Kiss - Lick It Up

1983

     Thanks to Vinnie Vincent Kiss were back on track with this album. This is a bunch of speedy metal songs. Held back by Kiss anthem and pop leanings. This album would have been more ripping and smoking if it were up to Vinnie. Popular metal at the time was Priest, Maiden and Scorpion. They are not going for that here. They're shooting for the Van Halen super guitar hero, but then holding it back with anthems. For 1983 they're right in line with Dokken and what's gonna be the whole L.A./Glam/Hair metal 80's thing, but somehow they're right on the cutting edge here. This is the last album where that will ever happen for Kiss.
     Plus we finally get to see Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent without their makeup.