Parasite (KISS Cover)

Probably my favorite Ace-penned KISS song! This is meant as a tribute only. No copyright infringement is intended. #kiss #acefrehley #parasite #kissalive #cover #coversong #70s #70smusic #70song #andrewdoss

Performed, recorded, and programmed from scratch in Propellerhead Reason. Mastered in Adobe Audition. #propellerhead #reason #adobe #audition #homerecording #homerecordingstudio

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Go listen to the original!    • Parasite  

Although guitarist Ace Frehley wrote the song, he didn’t sing it. Gene Simmons did. At the time (1974), Ace wasn’t yet confident about his singing voice, so Gene handled vocals on the studio version, and they sang it as a gang vocal live. This became a pattern until Ace finally began singing his own songs a few years later (“Shock Me” in 1977 was his vocal debut).

“Parasite”, from the album Hotter Than Hell (1974), is one of KISS’s most aggressive and heavy tracks from their early years. Its thick, detuned guitar riffs and pounding tempo make it a proto–metal highlight, almost bordering on early thrash in energy. Many fans and critics note it as a precursor to the heavier direction hard rock would take later in the ’70s and ’80s.

The song’s main riff is quintessential Ace Frehley: raw, angular, and groove-driven. It’s one of the earliest examples of his knack for writing tight, high-energy rockers with memorable hooks.

Though not a hit single, “Parasite” became a fan favorite and a live show powerhouse. It was revived in many tours, including Ace Frehley’s solo sets, where he finally sang it himself, a satisfying full-circle moment for fans.

The Hotter Than Hell album is infamous for its murky, muddy production, but for “Parasite,” that actually adds to the song’s gritty menace. The dark, dense sound complements the riff’s raw energy.

In short, “Parasite” is special because it’s one of KISS’s heaviest, most guitar-driven early tracks, a song that showed Ace Frehley’s creative power before he ever took the mic himself. It’s a cornerstone of KISS’s hard rock edge.