Destroyer
KISS
1976
Album Summary
Destroyer is the fourth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on March 15, 1976, by Casablanca Records in the US. It was the third successive Kiss album to reach the top 40 in the US, as well as the first to chart in Germany and New Zealand. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on April 22, 1976, and platinum on November 11 of the same year, the first Kiss album to achieve platinum. The album marked a departure from the raw sound of the band's first three albums.
WikipediaIt's been almost 50 years and I'm sure it still bugs the shit out of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons that their band's biggest hit was written and sung by the freaking drummer. It makes all the sense in the world since Peter Criss, with his Rod Stewart meets Joe Crocker voice, was often the band's best vocalist. Kiss was all about selling out and selling out hard, and after finally breaking through with "Alive", one of the all-time great live albums that is somehow missing from this list, they wanted a studio album that would be something resembling an artistic statement. So they brought in Producer Bob Ezrin, succumbed to his music boot camp, and let him mix in an orchestra and all sorts of sound effects. Somehow it all works. I love the theatrical vision of "Detroit Rock City" crashing right into "King Of The Night Time World". The anthems "Flaming Youth" and "Shout It Out Loud" have aged better than the overplayed "Rock & Roll All Nite". Hell, I even love the fanfare that somehow gets billed as a track of its own after "Do You Love Me", a song that benefits from Ezrin's studio trickery in a big way. My lone complaint is I wish there was a song where they turned the microphone over to Mr. Ace Frehley. But the Spaceman still wasn't comfortable enough to sing lead. It might be impossible for me to be completely objective about this album. We all bring our own baggage or backstory to some of these albums. This one was a huge part of my personal Flaming Youth. Destroyer and Alive were the first two albums I ever owned. I still have a certain attachment to both of them. On vinyl, the packaging and visuals really stood out in 1976. And I still listen to Destroyer regularly. Kiss never put a complete album together like this again for a multitude of reasons. The band may never go away (Stanley and Simmons clearly plan on finding replacements to wear their makeup so that Kiss will continue long after they're buried in their own Kiss Koffins). And Destroyer is also here to stay and set the world on fire.
You know, this one didn't age as badly as I expected it to. That said, actively listening to a KISS record feels like an exercise in cognative dissonance. On one hand, you have a whole album of youth power anthems. But, when the album was released, Gene Simmons was 26. It feels like pandering. You're also talking about a band who was considered "so evil" at the time but, in retrospect, their songs were super plain-jane vanilla even in the context of their contemporaries. Overall, I felt like it was "meh" but not in an altogether bad way.
Throwaway glam metal from four shit musicians, none of which could sing. KISS just might be the worst band in the world.
KISS just sounds like an ABBA cover group that decided to become a heavy metal parody act, and does a disservice to both.
For several of the tracks, you can listen to about one-third of the song and you've heard everything. The remaining two-thirds is just recycling. No thanks. The album feels like a characature of a Rock and Roll band, but without much Rock and Roll in the musicianship. Two out of ten tracks were on the verge of catching my attention. That is not enough to distract from the terrile lyrics of most of the songs. The lyrics emphasize a lot of what I don't like about KISS - trying say "I am SO great" soaked in sleaze. The music fits in with the charicatures they played on the stage. Did the drummer, sitting behind the drums for most/all of the show really wear platform shoes too? Congratulations KISS, you earned my first 1 star rating.
Dude, look at that cover, it's literally four trannies jumping from a pile of rubble, wtf. 100% cringe, can't take that shit serious
This album reminds me of my former boss who is in a kiss cover band. I almost got to see them perform, and if this was what they were playing, I’m glad I missed it
Meh... No, digo, algunas canciones son muy divertidas como Detroit Rock City con su toque rock & roll y God Thunder con su ondita más de hair metal (por ende, las canciones que más disfruté), pero, aunque en realidad tiene variedad con sus momentos baladescos, hardrockeros y hasta metaleros, no me dio la impresión de variedad (if that makes sense). Mood: metal en drag meets fursonas de pandas :v
Pretty generic and not really engaging, can understand the appeal and they certainly leaned into the whole notion of the band as a pure product but I'm not a fan.
