Celebrating its 45 anniversary, Destroyer was originally released in 1976 and is considered to be one of the quintessential KISS albums. It is the band’s first album to sell one million copies in its first year and holds the title of being their all-time best selling studio album. Packed with concert staples and KISS Army favorites including “Detroit Rock City,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “God Of Thunder” and “Beth,” on November 19, 2021 UMe will release KISS – Destroyer 45th in the form of a Super Deluxe 4-CD + Blu-ray Audio box set as well as on standard double black vinyl and limited edition yellow and red double colored vinyl, 2-CD set, and digital. Destroyer 45th can be pre-ordered, HERE.
For the recording of Destroyer, Bob Ezrin was brought in as KISS’s new producer, helping the band reach new levels, both sonically and creatively. The album also showed the band’s growth as musicians and songwriters, experimenting with new sounds which came in the form of the softer side of songs like “Do You Love Me?,” and songs heavy with orchestral arrangements including “Great Expectations” and their Billboard No. 7 hit single “Beth.” Following the breakthrough success of 1975’s No. 9 Billboard charting Alive!, Destroyer was the KISS album that brought them to the forefront of the mainstream and transformed them into global rock icons. For its anniversary, UMe celebrates this seminal album’s legacy with a staggering amount of bonus material.
CD 1 includes the original album newly remastered at Abbey Road Mastering, while CD 2 features 15 demos from Paul Stanley’s and Gene Simmons’s personal archives – 9 of which are unreleased. CD 3 is packed with studio outtakes, alternate versions / mixes and single edits – most notably a brand-new stripped-down mix for “Beth (Acoustic Mix),” and CD 4 contains an electrifying performance from the band’s visit to Paris France at the L’Olympia on May 22, 1976. For the Blu-ray Audio disc, Steven Wilson was brought in to create a first-ever Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mix of the original studio album plus 2 bonus tracks “Beth (Acoustic Mix)” and “Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo)” the latter featuring Ace Frehley’s original recorded guitar solo that was not released on the studio album (this track is available on the 2012 Destroyer: Resurrected project.)
Additionally, the Super Deluxe box features an extravagant array of collectable KISS memorabilia and ephemera, including a complete recreation of the original KISS Army Kit with the original folder and following items:
- KISS Army newsletter Volume 1 – No 2 announcing Destroyer
- 2x 8”x10” Destroyer Press Photos
- Discography Sheet
- Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter Bio Sheet
- KISS Army Member Certificate
- KISS Army Membership Card
Also included in the Super Deluxe set:
- KISS logo Iron-on
- KISS Army Sticker
- “Detroit Rock City” Bumper Sticker
- Destroyer Cover Sticker
- 11”x17” KISS on Westminster Bridge UK Poster
- 4 brand new 8”x10” Band Member Photos
- 8”x12” Destroyer Foil Flyer
- 8”x12” Destroyer Canadian Flyer (super rare)
- 4x Band Member Trading Cards (newly created for this boxset)
- 16”x24” KISS Over New York Skyline Poster
- 16”x24” KISS Halloween 1976 Concert Poster
- 2x 9”x12” Destroyer Tour Stage Blueprints on Transparent Vellum (never been seen before)
- 16-page Destroyer 1976 Tour Program
- Gotham Rock City News Volume 1 Newspaper that is a track-by-track interview with all 4 band members, Bob Ezrin and crew
- 68-page hardcover book with extensive liner notes by Paul Elliott & Ken Sharp featuring interviews from Gene, Paul, Ace, Peter, then-manager Bill Aucoin, album producer Bob Ezrin, and many more about the album’s writing and production process, U.S. and European tours, photo shoots, promotional stories, band member memories from their TV appearance on The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, and an intoxicating amount of unreleased photos and imagery
The entire contents are housed in a lift top- style box and features artist Ken Kelly’s original Destroyercover art, arguably one of the most iconic album covers in rock, making this the ultimate KISS Destroyer souvenir.
KISS is America’s #1 Gold Record Award winning group of all time in every category and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Peerless as a live act, the band’s illustrious legacy is marked by record breaking global tours. Now, after an astonishing 48-year career, KISS – Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer – are currently in the midst of their END OF THE ROAD tour.
