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Destroyer

KISS

1976
Destroyer
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.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.92

Votes

7252
Genres
Hard Rock
Metal

Reviews

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Fri Oct 08 2021
5

It'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.

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Thu Mar 04 2021
3

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.

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Wed Jul 07 2021
2

nope. didn't need to listen to that before I die

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Wed Apr 21 2021
1

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.

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Fri Feb 05 2021
1

KISS just sounds like an ABBA cover group that decided to become a heavy metal parody act, and does a disservice to both.

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Wed Apr 19 2023
2

The last time I listened to this album I was in 4th grade and absolutely terrified of Gene Simmons. This isn't the most cerebral of bands ... and in retrospect i can't decide if it's hilarious or maximum creepy that this gross band straight-up marketed themselves to little kids - which obviously completely worked (on me as well). ...but leading off with "Detroit Rock City" is a pretty great opening track. Classic riff - basic rock that's just fun - I'll sign up for that. Yet after that it's ... plodding and dumb. SO. DUMB. Some of it is ok but ho-lee-hell a big shout out to "Great Expectations" which absolutely has to be one of the worst songs ever recorded. Ever. Words can't do it justice, and the orchestra ... honestly. I have to remember this as an entry when the question is asked. Nostalgia does make it occasionally enjoyable, notably (only?) on the singles (e.g. "Beth" - it's terrible but ... is it though? It makes me want to pack my lunch box.) but as a full album if I'm in the mood for 70s meat and potatoes rock I'm reaching for something else. 4/10 2 stars.

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Wed Nov 18 2020
1

Throwaway glam metal from four shit musicians, none of which could sing. KISS just might be the worst band in the world.

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Wed May 04 2022
1

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

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Tue Jul 27 2021
5

The Soundtrack of my youth, this is Kiss' best album

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Thu Jul 06 2023
2

Easy to make fun of, and with good reason. Opener "Detroit Rock City" is clearly the template for Spinal Tap's (much better) "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight". Rest of it sounds like typical Alice Cooper musical theater. Indeed, I'm starting to spot the easy cliches in the Ezrin production style - hopefully Berlin isn't ruined for me.

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Mon Aug 30 2021
1

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

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Sun Apr 25 2021
4

-1 the first minute and a half was just motorcycle sounds

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Mon Mar 15 2021
3

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

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Mon Mar 15 2021
2

A mí el Julian Cope me enseñó a apreciar la genialidad estúpida de ciertos tracks de Kiss. Y qué bueno que lo hizo porque este disco está culerísimo. Tiene unas 4 rolas bien. El resto blah. Acá la selección que hizo Julian Cope (Teardrop Explodes) en forma de playlist. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KZzC6S3l1QJkeUsWt6MMn?si=2aea48e6145545f5

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Sun Jan 23 2022
2

My great expectations were shot down in a flaming ball of dog shit. What a terrible collection of sounds. Who mixed this? Listened to the entire thing in the hope it would redeem itself at some point without result. Verging on one star which is a rarity for me but 2 stars for their assumed impact on the forthcoming glam metal scene - the makeup was pretty good. Has absolutely nothing on The Dictators debut the year before.

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Wed Jan 26 2022
2

The title to the track Sweet Pain should have been the name for this album. The singles were okay, but the rest was a slog to get through. And it's a short album. It'd be one thing if these songs were bad but fun, but they aren't even as fun as they're supposed to be.

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Wed Apr 06 2022
2

Honestly, fuck this album. They make you wait through like 2 minutes of bullshit before you get to hear Detroit Rock City, and after that fine song is done, it's just waiting for the album to wind through its length. I hate it when KISS tries to rock, I hate it when KISS tries to be sensitive. Honestly, though, the production on this album is terrible. Everything sounds sludgy. At first I thought it might be a poor quality upload on YouTube, but no, it just sounds like that. Like mixing a KISS album was some dying child's last wish, and the band just let them do it, but then the kid got better so they couldn't go back and remaster it. I'm not sure why someone thought I should listen to this album before I die. Maybe they have a strong hatred of me and think that subjecting me to this album will hasten my death by sapping my will to live. Jokes on them, because I'm determined to outlive every member of KISS so that I can dance on each and every one of their graves. 2/5 (Detroit Rock City is pulling a lot of weight on this album, and I guess Beth is fine too)

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Thu Feb 18 2021
1

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.