Rocking good album. From Detroit Rock City through God if Thunder to Beth
KISS knew exactly where their career was and where it needed to go when they made this record. They start the album with a radio playing Rock and Roll All Nite before they rush headlong into Detroit Rock City. It’s like they said “We got you hooked with this, now here’s the REAL stuff.” And the album kicks ass. Paul Stanley is a man’s man of a singer and is just so good here. Plus you get Beth!
Detroit Rock City is fantastic and the rest of the album is playing around with the edge of rock and metal. Big fan.
Great run time, easy listening, several of their big hits, a good sound, and catchy melodies and lyrics, it’s just one of those great rock albums.
This ablum holds a special place for me. By 1994, I had written Kiss off as a bit a joke band who had gone away when they lost their make up. So the week or so before I turned 21 that year I was browsing a second hand market when I ran into the boyfriend of a friend of mine. He was in a semi popular local band and I was always embarrassingly in awe of him. He said he had heard it was my birthday coming up (probably as I told everyone and anyone who would listen). When we hit a stall selling old tapes and CDs, he picked up a Tape of Destroyer and asked me what I thought. I scoffed and he corrected me by saying that it was one of the greatest rock albums of all time, and that the band where all showmanship and class. He handed over the $2 the tape was selling for and then put the tape in my hands saying, go home have listen to is with out abn preconceptions and just enjoy it. I did. And I enjoyed it. Even though I was elbow deep in listening to all things Alternative© at the time, this was revelation. Kiss rocked so well. I got paid out about my new love of Kiss but got my revenge at my 21st by putting this tape on and watched my friends who either hadn't listened to the band since they were 7 or secretly loving them and hiding it all enjoying Destroyer
I've always been put off KISS by the way they look. But I realised that this is quite judgemental of me and these poor people must have suffered throughout their lives due to their unusual facial pigmentation, incredible hair, and malformed feet. Anyway, this album is decent; well-rounded and nicely paced with tight production. And it doesn't sound like I expected a KISS album to sound.
Segurament el millor disc de KISS, i el que va cimentar la seva fama monstruosa als '70. En el seu génere és gairebé perfecte, de començament al final. El toc de Bob Ezrin a la producció també mereix esmenta
This is Kiss at or near their peak for me, I'll listen to this album anytime.
Departing from a raw hard rock style from their previous records, "Destroyer" shows a more mature KISS flirting with heavy metal and growing to have better compositions and production. Still a lot of silly 1970s excess rock lyrics, but making it very clear that what they want is to party, never really taking themselves very serious. Paul Stanley's vocals are at its peak and Ace Frehley has some of his greatest guitar solos in here. Gene Simmons and Peter Criss also have very good contributions, wich make "Destroyer" something of a very definitive studio album for KISS - an important part of american rock music.
Really liked it much more than I thought. Didn’t realise Beth was on this album!
Fine. I'm giving this one all the stars just because it was fun, sounded amazing on Atmos, and it's Friday.
Just a fun rock'n'roll album. Best track - "God of Thunder". Plus a star for the fourth wall breaks.
So good. A classic all around. Shout it out loud and Detroit rock city stand out but it's all enjoyable
Kiss is good fun, good rockin. Detroit Rock City is a classic. Wouldn't say the whole album is classic, but there are a few absolute corker songs here.
Creo que tiene toda una vibra feel-good y tipo "no importa otra cosa, siente la música". Kiss siempre se me ha hecho entretenido, de todas formas, aunque nunca había escuchado un álbum completo y lo disfruté. Sobre todo su duración. No me pareció pretencioso y está chistoso el detalle de los niños en "God of Thunder" y la canción final, con esa muchedumbre como despidiéndose. En fin, creo que no tuve skips, incluso las más relajadas como "Beth" o "Great Expectations" las escuché con gusto. "Do You Love Me" muy pejagosa y muy bien todos los cortes instrumentales. 8.5/10
I knew many more songs than I thought, and I'd say they have aged well for me!
