's lineup (mainly talking 'bout Kulick), hot and heavy to teach the whippersnappers some manners. Some misbehavin' with a mission. If Kiss would be Van Halen, then Revenge is Unlawful Carnage. Lots of experience and professionalism behind the ampage. Minimum of kitsch, admittedly a major Kiss component, so Revenge is sorta a rip it raw idea. Unholy shows off Simmons' grungecore muse. Neato! Domino cops ZZ Top, double fun. God gave rock and roll to you is a nostalgia hit, replete with nods to the Who and Beach Boys, done with the majesty of Mott, another forgotten element of the Paul Stanley conception of righteousness. I Just Wanna is another PS powerpopper, bit of summertime blues, filtered thru Crazy Nights. New wave Kiss. Most tunes just serve up the meat. When God goes to bed he prays to Kiss. Izzit KISSMAS yet? Grunge challenged and the ol timers reacted. In Kiss' case, a warranted defensiveness got 'em up to flair. A solid endeavor, gold brick of a rock album. Kulick was just gettin' goin'! Dammit! The free market hath spoken, Kiss can't really do THIS again.

Miss ya, Memory, I love you.

This one of Kiss' heaviers albums. The heaviest being(to me) "Creatures of the Night".It's also one of favorite Kiss albums and is probably one of the better nonmakeup Kiss records.
From "Domino" to " I just wanna" to "unholy" the whole album rocks. Check it out.

One of the best great overall albums ever!!! This was KISS at one of their finer points!! Still gives me chills!!

I like more of the classic kiss from the 70's and 80's but this is one of the only KISS 90's album I like. It starts out with Gene Simmons with his song called "Unholy." A very good song. Then I like "God Gave Rock and Roll to You." Last but not least I like "Domino."

Revenge is a solid and enjoyable disc from Kiss. I still like to listen to it occasionally. Revenge is in a straightforward hard rock musical vein. There's a total of 12 tracks--nine straight-ahead hard rockers, two ballads, and a drum solo. The musicianship is tight, the songwriting is fulfilling, and the production is solid. The guitar work throughout the album is cool. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons do an enthusiastic job with the vocal duties. Both of them share the lead vocals on "Spit" and "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II." Stanley sings solely on five songs, and Simmons handles the vocals exclusively on four others. Every one of the tracks is listenable and satisfying. Also, former guitarist Vinnie Vincent co-wrote three of the songs on this album ("Unholy," "Heart of Chrome," and "I Just Wanna"). My favorite song from Revenge is the heavy-sounding "Unholy." Simmons' vocal delivery on "Unholy" is emphatic and aggressive. I also like the two ballads that are included. "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II" is Kiss' version of a song originally performed by a group called Argent; this ballad features a nice guitar solo. "Every Time I Look at You" is a pleasing, well-written ballad, too. The spirited and fun "I Just Wanna" sports cool vocals from Stanley. "Carr Jam 1981" contains a proficient and admirable drum solo from Eric Carr. "Domino" is a pretty good tune with cool vocals from Simmons. This disc is just over 49 minutes in length. Also, the CD booklet includes the song lyrics and two photos of the band. Some of the song lyrics are interesting. Revenge is an album that's worthwhile and ambitious.

With their new drummer,Eric Singer,in place.KISS began workingon their 1992 studio album.Bob Ezrin was hired to produce it.Thiswould be Ezrin's third time producing them(You do remember Destroyer and (Music from)The Elder don't you?-see reviews). When Revenge was released in 1992,it went to #6 on Billboard and went gold.The bands fifth top ten album. When Ezrin was hired,he knew the direction they wanted to go.They wanted to deliver a hard rocking album.This album would prove to the world that they could still rock and roll.Revenge proves that in more ways than one. As for the songs,some are in the typical KISS groove.Two expose the hypocrisy of the religious groups that condemned them.A power ballad.Yet another rock anthem.Plus an unreleased Eric Carr jam from 1981. The songs Unholy and Thou Shalt Not are Gene's respectively.Unholy exposes the hypocrisy of those "holy religious leaders" who accused them of being Satan worshipers and that they were corrupters of youth.Unholy points out that they are the corrupters.Thou Shalt Not has Gene telling some right wing religious fanatic that he doesn't want to hear what he has to say and where to stick it. The songs that are in the typical KISS groove are as follows:Take It Off,Tough Love,Spit,Domino, Paralyzed and I Just Wanna.These follow the familiar themes of dirty sex,having fun with groupies and the way you feel when you've had too much of it. The power ballad is Everytime I Look at You.This is about a man who realizes he's hurt someone and he wants to make up for it.Heart Of Chrome is about a man telling off a woman whom he realizes has used him and has told him a pack of lies. The supreme cut is God Gave Rock and Roll to YouII.This song is another trademark rock anthem. It proclaims that if you believe in yourself,things will happen. The special treat is Carr Jam 1981.This track is a fine way to close this album for all of us to remember how great Eric Carr(a.k.a.The Fox)really was.It's a sad shame he died so young. While not as eclectic as Destroyer and (Music From)The Elder,Ezrin does deliver a fine rockin' and rollin' album.The band sounds as fresh as ever.This is another definite must have for every KISS fan. This band shows that Revenge is truly sweet.