Reviews (page 2 of 8)
This was the first album I bought on vinyl decades ago. The songs remain simple and childish but it's still a great album.
Я не те щоб хейтер кісів, але мені в цілому ніколи не подобався гурт. Була в них здібність писати хітові композиціі. Тут теж таких декілька є. Особливо загальне враження від альбому не витягує
При всій крінжовості гурту кісс та їхній максимальній мейнстрімовості (тіпи навіть намагались грати так званий гранж у 90х), вони все ж вміли писати непогані пісні. Цей альбом тому підтвердження - детройт рок сіті, бет, гад оф тандер, шаут іт аут лауд. Тут є все за що можна любити кісс (і в принципі так само все за що їх хейтять). Для мене це альбом на 3.4 і десь така собі гілті плежа.
I won’t hate on it as much as some people on this site, but I do have to agree this album was just kind of bland. Detroit Rock City has a nice lick to it, but overall it is really kind of forgettable. I guess the fun was all in their stage getup and live performances.
I am not a huge Kiss fan, but they do have some good songs -- and I think all of them are on this album. Good, solid listen, which I did play through twice. Four stars.
Surprised that this is the selection that made the cut. I've never been a big fan of KISS. It's hard to write off their success, though fundamentally I don't see much to be impressed by musically. They had a strong gimmick and a handful of hits that got heavy radio play. I feel their gimmick is more their legacy than their music and after listening through the album I can see why.
"Detroit Rock City" is the best and most musically interesting song Kiss ever wrote, and it shows that Gene Simmons could actually play bass if he wanted to. Other than that, this is Kiss dressed up in a cheap business suit; it's not as simple and dumb as their previous music about girls and cars and rock and roll, but it's still written to a formula aimed at profit and popularity rather than quality. And still, none of the band members can sing worth a damn.
I don't think I've ever attempted to listen to their music other than softly vibing to I Was Made For Lovin You whenever I hear it somewhere. With such a heavy look you'd expect their music to go hard too but no, it's some 70s version of butt rock. Great Expectations' lyrics made me cringe so hard. No, I do not care about what you do with your fingers. Leave me alone 2/5
This was a fun album and I didn’t realize I had known some of these songs (thanks to the movie ‘Role Models’ haha). Overall 4/5
This isn't good. At all. "Detroit Rock City" is by far the best track on the album and just about drags up the rating to a 2, but everything else is so lacking in any substance that it becomes comical.
Album 292. Destroyer (https://open.spotify.com/album/59plsPcJYFlSA5ImekNQJ0?si=w3A2U6RBRI6_igSbtU1uRg&utm_source=copy-link) — KISS (1976) I want to take the Fifth. Well, I didn’t expect anything else and nothing more from KISS. It was not awful and at least I'm thankful for that. It's not that bad, really. I don't even know how much sarcasm condiment in this text 2/5 Liked: — Detroit Rock City
An interesting album, short & sweet, in their recognisable style, not much to add to that 💋
Good fun
Album cover alone worth four stars
It was fine. Sometimes, I need a hard rock album so I can turn off my brain for a while.
#221/1001 🇺🇸 Good grief, this is a dirge. Starting off with a load of unecesary radio static, then moving into the straightforward rocknroller Detroit Rock City, but then goes down hill badly. Great Expectaions and Beth are absolutely dire. Best Track: Flaming Youth.
Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog.
Alright
fine
Rebelling against school and having fun at parties, using love as a fighting weapon rather than ‘jagger angst’. It’s a good album
Casablanca B0019818-01 (US 2014 reissue) vinyl rip: Party rock! Favorite tracks: "Detroit Rock City," "King Of The Night Time World," and "Shout It Out Loud" "Beth" is also a great ballad.
Знаковый альбом для группы, но все же все их альбомы хитоцентричны (хоть я все и не слушал, но почти в этом уверен). То есть классическая история с хитами и филлерами. Тут в целом та же история, с поправкой на сразу три мощных хита, один умеренный хит и крайне недооцененный трек God of Thunder, который разбавляет их достаточно одннобразный материал чуть более тяжеленьким (по их меркам), но все равно веселым звучанием.
Ну ок
На удивление зашло
не стыдный альбом, но и интересного мне примерно ничего - 3
..
2 good good songs.
Cliche but fun
sehr kurz, aber gut. 3 Sterne
Pretty cool, mostly.
3 out of 5. First time listening to a full KISS album. Middle of the party anthem road.
The hits are still great, but I will never understand the people who love the rest of their catalog. Overall not bad, but not that good.
I’ll give it one extra star for Detroit rock city, but nothing else for whatever I just listened to.
Detroit Rock City is a kick ass opener to an album. Beyond that most of the songs are pretty mid. I like Beth but it just makes me thing of Role Models.
There’s a part of me that believes this is a 5 star album, entirely because it’s the closest album to Spinal Tap so far. “I'm the king of the night time world//And you're my headlight queen” is incredible. Musically, they sound a lot more like Spinal Tap than I would have known. Anyway it’s really bad though. It’s just funny because it sounds like Spinal Tap.
Not excited about this one.
Class is album
Classic
extrude hair metal paste onto plate and consume, hair elevator music
That was lame and tame. The Sweet and Alice Cooper were so much better at this type of glam. At least it was only 35 minutes long
k first song is catchy, after that pretty straight ass Will I listen to again: 0%
Forskellen på hvordan de lyder og hvordan de ser ud er så stor. Dårlig sanger
De ser satme mere metal ud end musikken kalder på
Some great songs, but overall below mid...
KISS has always been more of a brand than a band. How many truly classic songs do they really have? Is it even ten? Probably around that. Not a good track record for a band with such a long history. Lucky for them, more than those ended up here, and still not even in the top echelon of classics, but at least made the editors decide this would be the album to include. KISS are one of those bands that needs to be experienced live, as in this studio album, they sound just like any other Hard Rock band of the era, maybe even a little lighter and poppier than average. But this is 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, not 1001 Shows You Must See Before You Die. Key tracks: Detroit Rock City God of Thunder Beth
Very rock and roll!
I remember how shocked I was the first time I saw Kiss without their makeup. It was my family. And yet, three stars is the most I can muster.
