Asylum (Kiss album)

Asylum
Studio album by Kiss
Released	September 16, 1985
Recorded	June – July 1985, Electric Lady Studios, Right Track Studios, New York City
Genre	Hard rock Heavy metal Glam metal
Length	38:50
Label	Mercury Vertigo (Europe)
Producer	Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons
Kiss chronology
Animalize (1984)Animalize1984 Asylum (1985) Crazy Nights (1987) Singles from Asylum "Tears Are Falling" Released: September 16, 1985 Crazy Nights1987

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 for 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.

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 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 would be resurrected in the band's setlist during their 2004 Rock the Nation World Tour.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Metal Nightfall
Vista Records
Allmusic
Rolling Stone

Fan reaction to Asylum was mixed. The album was certified Gold in November, 1985 by the RIAA .

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"King of the Mountain"	Paul Stanley, Bruce Kulick, Desmond Child	Stanley	4:17
2.	"Any Way You Slice It"	Gene Simmons, Howard Rice	Simmons	4:02
3.	"Who Wants to Be Lonely"	Stanley, Child, Jean Beauvoir	Stanley	4:01
4.	"Trial By Fire"	Simmons, Kulick	Simmons	3:25
5.	"I'm Alive"	Stanley, Kulick, Child	Stanley	3:43
6.	"Love's a Deadly Weapon"	Stanley, Simmons, Rod Swenson, Wes Beech	Simmons	3:29
7.	"Tears Are Falling"	Stanley	Stanley	3:55
8.	"Secretly Cruel"	Simmons	Simmons	3:41
9.	"Radar for Love"	Stanley, Child	Stanley	4:02
10.	"Uh! All Night"	Stanley, Child, Beauvoir	Stanley	4:01

Credits

• Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar, vocals, bass guitar on "Tears Are Falling"
• Gene Simmons - bass guitar, vocals
• Eric Carr - drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Bruce Kulick - lead guitar, backing vocals

With:

• Jean Beauvoir - bass guitar and backing vocals on "Who Wants to Be Lonely" and "Uh! All Night"
• Allan Schwartzberg - additional drum overdubs

Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart	89
Canadian Albums Chart	20
Dutch Albums Chart	34
Finnish Albums Chart	1
German Albums Chart	43
Norwegian Albums Chart	11
Swedish Albums Chart	3
Swiss Albums Chart	15
UK Albums Chart	12
US Billboard Pop Albums	20

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Single	Position
1985	Mainstream Rock	"Tears Are Falling"	20
	Billboard Hot 100	"Tears Are Falling"	51

Single – UK Singles Chart (United Kingdom)

Year	Chart	Single	Position
1985	UK Singles Chart	"Tears Are Falling"	57

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)	Gold	50,000
United States (RIAA)	Gold	500,000
^shipments figures based on certification alone