SUPER DELUXE TRACK LIST:
DISC ONE:
DESTROYER: Original Album Remastered
- Detroit Rock City
2. King of The Night Time World - God of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?
DISC TWO
DESTROYER-ERA: Demos
PAUL STANLEY DEMOS
- Doncha Hesitate
2. God Of Thunder And Rock And Roll - It’s The Fire*
4. Detroit Rock City*
5. Love Is Alright*
GENE SIMMONS DEMOS
- Bad, Bad Lovin’
7. Man Of A Thousand Faces - I Don’t Want No Romance*
- Burnin’ Up With Fever*
- Rock N’ Rolls Royce*
- Mad Dog
- Night Boy*
13. Star* - Howlin’ For Your Love*
- True Confessions
DISC THREE
DESTROYER: Outtakes, Alternate Versions / Mixes, Single Edits
- Beth (Acoustic Mix)*
- Shout It Out Loud (Single Edit)
3. Flaming Youth (Single Edit)
4. Detroit Rock City (Single Edit)
5. Shout It Out Loud (Mono Single Edit)
6. Flaming Youth (Mono Single Edit)
7. Detroit Rock City (Mono Single Edit)
8. Beth (Mono)
9. King Of The Night Time World (Live Rehearsal Instrumental)* - Do You Love Me? (Mono Instrumental)*
11. God Of Thunder (Early Instrumental Mix)*
12. Ain’t None Of Your Business (Instrumental)* - Detroit Rock City (Instrumental)*
14. King Of The Night Time World (Alternate Mix)* - Great Expectations (Early Version)*
16. Flaming Youth (Early Version)*
17. Do You Love Me? (Early Version)*
18. Shout It Out Loud (Alternate Mix)*
19. Ain’t None Of Your Business (Outtake)*
20. Beth (Take 6 – Instrumental)*
21. Beth (Instrumental)*
22. Do You Love Me? (Alternate Mix)*
DISC FOUR
LIVE IN PARIS – L’Olympia – 22 May, 1976*
- Deuce
- Strutter
3. Flaming Youth
4. Hotter Than Hell
5. Firehouse
6. She / Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
7. Nothin’ To Lose
8. Shout It Out Loud / Gene Simmons Bass Solo - 100,000 Years / Peter Criss Drum Solo
- Black Diamond
11. Detroit Rock City
12. Rock and Roll All Nite
BLU-RAY AUDIO:
DESTROYER: *Dolby Atmos 48kHz 24-bit, *Dolby True HD 5.1 96kHz 24-bit,
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 96kHz 24-bit, PCM Stereo 96kHz 24-bit
- Detroit Rock City
2. King Of The Night Time World - God Of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?
Bonus Tracks:
- Beth (Acoustic)
- Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo)
* Previously unreleased
DELUXE EDITION 2CD TRACK LIST:
DISC ONE
DESTROYER
Original Album Remastered
- Detroit Rock City
2. King of The Night Time World - God of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?
DISC TWO
PAUL STANLEY DEMOS
- God Of Thunder And Rock And Roll
- Detroit Rock City*
3. Love Is Alright*
GENE SIMMONS DEMOS
- I Don’t Want No Romance*
- Rock N’ Rolls Royce*
6. Star*
RARITIES
- Beth (Acoustic Mix)*
8. Shout It Out Loud (Mono Single Edit)
9. King Of The Night Time World (Live Rehearsal Instrumental)* - Detroit Rock City (Instrumental)*
11. Flaming Youth (Early Version)*
12. Shout It Out Loud (Alternate Mix)*
LIVE IN PARIS – L’Olympia – May 22, 1976*
- Deuce
- Strutter
- Flaming Youth
- Hotter Than Hell
*Previously Unreleased
DELUXE EDITION 2LP TRACK LIST:
LP ONE
DESTROYER
Original Album Remastered
Side One
- Detroit Rock City
2. King of The Night Time World - God of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
Side Two
- Flaming Youth
- Sweet Pain
3. Shout It Out Loud - Beth
5. Do You Love Me?
LP TWO
Side Three
PAUL STANLEY DEMOS
- God Of Thunder And Rock And Roll
- Detroit Rock City*
3. Love Is Alright*
GENE SIMMONS DEMOS
- I Don’t Want No Romance*
- Rock N’ Rolls Royce*
6. Star*
Side Four
RARITIES
- Beth (Acoustic Mix)*
2. Shout It Out Loud (Mono Single Edit)
3. King Of The Night Time World (Live Rehearsal Instrumental)* - Detroit Rock City (Instrumental)*
5. Flaming Youth (Early Version)*
6. Shout It Out Loud (Alternate Mix)*
*Previously Unreleased
DOLBY ATMOS – STREAMING
DESTROYER: *Dolby Atmos 48kHz 24-bit
- Detroit Rock City
2. King Of The Night Time World - God Of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?
Bonus Tracks:
- Beth (Acoustic Mix)
- Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo)
* Previously unreleased