Clearly I lack the ability to turn off analysis and inhibitions to enjoy simplistic and fun music. Maybe if I had that quality I would have enjoyed 1980s teen comedies, Chris Farley, Weird Al and KISS. If I can miss the depth of sophisticated literature, paintings, movies and song lyrics, then perhaps I cannot get the teen-level romp of KISS. What does it mean that I prefer the Spinal Tap to one of the groups they parodied? Taking the time for a song vs. song comparison would give too much thought for this record. But Spinal Tap definitely has better riffs, hooks and lyrics than this “real album.” For instance, one of the better songs on Destroyer is “God of Thunder.” I’d take Tap’s “Heavy Duty.” KISS’s ode to life on the road, “Do You Love Me,” cannot match “Sex Farm” and “Big Bottom.” The joys and deviltry of rock are better seen in “Rock and Roll Creation” and “Hell Hole.” The group lacks any real interplay as power chords, drum fill and solos seem cut and pasted. The production pushes a particular aspect up into the mix perhaps due to the band’s lack of real ability. Credit to the band and producer Bob Ezrin for creating choruses that fit with basketball stadiums, but devoid of anything memorable besides a bad ear worm. The hit ballad “Beth” provides a respite from the formula without turning out anything worthwhile. Maybe they will have a song or two to reach guilty pleasure status. Frankly, I do not expect to turn the corner with KISS in the future.
Confessions of a former KISS fan. Look, I was in 4th grade, it was what my friends were listening to, and the lyrics are so simple and easy to memorize, perfect for a little brain not yet fully developed. I think I outgrew them in about grade 5 or 6. I look at KISS with nostalgia now. They were part of my childhood, but they're like if Spinal Tap took themselves seriously. And yeah, they really did dress like that.
This album is just barely listenable to be mid instead of actually frustrating to listen to. I've never really been a KISS fan, I've always found them schticky and annoying, and I'm really glad to find out that I was 100% right. I firmly believe they would've been lost to the sands of time if it wasn't for the makeup and the show. They have never really made anything worth remembering, they were just early on the glam train. Insufferable stuff really. Favorites: Detroit Rock City, Great Expectations
Kiss is not very good
Скучный рок
I can appreciate why Destroyer is regarded as KISS's breakthrough and one of the defining hard rock albums of the '70s. Bob Ezrin's production gave the band a much grander, more cinematic sound, and tracks like "Detroit Rock City" and "God of Thunder" have become iconic for good reason. That said, it really wasn't my cup of tea. The album leans heavily into larger-than-life theatrics, macho posturing, and comic-book-style fantasy, and I found much of it a bit too teenagerish. Rather than feeling rebellious or dangerous, it often comes across as playing to adolescent fantasies, which made it difficult for me to fully engage with the music. The production is undoubtedly impressive—lush arrangements, choirs, sound effects, and a level of polish that was unusual for hard rock at the time. But for me, that slickness also smooths away some of the raw energy that made KISS interesting in the first place. Even the heavier tracks feel more calculated than spontaneous. There are still moments I enjoyed. "Detroit Rock City" is an excellent opener, and "Beth" is a surprisingly effective ballad, even if it sits somewhat awkwardly alongside the rest of the album. Overall, though, the songwriting didn't resonate with me enough to overcome the album's theatrical excesses. I understand why Destroyer became such an influential record and why it remains beloved by KISS fans. Personally, however, I found it more interesting as a cultural milestone than as an album I would return to. It's an ambitious record, but one whose adolescent outlook and over-the-top presentation kept it at arm's length.
Very good
My first KISS album from start to finish and it was fun! I can definitely see how they are a cultural phenomenon and a major influence in the rock genre.
There is no way this would get higher than a 2. It gets that score for entertainment value alone. I don’t know who needs to read this but holy shit Kiss sucks. I guess i can see why it’s here though? Like, i GUESS you need representation for this kind of sound. As in, a pretty bad one.
Butt rock for butt heads
These guys could put out a good rock album at one time, and honestly the more you look back at them, you'd think they were some disgusting heavy metal gore band but its pretty inoffensive compared to what came after them. Crazy. its also a half hour long, a little shorter than I thought, which isnt a terrible thing, but it seemed like they could've put up an extra track or two. By the time I was done I couldnt really recall anything outside the singles, it was just kind of generic rock noise. Listening to this gave me a huge nostalgia memory, when I was a kid, we use to have air band at our school every year, and my friends and I did Detroit Rock City, costumes and everything. ridiculous.
KISS is corny as hell but they could rock. The hits on this album are classics but the rest of the album just kind of mushes together. Certainly not the worst album on this list but it’s also just kind of… okay
Never gave Smooch the time of day. Now I know why.
Nothing too crazy or groundbreaking but generally fun glam rock songs. Always expect these guys to be more metal than they were Highlights: "Detroit Rock City", "Shout it Out Loud", "Do You Love Me"
Shitty gimmick "band" with shitty music.
I love the Detroit Rock City movie, but the concert at the end must have been the dullest part of their journey, because KISS kind of sucks.
A few good songs but meh
I was already familiar with Kiss and probably have even heard this full album once or twice. It has its moments as a rock album but overall is not particularly remarkable. Detroit Rock City is probably the best song on here, so if I wanted to hear that song, I'd probably prefer to listen to just that and skip the full album. I would listen again but would not go out of my way for it.
Ah pues si como sea! 2.7
Even when I was twelve and thought Kiss was cool, I always thought their studio albums were garbage. Poorly written songs played by poor musicians.
As a rule, I do not like bands that play dress up. I also hate found sound, this is not off to a great start. Although, I love Thin Lizzy and this is definitely of that same era and style. Detroit Rock City is a good song. I could do without the demons and evil lord lyrics. Heavy metal lyrics are to music what Flash Gordon scripts are to film. I prefer Thin Lizzy,
Why have I been told all my life that Kiss sucks? The music is as good as any other 70s metal and they have awesome shoes.
*1976. *I like KISS a little more than a thought, which is to say, some of the songs were fine. *This is only 34 minutes, but I was ready to skip most tracks after 90 secs. *Beth and Detroit Rock City are the only songs I knew. *It's kinda fun, but a little goes a VERY long way. RATING - 5.5/10
KISS is kind of a bit of a guilty pleasure. I enjoy them.
Big fat meh
Was not quite what I expected, as it was different with various styles. I was expecting a bit more.
It had different vibes/styles throughout but it still lacked cohesion of something to bring it all together
It's fine. About what I expected. I get they're hugely influential but they ain't for me.