Great fun. God of Thunder and Great Expectations are just too much though and take away from the rest which stay just the right side of ridiculous.
It's quite good, you can listen to it anytime, it's pretty balanced, it's got songs to be happy, in love, sad. I liked it
Für mich war des a klassiker Nichts weltbewegendes aber wenn kiss dann dieses album
First off, I love the segue between some of the songs, it just flows so smoothly. I was pleasantly surprised with how good most of the songs sounded. Highlights were King of The Night Time World, Shout It Out Loud and Beth. The only thing was I felt I was getting bored through listening to some of the songs, and there was one that I just disliked, so I rate it 3.5-4/5 stars.
Absolutely great. Loved this album. They have such a powerful good time sound.
I used to work with a couple of guys that were in a KISS tribute band (DO NOT EVER CALL THEM A COVER BAND) and they would play KISS all. the. time. This is a good album that is just fun rock-n-roll. RIP Dave my God of Thunder - I miss you brother.
Finding it difficult to dislike this, as stupid as it can be at times. Meets the definition of irrisistable rock n roll.
Again this is pretty good for what it is. I haven't minded having it on while I'm working. Four stars.
Awesome rock album, some parts I didn't care for but some 5 star songs
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Detroit rock city, King of the night time world, Shout it out loud, Beth, Do you love me
Ik ken geen nummers van dit album, en vond het ook niet zo spectaculair. Blijft wel een goede groep
Godt og kort klassisk rock. Masser af guitar, og et par enkelte kedelige numre
Entertaining and catchy rock album that is very easy to listen to and hard to find flaws
«Shout It Out Loud» Publicado: 1 de marzo de 1976 «Flaming Youth» Publicado: 30 de abril de 1976 «Detroit Rock City / Beth» Publicado: 28 de julio de 1976 «Beth» Publicado: agosto de 1976
Some say they are corny, but I will always be a fan of Kiss. Fun album.
It's Destroyer by Kiss. Opening with one of the best number one tracks. This album just rocks plain and simple. Best they ever did!
Quit listening half way through but listened to it on the way home and didn't regret it. What a fun album, and of course i enjoyed the bass work
First 3 songs were great; great expectations and beth made me want to throw up; everything else was really good; barely barely a 4
Never really got into KISS. Maybe I should have. This album was a fun listen!
I rarely describe anything as a guilty pleasure. If you enjoy it, you enjoy it. But given that Gene Simmons is a terrible human being, and a lot of what is on this album is so cheesy it comes in a wooden box and is actually pronounced 'destroyeur' this is truly a guilty pleasure. Detroit Rock City is just perfect, God of Thunder rocks even of it has a very poor grasp of Norse mythology, and even the slowie, Beth, is that rarest of beasts, a perfectly good Kiss ballad. It adds nothing to culture, but sometimes you just want to whip your nips out and paint your face.
Ca commence fort avec Detroit Rock city. Un bon album de kiss, ca rock a fond et c'est tout a fait leur style. DRC et God of Thunder sont mes highligths vraiment mais j'ai toujours aimé Kiss. 4.25
These four demons of the day probably felt like Satan reborn to the general pearl clutching public but their music is relatively tame not just compared to today, but to some of their peers. Their bark was worse than their bite. But that doesn't mean the music is bad, this is classic American rock. Detroit Rock City and God of Thunder were my favs, Shout it Out Loud was good too. They were established by this point so I bet people went crazy over this album. Look at Gene's insane shoes!
