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. Watch the unboxing video below.
“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 — nine of which were previously 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 two 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 and 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 “Destroyer” cover art, arguably one of the most iconic album covers in rock, making this the ultimate KISS “Destroyer” souvenir. Check out the full track-listing here.