Maybe I just expected more, but was very underwhelmed by album. Outfits & makeup much more interesting than the actual album
ts hurts my ears
Very safe rock music. I don't hate listening to it by any means, but I'd never come back to it. Nothing all that interesting here Favorite Songs: Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder
I feel like this album should only exist in popular consciousness in an alternate world where Bill and Ted are the arbiters of taste. Occasionally, they stumble upon something that is catchy for a few bars in a spinal tap way. Mostly abhorrent.
I all of a sudden have rather ambivalent feelings toward Satan...
Always thought of KISS as more theatrical than musical, this kinda confirms it.
Some fun to be found, but does it really belong here?
Kiss is so lame, but their music isn't completely terrible.
Not deep or clever (the opposite, in fact) but such an entertaining listen. Kiss get far too much shit from music nerds.
Shit sandwich
I'LL GET TO IT I PROMISE 1.Detroit Rock City: MKAYYYY IT WAS A PLEASANT INTRODUCTION TO THE ALBUM. Liked what I've heard so far 2. King of the night time world: so-so 3. God of Thunder: WHO'S THAT KID SPEAKING 4. Great expectations: I also know a guitarist (more like a bassist) whose fingers I saw what they could do and I DEFINITELY wanted to turn into a bass 5. Flaming Youth: fun experience to listen while I burned something into flames 6. Sweet Pain: hEY HeY hey 7. Shout it out loud: CLASSICCC (i know it because of glee) 8. Beth: didn't I also listen to this one in Glee? (CUTE) 9. Do you love me: fair concern If I were they 10. Rock 'N' Roll party: gave me after-concert vibes MMMMMMM solid 3
Rockia
Meh.
Number: 1983 Familiarity: well-versed (4) Rating: 2 Not a fan of KISS, though I did like them a little at the time this album came out. Most of the album is laughably bad.
They can't all be Love Gun. Some of these songs are worse than I expected. The song Great Expectations is really, really terrible.
Good cheesy fun, courtesy of the 70s.
Very simple and market oriented. Not anything exceptional.
kiss is no one's favourite band. if they are your favourite band... well, please reconsider
⭐⭐⭐+ Röjigt och engagerande album. Inte svårr att höra att det inspirerat senare garage-rockband. Det är inget revolutionerande och kan bitvis kännas barnligt, speciellt texterna som är sådär... men albumet är enkelt, catchy och kul och är man sugen på dum, "rakt på" rock så är detta ett allternativ. det blir en stark 3a. Bäst är Detroit rock city, Shout it out loud, Beth, Do you love me.¹
#400/1001. While I didn't find this album too interesting now in 2026, we could jump back to early eighties in my current hometown and find my namesake who went apeshit over this album, shaking in excitement, when he first heard it, a can-music-like-this-exist-kind of moment, which changed his life. We'll he later on went and won the Eurovision song contest. So the question is if this would have happened without this band and this album. 3 stars mostly for Mr. Lordi.
Uh oh we've got a premier beer-chugging album on our hands. "Detroit Rock City" is most memorable for it's placement in the bad guy montage in "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" imo. Little fun fact, the beginning of "God Of Thunder" is sampled as is to begin Avicii's "Shame On Me". I think I like the Avicii track more. God of Thunder is so clunky, the singing is horrifying at points. I know it all makes sense with the visuals and the live show, but the audio alone is hackish at best. "Great Expectations" continues that dreadful, campy delivery - this time with eye-rolling lyrics. I get it, this music isn't to be taken more than gimmicky party music, but damn. A clever composition on the outro can't save this one. Now "Beth", that's an interesting one. Dramatic and tender if only for a moment. Still a goofy lyrical subject matter, but a unique one at that. But to deny oneself of a Beth singalong is to deny oneself of a little joy. Album that are so ambitious-yet-soulless make me grasp the roots and appeal of punk music a lot more. Just go listen to Meatloaf 2/5
way more fun than i expected
Never a Fan.
Droops off a bit in the second half but overall a great album Was this album better than yesterday’s album, Vivid by Living Colour? Yes.
Good Shit
I had fun with this one. Holds up.
Ok Kiss!
락과 입맞춤
creo que lo tengo en vinilo. detroit rock city me suena familiar, tal vez la había escuchado antes. che todos temazos mal. shout it out loud me encantó. beth omg they sang this on glee !!!
veddy interesting, sounds super classic rock, really enjoyed it. Was just had to lock in on.
I’m assuming the draw was always the live shows and the experience of the performative side of the act. There isn’t much to get too excited about on the album. It’s alright but doesn’t set the pulse racing too much. I assume the concert experience was when this music became more alive.
Well if we didn’t have KISS and their ridiculous look we wouldn’t have This Is Spinal Tap. Ignoring the visuals and you are left with some pretty basic rock songs which I have to admit is enjoyable in places with Do You Love Me being the high point.
Never listened to them before. The album started promisingly but got more and more excruciatingly and painfully naff. The lyrics and choruses particularly mind numbing. I get the feeling that without the warpaint and live histrionics they would not be remembered at all. Fair play though, one of the finest exponents of style over substance to have lived. Sadly though I’m not giving them a point for that as I’m not willing to forgive the 30mins of boredom just inflicted.
The first Marketing firm to come out with music
Kiss is a band that I've never really liked. Destroyer is an album that has nothing interesting about it except for the cover. 2 stars
A tremendously shit album. I cannot stress how bad it is. At the same time it’s awesome. I thoroughly eat up this ridiculous, stupid music. Detroit Rock City is my fav song of the album. Beth and Flaming Youth were my other highlights
Kiss, you are ridiculous. And this album may be the pinnacle of makeup-era absurdity. An argument can be made for the appeal of earlier albums (the debut, Rock & Roll Over, Love Gun) for their simple, rock appeal. But here we go off the rails into pure silliness, and Kiss the cartoon characters are born.
A bit meh, no great riffs, no great songs, vocals are okay, derivative. Very one-note.
I saw Kiss on the Destroyer tour. Not a big fan. Cool cover. Lots of guitar hooks on the album. Good songs: Detroit Rock City, Shout it out Loud. Beth: overrated song. A lot of the songs sound the same. Average album: three stars.