A very entertaining album. Unexpected to have known only 2 songs on it. One of which was by Beethoven (7/10). FT: Beth
Kiss was my first concert. Mind you it was the makeup-less era (1990, Hot in the Shade Tour), but it was a religious experience for me nonetheless. There was a giant talking friggin' sphynx. I mean, come on... during "God of Thunder" the damn sphynx spoke ("I am the lord of the wasteland...")! Kiss was my childhood. Looking back today, with my oh so much more sophisticated tastes, I laugh at the juvenility of most of their stuff, but damn was it fun when I was 13. This album is probably the best studio offering from their heyday. They wouldn't sound this good on record until Creatures of the Night in 1982. But on Destroyer, Bob Ezrin has them sounding like actual musicians and not just a bunch of meatheads in mime makeup from NYC trying to gimmick their way to a buck. Lightning, meet bottle.
As a former citizen of Detroit Rock City, I have to give it up for the boys in make up. Beth is such a classic, too
Van Halen and KISS back to back? I feel like some people won’t like that. I don’t mind, though. even though I came of age around the time of nu metal, my hard and heavy discoveries were better fits for VH1 Classic than TRL. I’d still pick Destroyer over Follow the Leader any day. Although this is far from a perfect album. KISS just weren’t as strong songwriters or musicians as Aerosmith or AC/DC, which explains why they’re better remembered for their theatrics than their catalogue. But most of these songs are still pretty good and they’re all solid performers, although I do think it’s funny that Ace, who’s generally considered the best artist of the group, had the weakest tracks here. Honestly, I think Peter wins this time, since I groove to “Beth”’s cheesy sincerity. I’d take it on the radio over another damn Foreigner song any day. B
Thought that this was a great album with two big hits in "Detroit Rock City" and "Shout It Out Loud". 7/10.
7/10 pretty good idk but bro wtf was Beth lmao the song sounded so stupid coming from a band/album like this so I looked up to see if these guys made a music video and I’m so glad they did because it’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen haha yeah idk, again it’s pretty good but those slow songs are really cringe
Confirmou a impressão do estabelecimento do Kiss como fundamental para a definição do hard rock americano. Flui bem a combinação dos hits pesados com a balada Beth.
Maybe not the best album but more "roching" than recent other ones so a generous 4*
KISS can produce hits and duds all in one album, luckily this album covers 5-6 of their most iconic songs. This band is just not as good on studio albums, but their guitar riffs come shining through. This album suffers from a bad mix and weird decisions (school kid sounds in God of Thunder). Stand-Outs: Detroit Rock City, Beth, Do You Love Me
Some cool songs but a bit boring for me. Might be better at a live concert or something. Production was nice.
"It's so sad, livin' at home" (KIng of the Night Time World) ¿Me pondría a escuchar discos de KISS por voluntad propia? No. ¿Pero me lo paso bien cuando cuadra y lo hago? Totalmente.
Production: 8/20 Songwriting: 10/20 Innovation: 8/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 11/20 =42 Barely even a 3! I would have expected more bangers from Kiss!
There wasn't any particular songs that stood out for me, and some songs are a bit cringy. But overall ok and I imagine it would be great to see live.
KISS is a weird and polarizing band. There aren’t many bands that I have heard people talk about in such extremes. So many people love them, but a great amount hate them too. I, myself, never really listened to them much. I had heard their super popular singles like “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll All Night”, but that was about it. This was my first full length album of theirs and it was a weird experience to say the least. It started off strong with “Detroit Rock City” and “King of the Night Time World”. Then, it took a huge dive with God of Thunder, and despite songs like “Sweet Pain” not being horrible, it still didn’t quite recover until “Shout it Out Loud”. After that, “Beth” was fantastic, but “Do You Love Me” didn’t do it for me. I don’t even really know the point of “Rock and Roll Party”. It was weird and didn’t add anything at all except waste a minute of my time. So a couple fantastic songs, one or two okay songs, and a good chunk of material that was either bad or pointless. Like I said, weird album from a weird band. All in all, 3/5.
Surprisingly fun for such a famous record. A lot about sex though so idk. But at least the recording quality is great and it's just -fun-