The early 80s had not been good to KISS. The band started off the decade with the watered down, disco-pop "Unmasked." Around the same time, longtime drummer Peter Criss was let go. With the addition of new drummer Eric Carr, the group released the brilliant, but commercially disastrous "Music From the Elder." Then, longtime KISS guitarist Ace Frehley quite the group.

With the help of guitarist Vinnie Vincent and others, things finally started looking up for KISS with their classic "Creatures of the Night." Although "Creatures of the Night" had seen KISS return to from, it was a commercial disappointment, achieving only gold status.

By 1983, KISS knew they had to take the makeup off. If they were going to be relevant in the new decade, they had to leave behind what had been their 70s trademark. So with new guitarist Vinnie Vincent officially on board, with "Lick it Up," the band finally became unmasked.

Although the original Criss/Frehley version of KISS is the definitive version, the "Lick it Up" lineup was probably the most technically proficient. Although Criss's jazzy style worked well in the band, Carr was by far a better drummer. His cannon-like pounding fit the style of the 80s pop-metal version of KISS. Vinnie Vincent was also a huge talent. If his ego and attitude hadn't cost him his job in KISS he might have gone on to become the next guitar hero. There was an undeniable chemistry between Vincent and Stanley/Simmons. His flashy solos and killer riffs worked well with Stanley and Simmons song-writing. It's a shame that his first official album with KISS would also be his last.

"Lick it Up" takes up where "Creatures of the Night" left off, but is somewhat more pop metal, than metal. This album is split evenly between Simmons and Stanley numbers, and each contributed work that is equally strong. Each song is tightly written, with a good hook and a few cool solos.

The Stanley numbers are all mostly fast paced rockers. "Exciter," gets the album off to a good start. The title-track, which although is pretty simple and straight forward, is one of KISS best songs ever, original lineup or not. "Gimmie More," is good, but not great, and keeps up the momentum. The rap/rock "All Hell's Breakin' Loose" is undeniably infectious. Even the slower paced "A Million to One" still rocks pretty hard.

The Simmons songs are equally strong, if not stronger. "Not for the Innocent," takes up where "Creatures of the Night's" "Rock N' Roll Hell" left off. It has a real sinister groove. "Young and Wasted" is a mid-tempo rocker which is equally strong. The fast paced "Fits Like a Glove," the mid tempo "Dance all over your Face," and the anthem "And on the 8th Day" round out the album.

"Lick it Up" is regarded among fans as one of the better albums from the non-makeup years. Even KISS purists seem to like this one. I personally feel that some of their other 80s albums are better, but "Lick it Up" is still a strong album. It's a good 80s pop-metal album and should please fans of that genre and the band.

THE BAND: Gene Simmons (bass), Paul Stanley (guitars), Eric Carr (drums & percussion), Vinnie Vincent (guitars).

THE DISC: Released Sept 1983. Recorded at Right Track Studios, NYC. 10 songs clocking in at approximately 42 minutes. The band's first album without make-up as the front cover proves. This remastered edition was released in 1998 on Mercury's label. Much improved sound in my book (deeper bass guitars and crisper highs). Included with the disc is a 6-page booklet containing song titles and times, writing credits, song lyrics and thank you's. Underneath the disc on the inside cover, there's an informative 5 paragraph history of what the band was going through at the time.

COMMENTS: One word - REBIRTH... new songs, new band members, new manager, new look (no make-up). Kiss' best albums were clearly behind them, but "Lick It Up" proves to be a decent album over all. Especially if you consider all the other albums that the band released in the 80's that were average at best. The band was definitely trying to find the groove after Ace Frehley and Peter Criss departed, and lackluster album sales from "Unmasked", "Music From The Elder" and "Creatures Of The Night". If I had to rank Kiss' albums of the 80's - my favorite (easily) is "Creatures Of The Night". This "Lick It Up" is a distant 2nd; and all the others are 3rd. Track 1 starts right where "Creatures" ended... "Exciter" is probably my favorite tune on the disc - some great rhythm guitar work and wonderful singing from Paul. "Lick It Up" and "All Hell's Breakin' Loose" were the two hits, but not necessarily the best tunes here. I always felt the title track was too repetitive (for the record, they say "Lick It Up" 32 times in the song). My 2nd favorite song is Paul's "A Million To One" - a great slower tune. Once again, I feel Paul's songs are lyrically far superior to Gene's. Simmons continues to write songs with a cheap feel to it, i.e. "Young & Wasted", "Fits Like A Glove", "Dance All Over Your Face". Vinnie Vincent proved so much more than just another session guitarist on "Lick It Up". Where Paul co-wrote 5 songs; Gene 6 songs; and Vinnie co-wrote 8 songs. Vincent's guitar solos are for the most part premeditated, but he lets loose and shreds on "Young And Wasted" and "Gimme More". It's a shame egos and attitudes got in the way and Vincent's time with the band was short lived (1 album only). Eric Carr (R.I.P.) proves to be an accomplished drummer - and more complex and capable than Peter Criss ever was. Not a strike against Criss, but if you were ever able to sit them down together to hear them play, I'd choose Carr 9 times out of 10. Carr's drumming, like it was on "Creatures" is thundering. Though far from Kiss' best album, "Lick It Up" is an absolute essential disc in the Kiss catalog (3.5 stars).

