Destroyer (album)
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- For the Gorgoroth album, see Destroyer (Gorgoroth album)
| Destroyer | ||
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| Studio album by Kiss | ||
| Released | March 15, 1976 | |
| Recorded | Record Plant Studios, New York City, January-February 1976 | |
| Genre | Hard rock | |
| Length | 34:03 | |
| Label | Casablanca Records | |
| Producer(s) | Bob Ezrin | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Kiss chronology | ||
| Alive! (1975) |
Destroyer (1976) |
Rock and Roll Over (1976) |
Destroyer is the fourth studio album and fifth album overall by hard/glam rock band Kiss.
Coming on the heels of the group's breakthrough album Alive!, Destroyer is easily the most ambitious studio recording of Kiss's '70s catalogue. Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper, was brought in to produce the album. Among the production flourishes Ezrin introduced to Kiss were sound effects, strings, screaming children (on "God Of Thunder") backwards drums (Also on "God of Thunder") as well as a children's choir.
Destroyer is the first Kiss album to prominently feature outside musicians, such as members of the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. Though one musician was not credited. Dick Wagner, from Alice Cooper's band, replaced Ace Frehley on tracks such as "Sweet Pain" (as Frehley didn't want to interrupt a card game he was playing during recording sessions for the song) and even on a song that Frehley himself co-wrote "Flaming Youth". Wagner also played the acoustic guitar found on the song "Beth".[1] The success of Alive! and Destroyer enabled the band to embark on their first tour of Europe.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 496 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
[edit] Track listing
- "Detroit Rock City" (Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin) – 5:20
- Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
- "King of the Night Time World" (Kim Fowley, Mark Anthony, Stanley, Ezrin) – 3:13
- Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
- "God of Thunder" (Stanley) – 4:13
- Lead vocals - Gene Simmons
- "Great Expectations" (Gene Simmons, Ezrin) – 4:21
- Lead vocals - Gene Simmons
- "Flaming Youth" (Ace Frehley, Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin) – 2:55
- Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
- "Sweet Pain" (Simmons) – 3:20
- Lead vocals - Gene Simmons
- "Shout It Out Loud" (Simmons, Stanley, Ezrin) – 2:50
- Lead vocals - Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons
- "Beth" (Peter Criss, Stan Penridge, Ezrin) – 2:45
- Lead vocals - Peter Criss
- "Do You Love Me" (Fowley, Ezrin, Stanley) – 3:33
- Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
- "(Untitled Track)" (Simmons, Stanley, Ezrin) – 1:25
- Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
[edit] Personnel
- Gene Simmons - Bass guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals
- Paul Stanley - Rhythm guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals
- Ace Frehley - Lead guitar
- Peter Criss - Drums, lead vocals on Beth, backing vocals
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Pop Albums | 11 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Shout It Out Loud" | Pop Singles | 31 |
| 1976 | "Flaming Youth" | Pop Singles | 74 |
| 1976 | "Beth" | Pop Singles | 7 |
[edit] Album notes
- The unnamed track at the end of the album is usually referred to as "Rock and Roll Party."
- Destroyer is certified triple platinum.
- "Detroit Rock City" was released as a single but failed to chart. The B-side of that single was "Beth."
The First track , "Detroit Rock City", Is the name of a movie that stars Kiss.
- The first track plays into King Of The Night Time World.
- The album was re-released in 1997 (along with most of Kiss' earlier albums) in a remastered version.
[edit] External links
- Kiss FAQ - Destroyer, Accessed on July 9, 2005.
[edit] References
- ^ <ref>Leaf, David and Ken Sharp. ''KISS: Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography'', Warner Books, 2003. ISBN 0-446-53073-5</li></ol></ref>