Decent musicality, 3.5 rounding up
If you're gonna listen to one kiss album...this is it
1976. The lyrics of the opening song "Detroit Rock City" tells the story of a fan who died in a car crash on the way to a Kiss show. First album with producer Bob Ezrin, who pushed them to elevate their music to the next level.
A handful of fun songs, decent overall.
Way to go, "Beth". You ruined the whole vibe. I hope you're happy.
I've always found KISS ridiculous in their weird costumes. Some of their songs were pretty fun at teen parties. Other than that, the band wasn't to be taken seriously. And that's how I'd describe the album, too: ridiculous. 2/5
Detroit Rock City is one of the best live songs ever. Other than that, KISS is not on my list.
"I can definitely see where the 'cover band' criticisms for this group come from. For the most part, this album is just way too cheesy, theatrical, and overproduced for my taste. It completely lacks the raw energy or darker, atmospheric edge I usually look for in music. However, I have to admit that 'Detroit Rock City' is a solid, driving rock anthem, and 'God Of Thunder' actually has a fantastic heavy, menacing riff that completely caught my attention. I saved those two tracks, but the rest of the record is just not for me. A fair 2/5
Det lød sgu da meget godt.
Cheesy but kinda fun.
some bops on this record, first kiss album i’ve heard, pretty good
klassiker, 2 glee songs LOL, stabil
I mean I get the appeal of KISS. Are they kitschy as fuck? Sure. But sometimes kids need some accessible rock n roll.
This is Drag.
Favorite track(s): Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder
No thanks
Never really listened to KISS.. if this is their sound, they’re severely overrated
It can take a two star and thank me for it. Fuck me this was dire. So so close to a 1.
Some fun tunes that struggle to mesh well in the modern age.
I liked it... Honestly not much else to say about it. It kinda sounded like Queen though so that's pretty cool
I was thinking that I should stand up when I listen to albums on this list to give myself the room to really feel the music and move around and whatnot if I want. This was a really poor album to start that trend with. It sounds so empty. There are a few interesting ideas, I guess. I liked whoever's kid that was saying their music was too loud on God of Thunder. I don't have a lot to say, but I sat back down pretty early on.
It appears they are actually more than a bunch of chancers with paint on their face in spandex! The album very much reminded me of Queens more fun tracks and I reckon Kiss would have been really fun to see live! ‘God of thunder’ really showcasing the best of the band I reckon but my favourite track was actually ‘flaming youth’ I wasn’t keen on the repetition in ‘shout it out loud! And then the ballad of the album I guess in ‘Beth’ just didn’t seem to go with the album. ‘Rock and roll party’ was not needed either- if they wanted it on the album it should have been the Enterlude so to speak. The album ending with an alternate ‘Sweet pain’ was a better version than the one in middle of the album too! Favourite track- ‘flaming youth’ Worst track- ‘rock and roll party’ I guess as it just wasn’t actually anything 🤷♂️ Decent but not amazing. 7/10
An absolute selection box of an album. Far more musical than I had anticipated...a bit like an American version of Queen. Will listen to more, although I suppose this is supposedly the best 🤔 Best Track - Great Expectations. Apparently the one that is least liked by fans, but I thought this almost Roger Waters like in its theatre if not the subject matter of eyeing up groupies 😁 Worst Track - Beth. Yeah it's the breakthrough single but nah....didnt need it. 7/10
It’s always found it bizarre how many of my favorite musicians love KISS when they’re so wretchedly mediocre. I guess you had to be there. “Do You Love Me?” Is a pretty good song, though. I can see why Nirvana covered it.
Without the stage show, they're a bar band.
Holy absolute garbage. I had listened to and enjoyed Detroit Rock City many times. I never realized how horrible KISS is in full album format. I’m sure the live shows make up for some of it. But, my god, this sounds like it was written, played, and produced by a high school garage band. I mean there were times where I was doubting if they actually knew how to play their instruments. Detroit Rock City and shout it out loud get it an extra star. But I was shocked how mediocre this was.
I'd never listened to a full Kiss album before, but this is surprisingly bad. It's not heavy, and there's not a single good riff. The poppy stuff is eye-roll inducing, and the musicality is basic. The lyrics are also incredibly stupid. 1.5/5.0: Bad
the music was a bit stale but it was entertaining for the most part. i ended up liking this a lot more than i expected i would, i even considered a 3 at one point!
Yeah this was solid ngl. Less abrasive and more catchy. Some of the songs dragged on but as a whole the album felt good.
This truly sounds your average “rebellious” 13 year old’s favourite album because no one understands him quite like Alice Cooper
Kiss is just a worse Chicago. They'll dress like that and proceed to make desperately milquetoast rock music. Granted, sometimes it really lands in the groove, but that is only occasional across this album. Closer to a 2 than a 4.
p360. 1976. 2 stars. Average, bland mid 70s US cartoon rock. Not awful, but not great either. Just because a band sells millions doesn't mean they're good, or deserve to be on this list. On the plus, it's short.
Kind of a dud. Bit douchey. Favorite song sonically, Great Expectations. Least favorite lyrically, Great Expectations and all the rest.
8/10
Ik heb weinig met glam en dus ook weinig met KISS, maar ik moet zeggen dat het desondanks niet heel lastig was om dit album een keer helemaal door te luisteren. Ik sta dus dus niet op de banken, maar het viel me wel alleszins mee. 34 minuten is ook niet al te lang gelukkig. Zolang ik hun theatergedoe niet hoef te zien en de oppervlakkige teksten zoals meestal lekker langs me heen laat gaan vind ik dit gewoon prima. Een degelijke voldoende.
I will cop to a bit of nostalgia for the sound of this band because it's one of my dad's favourite bands, and KISS were my first proper concert back in 2013. That said, that is all I can give it, because good lord does this album suck. For such a notorious "hard rock" band, to the point where the contemporary media tried to paint them as being "Knights In Satan's Service", the music is quite honestly lethargic! It's slow, it has absolutely no grit to it, it sounds like it was pre-sanitized to optimize for radio play, which wouldn't be out of character for Gene fucking Simmons. By contrast, the lyrics are either pedestrian or over-the-top gross and sexual. Absolutely not one I'm gonna revisit.
For all the satanic panic around their music and stage presence, I was not expecting such a bland album. Like, it was fine, nothing really great or really terrible. I know their studio performances weren’t really the focus of KISS, but still.