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Fri Jan 29 2021
5

Rocking good album. From Detroit Rock City through God if Thunder to Beth

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Thu Feb 11 2021
5

You wanted the best, you got the best...

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Fri Feb 12 2021
5

Master do tidal maravilhosa, clássico dos clássicos

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Wed May 12 2021
5

I can feel the leather as it passes through my ear drums.

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Thu Sep 02 2021
5

It Is THE Kiss Sound. Nothing more to say

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Wed Sep 15 2021
5

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!

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Mon Oct 18 2021
5

Detroit Rock City is fantastic and the rest of the album is playing around with the edge of rock and metal. Big fan.

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Sun Dec 12 2021
5

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.

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Fri Jan 21 2022
5

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

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Thu Jan 27 2022
5

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.

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Wed Feb 02 2022
5

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

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Wed Feb 16 2022
5

Best thing that Detroit has ever made

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Sun Mar 06 2022
5

This is Kiss at or near their peak for me, I'll listen to this album anytime.

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Thu Apr 21 2022
5

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.

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Wed May 25 2022
5

Really liked it much more than I thought. Didn’t realise Beth was on this album!

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Fri Aug 05 2022
5

Fine. I'm giving this one all the stars just because it was fun, sounded amazing on Atmos, and it's Friday.

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Thu Sep 22 2022
5

Just a fun rock'n'roll album. Best track - "God of Thunder". Plus a star for the fourth wall breaks.

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Thu Feb 09 2023
5

So good. A classic all around. Shout it out loud and Detroit rock city stand out but it's all enjoyable

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Fri Jul 21 2023
5

This was one of the coolest album covers of my pre-adolescent years. I used to look at it with wonder and fear. Tremble before the Knights In Satan’s Service spitting blood as they wield their dark powers! Of course, KISS’ television debut was on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special featuring Donny & Marie (also in satanic garb), Florence Henderson and Tim Conway. Really cool growing up in a time where such nexuses could form. When this cover popped up today I felt the excitement of my youth all over again! This is the KISS album where every single song feels like it was released as a single. I’m a little shocked to read that only four of the songs actually were because ALL of the songs on here have carved grooves into my brain. KISS is one of many instances where a strong dose of musical theater drew me out and expanded my musical horizons. Destroyer is a foundation for my appreciation of the heavier side of rock laid in my pre-teen years that still looms large in my imagination today. I can’t muster anything but love for this album.

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Fri Jul 21 2023
5

And with this I believe we've stumbled upon the album on this list that I've known and loved the longest. My brother bought this one on 8-track when I was 8 years old and we listened to it a LOT. These songs are catchy as hell. KISS found the formula for a rock anthem with Rock and Roll All Nite and they copy it a few times on Destroyer with tunes like Shout It Out Loud and Flaming Youth. But every song makes me want to rock out and sing along, even Beth. Is this a great album? I couldn't possibly say. It's too much in my bones. Is it a great time? Hell, yes!

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Fri Jul 21 2023
5

This was not the Kiss album that I had in my youth. I really didn't know this album, just some of the tracks. Listening now, I am wondering if we were ever supposed to take them seriously. Certainly not the outrageously hard rock that I thought they were when I was 10 yers old. But, kind of fun(ny)!

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Thu Aug 24 2023
5

KISS ARE MY FAVOURITE BAND EVER!!! I ONCE PAID $40,000 TO HAVE GENE SIMMONS TONGUE FUCK MY WIFE WHILST I HID IN A WARDROBE MASTURBATING. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE ONE WITH THE CAT MAKEUP INSTEAD. SHE DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND, BUT I WASTED SO MUCH JIZZ ON THAT DUDE.

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Tue Sep 05 2023
5

Shout it Shout it Shout it out loud. You Gotta Have a Party. And I agree, this is of course a 5-star rock album. Probably the best Kiss album, but I like most of their 70s output.

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Mon Sep 21 2020
4

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.