In the midst of the MTV driven hoopla of KISS shedding the makeup the fact this is a seminal disk was lost on most. It is a shame because fresh of the "Failure" of "Creatures of the Night", Kiss realized a change was sorely needed and boy did they nail it and The Metal years were born.

Fresh of the commercial disaster that was the disco influenced early 80's, KISS aspired to not relive past glories, but to jump ahead of it's classic rock goodness by hopping on the Metal express. "Creatures of the Night', 'Lick it up" and "Animalize" embarked on a new era for one of rocks greatest outfits.

"Creatures of the Night" was brilliant in it's own right. Heavy and Moody it was a much needed diversion from the dance influenced 80's. Overall it still feels like a classic KISS album though. It could best be described as moody Led Zepplin. "Lick it Up" changed that in a big way.

Out was the makeup, Ace and almost all of the blues influences that defined a generation of rock. In was the wailing of new guitarist Vinnie Vincent, a newfound sense of aggression and list songs tailor made for rocks foremost power drummer; Eric Carr (R.I.P.), who joined the band for the Creatures disk.

Standouts tracks include the almost embarrassingly simplistic title track (they had to think; "Could it really be that easy?") The wickedly aggressive Gene Simmons track "Young and Wasted" and the brilliant rap/narrative styling of "All Hells Breakin' Loose"

The Metal years were short lived unfortunately. A substandard follow up disk ("Animalize") propelled the band to rediscovered glory with the commercial success that was the 80's anthem "Heavens on Fire". The newfound success led KISS right down MTV lane into the Glam years.

How quickly we forget life's lessons.

Lick It Up is the best Kiss effort from the 1980's.

Albums like "Asylum" and "Animalize" contained 3 or 4 outstanding tracks and the rest of the material would verge on the pathetic.

An album like "Crazy Nights" left the true Kiss fan in disbelief as they heard Kiss play lame keyboard synthesizer Bon Jovi type wimp hair metal.

Truely sad.

Anyway Lick it up finds Kiss staying true to what they believed in and not giving in to what was the hottest selling style at the time.

No sell out here.

You get pure raw metal and a consistant quality evident throughout the entire album.

Tracks like "Not for the innocent" and "Young and wasted" are brutal and fierce in their attack with Gene Simmons providing some of his most menacing screams and vocals.

Heartwrenching powerhouse ballads such as "A Million to One" are devastating in their emotion with Paul Stanley providing some of his most potent vocals ever.

Vinnie Vincent turns out to be a fine fit as he burns the fretboard with frantic and inventive licks.

His style is more off the chain than Ace's. A less dignified axeman yet a very potent one.

Other highlights include the sweeping metal majesty of "On the eighth day" and the spastic reckless rage of "Gimme More".

Lick it up is a satisfying platter of metal that displays a consistency that would not be repeated until the release of "Revenge".

So go ahead and lick it up cause you know...

"It's only right now"!

O.F.

This is like the album some of us Kiss fans needed, in order to know the band was still alive. A solid return to form for Kiss. The songs are hard driving, melodic, and "sound" better than any other Kiss album. I love the great production, nice thunderous (but clear) drums and bass. Thunderous is a good word to describe Eric Carr. He's just a great drummer. In my opinion, Vinnie Vincent gets MVP for co-writing over half the album, and smokin' licks. Just check out "Young and Wasted" and "Gimme More". Gene and Paul just keep the Kiss tradition alive, pushing Kiss into the 80's. Without the makeup Kiss are not "super hero" figures anymore, they are now a band, rocking with the fury of a band just getting started (again). It's awesome. You can feel it in the music.

What I found interesting, was the last 3 tracks are Gene's. I've never seen 3 in a row on any album before. It's no big deal, they are all very good rockers, but usually they're albums are sequenced differently. What is most apparent in the grooves of these songs, is that Kiss is now a (solid) "band" again. Let's face it, the last few Kiss albums up to this one were sketchy at best. C'mon, "Unmasked"?, "The Elder"? Enough said... "Creatures" was good but it wasn't a "band" yet. More like auditions.

This album shows the band landing on it's feet. They are tighter than they've been in a long time. It's really too bad this didn't sell better. These are all good "Kiss" songs. Not "hit n miss" like some of their previous ones. I think this is an over looked album. If you don't have it, pick it up, you won't be sorry.