Glam rock?! All my life I thought these were some heavy metal guys. Forgive my ignorance. It's horribly-dated glam rock at that, both in sound and lyrics. Detroit Rock City's bassline had me hopeful at the start, but it's all generic and forgettable from there. Quick note about their getup: everyone knows about the face paint, but Gene Simmons has those monster steppers ON. Shit's tuff. 🔥 Standout: Detroit Rock City
This album is poo poo butt. I can't even describe how let down i was to finally listen to a band that caused such moral panic and realize it was the most boring, dull shit imaginable. I felt like I remembered liking the song Detroit Rock City in the past, but not this time. The entire album just glommed together in one big, unsatisfying mass. Beth makes Poison sound like The Beatles. I'm not sure how to describe this feeling, but I know in my heart a woman making this list would never have put this album on here.
something that's worth discussing is KISS, not just the band, but also the brand. when i was... like... 5 years old i assumed that kiss were more famous than the beatles. with their crazy face-painted looks and big fat rock anthems, it wouldn't surprise me if many people from the 70s and 80s thought they were devil worshippers or just plain gimps. it's pretty good for what it is. it's classified as hard rock but i can see why even the youngest kids like the band... it's hard rock that's pretty easy to listen to. besides the standard and pretty melody-focused rock lines, there's a bit of an orchestral influence as well. rock music made for singing in cars a-la again it's just... these guy were the big "shock rock" guys but their music is absurdly tame. even back then, compare it with the pool other stuff and it's tame. even with this in mind, it's still a generally good classic rock album. turn it on if you wanna make your papa or grandpappy proud.
This was probably the album where it all came together for KISS, where the image and the music gelled, where they sounded like you might expect from the pictures. I was probably pre-disposed to liking KISS. I was a Marvel kid, mainly UK reprints as US comics weren't easy to find in Northern Ireland, but I had Howard the Duck #12, where the band appears as supernatural beings in the final panel, drawn by Gene Colan, and I had seen an ad for the Marvel KISS special in an Iron Man comic. Alive II was the first album I was drawn to, gazing at the cover, Gene Simmons' spitting garish bright red blood was haunting, and jumped at the chance to buy my cousin's copy. Then I worked my way back... Alive was famously the album that 'saved' KISS, the first three albums having sold poorly, even as they built a live following. Destroyer was the next studio album and it sounds bigger, dramatic and cinematic, compared to the fairly basic, though still enjoyable, rock/pop of the previous studio releases. The sound is down to Bob Ezrin, then Alice Cooper's producer, who bullied KISS into delivering a record that matched the cover image. He added sound effects and atmospherics, the car radio introduction to "Detroit Rock City" setting the scene and the tone. "God of Thunder", ironically written by Paul Stanley, sums up Simmons' Demon character perfectly. There are strings on a couple of songs, the orchestrations making them sound huge. And the band's biggest hit, "Beth", a ballad sung by Peter Criss. The cover painting, by Ken Kelly, depicts the band as conquering superheroes or vengeful gods and is still the best visual representation of KISS. And Destroyer is still the best album in KISS 's discography.
Takes a lot of balls to call an album this soft "Destroyer." I got a ton of jokes but this basically just sucks: basic if sometimes catchy guitar riffs, shitty singing, shitty lyrics, shitty production. Went in one ear and out the other. I listened to it AGAIN to see if I was missing something and I forgot what Detroit Rock City even sounded like when it came on the second time. Fuckin' wild to have this cotton candy stuff after Nine Inch Nails since it makes this feel even more cloying and saccharine and flat than I would've thought.
It's simple, hooky, party rock. If you're a teenager growing up while this was new and popular, it would be a lot of fun to sing along to in your car, especially with friends. Perfect fodder for a foundational experience. I bet it makes for a fun concert, too. If you didn't grow up with it like that... it's very meh.
If I’m at a dinner date with the band/album - I’m getting up, faking a bathroom trip and exiting out the back door. They trying to be arena rock, Bruce Springsteen, gwar, ballad rock…idk and not do they, but whatever it is, they aren’t good at it.
About what I’d expect from a band more known for their face paint than anything Detroit Rock City definitely doesn’t need that long to get into
A mediocre novelty act with no place on any list like this. Their musicianship is sophomoric, at best, which limits them to rudimentary songs. But very UNLIKE the Stooges and Ramones - contemporaries also engaging in overdriven, rudimentary songs - Kiss’ music is devoid of urgency, authenticity, passion, or originality. The product FEELS contrived and pretentious - almost cynical.
Pretty dull tbh
KISS isn’t for me. Feels fake and soulless.
Well, you know honestly, I don’t think I have ever listened to a Kiss album… So no idea this was such… parody. It’s actually fun! God, another example where the appearance of the band does them no service. I mean I guess they’re recognizable… I am torn. I actually really enjoyed this. It’s almost a 4? But.. yeah I think it’s at 3.5 and I am rounding up because I’ve been subjected to an ungodly amount of meaninglessness Brit pop from the 80’s AND Neil Young. 4- for helping me rock again Boolean: yes
Good mindless fun. Shout out to my KISS-loving gf
Detroit Rock City is solid, Shout It Out Loud is fine, and I have a weird fondness for Beth. The rest is terrible. I thought God of Thunder was going to be a weird outlier on an otherwise decent album but man it just doesn't get any better from there. Bad lyrics, annoying hooks, repetitive song structures, mediocre writing and execution across the board. I wanted to like this.
nobody needs to hear a KISS album before they die. You are not missing out on anything vital or irreplaceable. If you want scumbag rock you’re better served by the much, much more charming AC/DC. For arena rock you should be listening to The Scorpions, a band that deserves a place on this list way more than KISS. If the makeup does it for you go listen to GWAR. Hell, you’d be better served by unironically listening to the Spinal Tap discography. Nobody needs to listen to KISS! Even if we somehow ignore how the world would be a better place if Gene Simmons fell down a well there is absolutely nothing this band does that a dozen other bands don’t do better. Even their specific combination of those things is done better by much worse bands. This is the “good” KISS album and man the non-singles are dire. And what makes me angriest of all is I still might end up giving this a three because I’m weak to this kind of guitar rock and the singles are very competent hits. Probably a two though because the gulf between the singles and the album cuts is wiiiiiiiiide For real though why are we wasting our time on this instead of one of the solo Ozzy albums? We could have had Diary of a Madman in this spot
This album is nice, very easy-listening (maybe too much for my liking). The songs are not outstanding, although, just some tracks that have interesting ideas, maybe not that much developed, but that make them something else than an average glam metal song, which, to be fair, is not a genre that attracts me much – but let's be openminded. So, well, it's been an enjoyable record, a funny one, not much interesting for me to really like it, but I have to admit that it's nice.
