Kiss Celebrate 45th Anniversary of ‘Destroyer’

In celebration of the 45th anniversary of Destroyer, Kiss is releasing a super deluxe edition of their classic album on Nov. 19. 

Originally released in 1976, Destroyer was the band’s first album to sell one million copies within the first year of its release with hits “Detroit Rock City,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “God Of Thunder” and piano ballad “Beth.”

Produced by Bob Ezrin, Destroyer followed the band’s chart-topping Alive! in 1975, and moved the band into more expansive arrangements on tracks like the piano ballad “Beth” and “Great Expectations” and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

KISS – Destroyer 45th is available as a 4-CD and Blu-ray audio box set as well as standard double black vinyl and limited edition yellow and red double colored vinyl, a 2-CD set, and digital. Along with the original album, newly remastered at Abbey Road Mastering, the box set also features 15 demos from Paul Stanley’s and Gene Simmons’s personal archives—nine of which were previously unreleased—studio outtakes, alternate versions, mixes, and single edits, including a new stripped-down mix for “Beth (Acoustic Mix),”  one of two bonus tracks, including “Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo),” featuring Ace Frehley’s original guitar solo that was never released on the studio album.

Live performances from the band’s concert at the L’Olympia in Paris on May 22, 1976, in addition to the first Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mix of the original studio album are also part of the set. 

Housed in a lift-top style box, featuring the original Destroyer cover art by Ken Kelly, the Super Deluxe box also features collectibles and Kiss memorabilia, including a complete recreation of the original Kiss Army Kit with the original folder and newsletter, press photos, band member bio sheets, membership car iron-ons, stickers, flyers, posters, and more. 

(Cover art: Ken Kelly)