Released September 16, 1985 Length 38:50 Artist KISS Label Mercury Records | Recorded June – July 1985 Asylum
(1985) Crazy Nights
(1987) Release date 16 September 1985 | |
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Studio Electric Lady Studios
Right Track Studios, New York City Genres Hard rock, Heavy metal, Glam metal Producers Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons Similar KISS albums, Hard rock albums | ||
Asylum is the thirteenth studio album by the American rock band Kiss. It is the first with lead guitarist Bruce Kulick as an official band member. He was the band's third lead guitarist since the departure of Ace Frehley in late 1982. The lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Carr, and Kulick would last until Carr's death in November 1991, while Kulick would stay with the band until the reunion of the original lineup in 1996. In contrast to the heavy sound of Kiss's previous three albums, Asylum features a lighter glam rock sound.
Contents
Album information
On the album cover, the band members are shown with colored lips, mirroring the colors of the 1978 solo releases: red for Simmons, purple for Stanley, blue for Kulick (replacing Frehley) and green for Carr (replacing Peter Criss). The tour for the album featured the largest Kiss logo the band has ever used, as well as one of the largest lighting rigs. No concert footage of the tour was used in the Kissology II DVD release, except for short clips without sound in the background of the main menu.
The three music videos for the album were filmed on set in London, England, for the songs "Who Wants to Be Lonely", "Uh! All Night" and "Tears Are Falling". Only "Tears Are Falling" was released for retail sales as a single. It is the only song on the album that has been played regularly in live performances; however, like many Kiss songs of the mid-'80s, it was rarely played live after the reunion of the original lineup, although it did feature in both 2004's Rock the Nation Live! DVD and 2014's Kiss Rocks Vegas live release.
Reception
Fan reaction to Asylum was mixed. The album was certified Gold and platinum in November, 1985 by the RIAA.
Personnel
Kiss
Additional musicians
Songs
1King of the Mountain4:20
2Any Way You Slice It4:05
3Who Wants to Be Lonely4:03