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The first three Kiss<\/a> albums weren’t recorded particularly well, but Hotter Than Hell<\/em><\/a> somehow manages to turn that weakness into a strength better than the other two.<\/p>\n Unlike their self-titled debut<\/a>, which featured songs the band had been working on together or separately for years, October 1974’s Hotter Than Hell<\/em>\u00a0largely found Kiss forced to write new material in the midst of a busy tour schedule.<\/p>\n The resulting material may not be quite as great as all-time\u00a0Kiss<\/em> classics such as “Deuce,” “Black Diamond” and “Cold Gin,” but it’s a very close call. “Hotter Than Hell,” “Got to Choose” and “Watchin’ You” became equally important staples of the band’s early set lists.<\/p>\n More importantly, while you wouldn’t call Hotter Than Hell<\/em>‘s production good, the performances sound more energetic and lively than they do on the somewhat stilted Kiss<\/em>. It still sounds like they recorded both albums in a truck stop restroom, but this time they got better takes and used the sonic primitiveness to their advantage.<\/p>\n Read More: How Kiss Just Missed a Breakthrough With ‘Hotter Than Hell’<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Hotter Than Hell<\/em> also features more ambitious and diverse songwriting than its predecessor. “Parasite” flirts with thrash while Gene Simmons<\/a>‘ sinister “Goin’ Blind” predicts grunge’s arrival 30 years early. “Comin’ Home” reveals Paul Stanley<\/a>‘s Beatles<\/a> love while Ace Frehley<\/a> gets heavy and impressively psychedelic on the album-closing highlight “Strange Ways.”<\/p>\n Less than a year after the release of Hotter Than Hell<\/em>, the breakthrough success of Alive!<\/em><\/a> escorted Kiss into the world of bigger recording budgets and top-flight producers such as Eddie Kramer and Bob Ezrin.<\/p>\n The growth shown on later albums such as Destroyer<\/a><\/em> and Love Gun<\/a><\/em> is undeniable, but something unique about early Kiss was also lost under all that professionalism.<\/p>\n The group would never again sound as gloriously primal, dark and weird throughout an entire album as they did here. Over 50 years later, Hotter Than Hell<\/em> stands as the high mark of Kiss’ first phase.<\/p>\n You wanted the best, you get the best.. and the rest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Matthew Wilkening<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nKiss Live Albums Ranked Worst to Best<\/h2>\n