Album #162 Kiss: Destroyer KISS are undoubtedly one of the most recognizable and iconic bands of all-time, yet I feel like that is a title that they hold without anyone really still listening to their music. But that’s really their whole deal, isn’t it, style over substance. To those who grew up during their prime, they were a rebellious and forward-thinking band, and one many older folk hold in high regard. Yet amongst the youth, the prevailing sentiment is that they were a bunch of hacks who were good at marketing and played safe pop rock. I won’t lie, I expected my opinion to lie somewhere in the middle, since I do enjoy KISS somewhat from what I’ve heard; and by that I mean I like ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’ and don’t really know any other songs. Well, after listening to Destroyer, it really does seem like the Boomers were blinded by the lustre of the split tongue and cat face paint, because this thing stinks. After the first song, ‘Detroit Rock City,’ I was feeling optimistic, a song that I recognized, and, although nothing special, a fun pop-rock banger, which is all I really expected from KISS. However, pretty much every song after that was a complete snoozefest, of unimaginative and unengaging music. It really is just the most inoffensive ‘hard’ rock one can make, presumably the band just treating the music like a product, and their image as a business. Oh well, I understand its conclusion, and at least I can join in on the KISS hate now with a leg to stand on. Best Tracks: Detroit Rock City, Beth, King Of The Night Time World Worst Track: Great Expectations Score out of 10: 4.5
I didn't do much for me. I tapped my foot a few times and chanted along once or twice. Maybe a different Kiss album would be better.
Good old rock, best song is Beth 4
Dad/poser rock. It's all very safe. Only thing I like about KISS is their costuming and make-up, definitely makes them stand out. There's a couple good riffs on this album but the lyrics and vocals themselves are boring. I think the only KISS song I actually like is I Was Made For Lovin' You but that isn't on this album unfortunetly. Good thing this record is only about 30 mins long so I wasn't forced to listen to them for too long. 1/5
I’ve tried many times with Kiss, but can never find my way there. It’s a me problem.
Honestly expected more chaos from a KISS album. Detroit Rock City is good but everything after that just kind of misses the mark for me. Still liked the general sound though so I’ll give it a 3
Kiss is so fun, I'm never upset when their music gets put on.
I did not like this. I did not hate this. This would have been enjoyable if I was born with minimal hearing. Beth was alright though.
I never listened to KISS back in the day. Maybe it was on the radio but I don’t remember it. This was better than I expected. Just basic music to rock out to, with a little bit of out-of-place pretension.
People who don’t like KISS are people you shouldn’t trust.
Meh, it's allright 3/5
Agréablement surprise, beaucoup moins rock qu'attendu
WEIRDLY GOOD I WANNA ROCK AND ROLL ALL DAY
Detroit Rock City’s shoulders must be tired from holding the rest of this album up. How did one of the best rock songs of all time end up front-lining an album of middling, juvenile tosh?
Appreciate it, but not my thing
Two decent songs. The rest were bad. Beth was a big song in junior high
Yeah not great. Maybe one good song
Hair metal is lowkey really funny
I grew up being a massive Kiss fan. I know all the albums, I know all the songs, I’ve seen the tv movie, I’ve bought into the Kiss Kult more than I’d like to admit. But the sad reality is, much like Micheal Jackson, I don’t separate the art from the artist, and quite frankly, I have grown to truly HATE the band members of KISS. This has been a life long struggle supporting this fucking band only for them to individually all be some of the most deplorable and disgusting people alive. I could go into detail on each original member and why I hate them, but I do want to spend my time talking more about this album. Because as a Kiss fan this is the undisputed goat when it comes to KISS’s peak. It contains some of their biggest songs ever like “Beth”, “shout it out loud”, “Detroit rock city” , and even “god of thunder”. It’s just big dumb stadium rock energy, and frankly it’s probably one of their absolute best albums. But the reality is their music is wildly formulaic, and all the musical talent really comes from Ace. All the magic that KISS has comes from him. (Which is also why they had a breath of new life in the 80s when they get new guitar players for every 3rd album. But at the end of the day, this band is so unlikeable as people, they couldn’t even get along with each other, they are greedy, they are self absorbed narcissists, and most importantly they are self proclaimed pedos. Which I could separate my childhood from these fucking clowns….
Decent rock album
It's rockin', I'll give 'em that. Solid 4 Stars.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. To be frank, I barely know KISS at all. Outside of the face paint, Gene Simmons’ ability to keep the band in relevancy well into the 2000s/2010s, and one monster hit in “Rock & Roll All Nite”, I just don’t know them like that as musicians. I always assumed that they’d be a little harder than they presented themselves on this album, especially with Gene Simmons being “the Demon” and all that. As it stands, I’m satisfied. While I would’ve preferred a slightly harder sound, this is a good, if totally safe album that never really hits a bad point. The songwriting is a bit one-note, the instrumentals aren’t quite as loud / energetic as one might expect, & the pace of each track does stall around the outros at times, but those are all things that don’t bother me as much as it sounds like they do. It’s just a consistently solid album, and when it hits some strong plateaus (for me, Detroit Rock City, Great Expectations & Beth), it helps the album hover above average. I do have some things that bit at me a little more than others, and it just comes in the songwriting. I know I already called it one-note, but that one-note vibe works on some tracks that are straightforward enough to warrant it. The thing that frustrates me more is when they come up with a good concept for a track & then simply don’t build on it. “God of Thunder”, for example, sets up a great atmosphere & character but settles for relying on intimidation via words rather than world-building action. It’s probably not in KISS’s forte, but when you hear a band like Black Sabbath do it to an incredible degree, it just feels lacking by comparison. The same applies to “Flaming Youth” – sure, they’ll set the world on fire, but how? They don’t expand on it at all, and it just comes across as platitudinal & cheesy. It lacks a potency that sort of spreads across the whole album; it just feels like KISS settles a lot more than they should here. Of course, perhaps the albums were just a sampler for the real attraction of their touring shows, but from the perspective of someone who didn’t have a real reverence for these guys, it just doesn’t quite hit the way they intended. All of that said, I enjoyed 7 out of the 9 real tracks here, with “Flaming Youth” & “Sweet Pain” being the only ones that never really elevated musically for me. That’s about 78% of the album clicking well, and I would say that warrants a 3.5 bumped up to a 4. I do think it hovers way closer to that 3.5, but it never hits enough of a sour point to really go down to a 3 for my tastes. I do disagree with the 2.85 here, if only because this album’s best tracks do hold up for the time. I think it’s a good, safe album that does nothing wrong, even if I’d prefer it to shoot for a little more ambition. Hence, a 3.5 bumped up to a 4.
