Contrary to the announcer’s claim at the beginning, KISS were not the hottest band in the world at the time of this 1975 recording. In fact, Alive! was a last-ditch effort to break the band – and, as we all know now, it allowed them to rock ‘n’ roll all night and party all day for the next five decades. Debatably live (even in their heyday, the band wasn’t known for their tight performances or, um, competence), these two LPs still capture the blood-spewing, fire-breathing thrill of one of their shows. There’s no doubt that this is where the KISS Army started their campaign for world domination.