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Mon Mar 15 2021
4

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

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Thu May 06 2021
4

I knew many more songs than I thought, and I'd say they have aged well for me!

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Fri Apr 16 2021
4

Nothing special, I was deciding between 3 and 4.

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Wed Feb 24 2021
4

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.

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Mon Mar 15 2021
4

Nunca me ha gustado Kiss, pero sí disfruté el álbum.

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Thu Apr 01 2021
4

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

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Sat Apr 10 2021
4

Für mich war des a klassiker Nichts weltbewegendes aber wenn kiss dann dieses album

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Mon May 17 2021
4

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.

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Thu Jul 01 2021
4

Absolutely great. Loved this album. They have such a powerful good time sound.

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Fri May 21 2021
4

I liked it, a bit better recording quality would not hurt

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Mon Aug 02 2021
4

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.

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Wed Aug 04 2021
4

Is KISS good? Maybe not. But are they fun? Hell yes.

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Fri Aug 13 2021
4

Finding it difficult to dislike this, as stupid as it can be at times. Meets the definition of irrisistable rock n roll.

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Mon Aug 23 2021
4

Again this is pretty good for what it is. I haven't minded having it on while I'm working. Four stars.

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Mon Aug 23 2021
4

Awesome rock album, some parts I didn't care for but some 5 star songs

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Mon Aug 30 2021
4

I was impressed, album is pretty solid

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Mon Oct 25 2021
4

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Detroit rock city, King of the night time world, Shout it out loud, Beth, Do you love me

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Thu Nov 18 2021
4

Ik ken geen nummers van dit album, en vond het ook niet zo spectaculair. Blijft wel een goede groep

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Thu Nov 25 2021
4

Godt og kort klassisk rock. Masser af guitar, og et par enkelte kedelige numre

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Sun Dec 12 2021
4

Entertaining and catchy rock album that is very easy to listen to and hard to find flaws

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Mon Jan 03 2022
4

«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

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Fri Jan 14 2022
4

Some say they are corny, but I will always be a fan of Kiss. Fun album.

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Thu Jan 20 2022
4

This is the classic lineup and their best album by far.

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Fri Jan 21 2022
4

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!

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Wed Jan 26 2022
4

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

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Sun Jan 30 2022
4

First 3 songs were great; great expectations and beth made me want to throw up; everything else was really good; barely barely a 4

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Wed Feb 16 2022
4

Gets a bit repetitive but hard to beat that opening track

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Wed Feb 16 2022
4

[Enter town here] ROCK CITY!

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Wed Feb 16 2022
4

Never really got into KISS. Maybe I should have. This album was a fun listen!

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Sun Apr 10 2022
4

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.

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Thu May 12 2022
4

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

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Mon May 23 2022
4

Goofy and high energy but with levels of self-awareness

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Fri Jun 17 2022
4

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!

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Sun Aug 07 2022
4

A very entertaining album. Unexpected to have known only 2 songs on it. One of which was by Beethoven (7/10). FT: Beth

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Mon Oct 03 2022
4

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.

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Fri Oct 07 2022
4

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

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Wed Oct 12 2022
4

Pretty solid album. Found out about 'Beth' this time around

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Wed Oct 26 2022
4

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

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Fri Nov 25 2022
4

Thought that this was a great album with two big hits in "Detroit Rock City" and "Shout It Out Loud". 7/10.

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Fri Nov 25 2022
4

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

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Wed Jan 11 2023
4

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.

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Fri Feb 03 2023
4

Maybe not the best album but more "roching" than recent other ones so a generous 4*

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Wed Mar 22 2023
4

Let's get one thing straight. No it's not a fantastically made conceptual album. It won't wow you with its instrumentation. It's not very inventive in general. But I'll be gosh darned if I don't give the only Kiss album on this list of 1001 albums the respect it deserves. Part of the draw to this album was the show that the band put on with the music. They were crazy characters who were good at making music and their hits are legendary. The group puts Detroit Rock City and Beth on the same album, come on, they are so different and both insanely good. They are versatile and I feel like they are a bit disrespected because of their personas. I'm fighting to give Kiss the respect they deserve on the Global reviews - I urge you all to join me.

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