No thanks
Disappointing
detroit rock city riff: kicks ass rest of the album: sucks ass
I need less of this in my life. But at least this album DID give us this wonderful piece of art showcasing Beth calling Peter - he explains why he can't come home right now https://youtu.be/_Q_VZ6PX7gc?si=c7GGDa4vhVEtzpmE
This was probably the album where it all came together for KISS, where the image and the music gelled, where they sounded like you might expect from the pictures. I was probably pre-disposed to liking KISS. I was a Marvel kid, mainly UK reprints as US comics weren't easy to find in Northern Ireland, but I had Howard the Duck #12, where the band appears as supernatural beings in the final panel, drawn by Gene Colan, and I had seen an ad for the Marvel KISS special in an Iron Man comic. Alive II was the first album I was drawn to, gazing at the cover, Gene Simmons' spitting garish bright red blood was haunting, and jumped at the chance to buy my cousin's copy. Then I worked my way back... Alive was famously the album that 'saved' KISS, the first three albums having sold poorly, even as they built a live following. Destroyer was the next studio album and it sounds bigger, dramatic and cinematic, compared to the fairly basic, though still enjoyable, rock/pop of the previous studio releases. The sound is down to Bob Ezrin, then Alice Cooper's producer, who bullied KISS into delivering a record that matched the cover image. He added sound effects and atmospherics, the car radio introduction to "Detroit Rock City" setting the scene and the tone. "God of Thunder", ironically written by Paul Stanley, sums up Simmons' Demon character perfectly. There are strings on a couple of songs, the orchestrations making them sound huge. And the band's biggest hit, "Beth", a ballad sung by Peter Criss. The cover painting, by Ken Kelly, depicts the band as conquering superheroes or vengeful gods and is still the best visual representation of KISS. And Destroyer is still the best album in KISS 's discography.
Fine for OWM music.
KISS sucks
Better than anticipated to be honest. I’ve only been familiar with the massive single; I can’t say these tracks have a ton of substance but they certainly have more depth than I would have thought.
This didn't age well
Kiss are a set of dickheads. But they do have some great tunes. This album has some of their best. However, they're another band with fantastic singles and lots of filler. Luckily this has more of the former than the latter.
Two stars, only for Detroit Rock City. Afterwards it gets progressively worse. I do not like KISS overall.
my ass
Thank God it's short.
Rock light para monjas y nenes suaves. No me gustó para nada.
Wasn't massively enamoured.
Nothing here is bad per se but it sure as hell is one of the most boring things to ever touch my ears, first song is good and the rest is the most forgettable thing ever
This is like Queen if Queen had zero talent, wore worse outfits, and wrote super stupid songs. And Queen is not my taste. I didn't think I'd hate it, but then there was a whole album of it that I listened through. Belongs on the list only as a warning to us all.
Possibly the great masters of the theatrics of rock & roll. They're a pretty stock 70's arena rock band, by a lot of measures. Highly competent, certainly, but you might expect something extreme from the costumes. Kiss are kind of the rock equivalent of professional wrestling: very competent at the thing they're advertising (music/athletics) but secretly even better at the other thing they're doing (theatre, in both cases). Especially if you missed out on their branding blitz over the first twenty or thirty years of career (they had everything from action figures to comic books to capitalize on their image), it's easy to just take them as a 70s rock band in costume. Back in the 90s, I would've told you they were the most committed sellouts in the history of music (citation needed, probably). In the end, Kiss is pretty good. 'Detroit Rock City' and 'Shout It Out Loud' are great tunes, though little more than surface deep. This is a record that seems like it needs added context to explain its necessity. Kiss didn't stand only on the strength of their musicianship and songwriting and I think that also shows up as a listener, fifty years after Destroyer's release. I know why Kiss is here but I don't know if a twenty-something will get it without watching a documentary. They sound a bit like a mashup of Queen, The Who and Alice Cooper. They can fight with Cooper but I don't think they can remotely challenge either of the others. On the other hand, the music comes across as more sincere than a lot of what's been in Dimery's great List. The schlock they employed to sell it kind of undermines that but there are songs here. Anyway, if you don't already know who Kiss were, give this a listen. And then watch a live performance from as far back as you can find. Skip their interviews, though -- Gene Simmons is a self-absorbed dingdong. 3.4/5. I refuse to round up to 4. Fifth Dimension by The Byrds was almost this good.
The impact was huge at the time so I'm surprised I got no KISS albums until the last albums. It's easy listen Rock, simple but effective.
Helt kurant dette, kjekt med et kort album og
Wahhh really so stupid, but I don’t hate them.
Kind of passed me by average, boring rock.
