The first three Kiss albums weren't recorded particularly well, but Hotter Than Hell somehow manages to turn that weakness into a strength better than the other two.

Unlike their self-titled debut , which featured songs the band had been working on together or separately for years, October 1974's Hotter Than Hell largely found Kiss forced to write new material in the midst of a busy tour schedule.

The resulting material may not be quite as great as all-time Kiss 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.

More importantly, while you wouldn't call Hotter Than Hell 's production good, the performances sound more en

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