"Gonna Raise Hell" is a song written by Rick Nielsen and originally released on Cheap Trick's 1979 album Dream Police.
[3] Both AllMusic's Maginnis and Trouser Press' Robbins praise Tom Petersson's strong bass line, which Ultimate Classic Rock critic Dave Swanson described as "infectious.
[1] AllMusic's Maginnis praises aspects of the song, including its "nice build ups, breakdowns and solos," but does not think that the string interludes work as well in "Gonna Raise Hell" as they did in the title track of the Dream Police album.
[1] Fellow AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine praises "Gonna Raise Hell" as an "epic rocker" that ranks "among Cheap Trick's finest.
[8] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Annie Zaleski rated "Gonna Raise Hell" as Cheap Trick's 6th greatest song, saying it sounds like "Alice Cooper having a go with David Bowie" and commenting on the scary sounding instrumental elements.
[9] Mojo Magazine claimed that "Gonna Raise Hell" and "Need Your Love," another song from Dream Police, "proved the Trick could do heavy, freaky rock jams as well as any of their peers.
[16] AllMusic critic Bret Adams called Kinison's recording a "horrible hair metal version" of the song.