I am a lifelong Kiss fan, guilty of admiring a Heavy Metal band that has influenced the genre of Metal both musically, theatrically and of course… commercially. Out of the entire Kiss catalog of Heavy Metal, there has to be my favorite album of all time… my choice of favorite Kiss album seems to change yearly. (Oh well, that is my Metal dilemma I have to live with). As of today, Sunday, July 26, 2009, my favorite Kiss album of all time is “Creatures Of The Night”, (released in 1982). This Kiss album came out after “The Elder” album, making for quite the triumphant, Heavy Metal return. When I first heard the song “I Love It Loud”, man, was I ever psyched out of my Metal mind! I was serving time in High School when this album released, having this Kiss song to play loud back then was true innocent rebellion. Playing this song and the entire “Creatures Of The Night” album loud today, well, is just because I want to and can. (No more rebellion is left in my system… I think).
In my Metal opinion, this Kiss album is arguably their heaviest studio album ever created. (The live albums are darned heavy too, however, I am comparing the studio albums). “War Machine” is definitely my favorite song off of this prestigious album. Gene Simmons on lead vocals is classic – I can hear the anger flow from his voice and the lyrics only add credence to this interpretation. “Danger” is one tough and heavy Kiss song that Paul Stanley sings lead vocals on. For a Paul Stanley sung tune, this is as fast and furious as it ever gets. “Saint and Sinner” is a bass lovers dream of a Heavy Metal song, with Gene Simmons giving what I consider, one of his best lead vocal efforts ever. “Creatures Of The Night” is melodic as it is heavy, a Kiss song that without hesitation, is my favorite Paul Stanley – on lead vocals, song. I say this until it hurts, that I have never been the biggest fan of ballads in Heavy Metal. There are always my exceptions to this personal rule. “I Still Love You” is one damned cool and heavy ballad that Paul Stanley sings. Paul Stanley turns some sappy lyrics into a song that I can still crank up, to this day.
“Keep Me Comin'” is the one song off of this album that I have liked the least. This song is not terrible, I won’t skip over it while playing the entire album… yet it never seemed to get my Metal adrenaline perking over the years. “Rock and Roll Hell” and “Killer” round out the rest of the songs from “Creatures Of The Night”, making for nine Kiss songs total, that are now considered by me, vintage Kiss. Metal truth be told, if you are embarking on building your first Kiss music collection, making “Creatures Of The Night” your initial purchase is a profoundly wise choice. The overall Heavy Metal power is in my Metal mind, abundant on this album.
As a side note, the articles and stories I have read and/or heard over the years is that both Ace Frehley and Vinnie Vincent receive guitar credit for this album. Frankly, it does not stir me either way, as to who actually played lead guitar and on which songs, this album is too great for such controversy to hinder the end result. Whichever guitarist did play, they played excellent. Ace Frehley does appear on the front cover of the album, therefore I shall close my eyes each time I listen to this album and picture Space Ace as the lead axe man. The late Eric Carr played some top notch and cool Heavy Metal drums for Kiss… the proof is in the music found on this album. I always considered “Creatures Of The Night” to be the Kiss album that launched them into the decade of the ’80’s. This is an album that will launch any new fan into a believer.
Helix is a Heavy Metal band, (originating from Canada), one that I got the biggest Metal kick out of, back in the 1980’s. Released in 1983, “No Rest For The Wicked” is in my Metal opinion, one really cool Heavy Metal album… period. Helix has two very memorable songs off of this album, these songs are melodic and heavy, (yes, that is what the majority of 1980’s Heavy Metal was about… melodic and heavy. These two adjectives do coexist in song, no matter what any other professionally paid Rock Music critics may think. The two songs I am pointing out are: “Heavy Metal Love” and “White Lace and Black Leather”. Helix was – still is, a Heavy Metal band that came out of the same Metal Music mold as Krokus, (just to make a Metal comparison). “Heavy Metal Love” and “White Lace and Black Leather” are two songs that trudge along with that vintage 1980’s, Heavy Metal style of power. The entire album is a vintage trip of early 1980’s Heavy Metal, “Dirty Dog” and “Don’t Get Mad, Get Even” are two more notable tracks. As I reflect back, Helix did indeed get their FM radio play, especially on “Metal Shop”, (a Heavy Metal radio show back in… guess when? Ahhh, the 1980’s. 
Helix did a redo of “Heavy Metal Love”, it can be found on their 2007 studio release – “The Power Of Rock And Roll”. I like the 2007 version just as much as the 1983 version, albeit the new version of “Heavy Metal Love” Rocks along a tad faster. I wound up meeting my Heavy Metal Love, I eventually married her. (Please excuse me if that sounded a sliver corny, yet it is true). As a Heavy Metal fan, I always have attached good memories to my favorite bands, songs and concerts. Helix brings to the Metal table, a brand of Heavy Metal that makes me feel like it’s party time again and I don’t have to pay my bills. (Wishful thinking on the bill paying). That is what music does, it carries me off into my land of Metal… courtesy of terrific bands like Helix. Helix was all about Heavy Metal with their songs, lyrics and attitude. I am Metal cheery that they are still around to this very day. When you are a quality Heavy Metal band, that writes cool and memorable songs, Metal fans never will never forget you. Obviously, I have never forgotten about Helix.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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