4.5 Stars Play it loud: Pain so sweet its sour.
I have a few bands that I’d put on my personal Mount Rushmore of the greatest bands of all time. Now, this is my Mount Rushmore, not THE Mount Rushmore, meaning nostalgia plays a huge part in the construction. One of those bands would have to be KISS. Today’s album is Destroyer by KISS, and it’s an album I am very familiar with. It’s looked at by some as the greatest KISS album they ever recorded. I imagine most hardcore KISS fans might disagree with that. I would, I’d say Love Gun is my personal favorite. But I digress. Looking at this album's tracks right now, I am kind of “meh” on six of the tracks. As a kid, I’d essentially skip these songs. However, I do think that of the classic lineup, this is probably their most accessible, or pop-sounding, of all the KISS records. At least without being too pop like Unmasked. Track 1 is Detroit Rock City, and while I’m not a huge fan of the album as a whole, this is a top 10, if not top 5, all-time KISS song. It’s got great riffs and tells a tragic story. Drinking and driving isn’t cool, people. The song opens with the sound of a rock star getting into his car. He’s drunk. As he’s getting into his car, there is a prophetic news report talking about a rock star who was killed in a car crash. This is a great live song, but I miss the little details you get on the album. That riff kicks in, and it’s party time. Everyone is hitting at their top lick. Peter Criss is keeping a tight groove, and Gene Simmons is showing off his prowess on the bass. And lead guitarist Ace Frehley (I love you, Ace!) is just rocking out. I love this song so much that it alone almost makes up for the other lamer songs on the album. “12 o'clock, I gotta, gotta rock There's a truck ahead, lights starin' at my eyes Oh, my God, no time to turn I got to laugh, I know I'm gonna die Why?” Just one of the best-written KISS songs ever. Track 2 is King of the Night Time World, and I never really got into this song. I have no idea why. I have heard it enough that I could hum it or sing it with no lyrics, but something is missing for me. “I’m the king of the night time world And you're my headlight queen.” I just don’t get it, I guess. Ace is playing great as always. The song is barely three minutes long. It isn’t horrible, but it never connected with me. Track 3 is God of Thunder, and it’s another song that didn’t connect with me. Now, live in concert, it’s a highlight of every show. Simmons spits blood and turns into the real God of Thunder. In person, this is one of my favorite songs. It could be as simple as for a young country boy raised up in the church, this song always felt evil to me. There’s talk of gods, demons, robbing someone of their virgin soul. In the 80s, that was enough to get some “weird” boys locked up for satanic murders that never occurred. Plus, as my brother pointed out, when they play this live, the tempo is sped up. On the album, it's played really slowly. There is also what sounds like little kids yelling throughout the song, which always creeped me out. Holy crap. I think this might be the first time I’ve listened to this song with earbuds, and I’m hearing either a piano or some sort of chimes playing in the background on the last verse. Whoa. That was unexpected. According to our good friends, Wikipedia, it seems producer Bob Exrin played keyboards and sound effects on this song. I don’t think I ever heard the keyboards until just now. Ezrin was a genius. Not only did he produce this album, but he also produced a ton of great, all-time albums, from KISS and Alice Cooper up to the Deftones and Thirty Seconds To Mars. Track 4 is Great Expectations, another song that just didn’t connect with me. It’s more of a ballad, I'd say? I don’t know how to explain it. It sounds like it could have been a Meatloaf or a Moot the Hoople song. But the lyrics are about a girl in the crowd watching Simmons play bass and her wanting him to play her like a bass, essentially. It’s dumb, really. I think maybe that’s why it never connected. “You watch me singing this song You see what my mouth can do And you wish you were the one I was doing it to And you watch me playin' guitar And you feel what my fingers can do And you wish you were the one I was doing it to Well, listen You've got great expectations You've got great expectations” It’s lyrics like those that make it hard to be a KISS fan sometimes. KISS was about as subtle as a sledgehammer lyrically, but they had Ace (I love you, Ace!) to bail them out quite a bit. The song has an orchestra, piano, and a choir singing. It's a little classier than the usual KISS song. I will say, this song has to be heard to be believed. Even as a kid, I thought it was dumb. Maybe it was supposed to be a joke, and I took it seriously. The problem is that Simon had written so many bad or lame lyrics that these lyrics were in keeping with his more serious stuff. He was the God of Thunder, you know. Track 5 is Flaming Youth, another song that I just didn’t connect with. It isn’t a KISS song, really. It’s also sung from the point of view of a high school kid. It’s hard to be a 30-year-old man singing about high school stuff. Alice Cooper can barely get away with it. This was the second single off the album. The song is very anthemic about the youth using their energy and rebelliousness to set the world on fire. Kids are our future! And look what those teenagers in 1976 have done for our future, which is today. Um, uh, yeah....Moving on… Track 6 is Sweet Pain and to be honest, I have no memory of this song. It starts out as lame, as the last two songs. It’s another with Simmons on lead vocals, meaning he more than likely wrote the lyrics. Maybe one reason I didn’t like it as a kid was that I had no comprehension of S & M, as this is the song’s subject. “My leathers fit tight around me My whip is always beside me You want the same thing every day I'll teach you love a different way You'll learn to love me and my sweet pain” I don’t exactly see Simmons being someone who is into this stuff either. It’s not good, and it seems like Simmons may be trying to use this song to recruit a different kind of groupie. Track 7 is Shout It Out Loud and thank the good Lord above, we have a great song. This song is uptempo and has a good message, everybody’s got to rock and roll. This was the first single off the album, and it charted at 31 on the Billboard 100. It also became a live show feature for the rest of KISS’s touring career. The song is also just under three minutes, which is perfect for a concert opener. This is one of the songs that saves this album. Track 8 is Beth, and this is probably one of the most controversial KISS songs ever. It’s just drummer Peter Criss singing with a piano and orchestra. It’s a pure pop ballad that I’m not sure everyone in the band wanted to record or play live every night, but it became their biggest hit. The song hit number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is about a rocker having to play with the band rather than be home with his woman, making sweet, sweet love down by the fire. The song is undeniable. It’s beautiful, and Criss’s voice was perfect for it. I can imagine how people were blown away when this came out and found out it was KISS. Track 9 is Do You Love Me, another song that I really don’t connect with, but I do like it, kind of. It’s just a fun, throwaway kind of pop-rock song. I think what really kills the song is the rather basic lyrics. “You really like my limousine You like the way the wheels roll You like my seven inch leather heels And goin' to all of the shows, but Do you love me, do you love me really love me” “You like the way the wheels roll?” Is he talking to a toddler? Ugh. KISS was never a band that wrote great lyrics, though Ace has some all-time riffs (I love you, Ace!), as does Paul Stanley. They were a band that had a great look, an incredible live show, and they were good enough at writing and playing music. Obviously, they did something right. They just print money. Track 10 is Rock ‘N’ Roll Party and I have no memory of this song. Apparently, it’s a hidden track on the vinyl release after Do You Love Me and it’s just kind of an amalgamation of the songs on the album in a live performance or something. It doesn’t count as a song. And that’s Destroyer. It’s amazing how there are some terrible songs on this album, but based on the strength of like three or four songs, this album is looked at as a classic. non-KISS I can see how a casual fan or a non KISS fan can maybe see this album as their best, but it isn’t. Again, I would argue Love Gun is their best album. My brother Dustin may argue that Rock and Roll Over is their best album. Oooh, yeah, Rock and Roll Over has Mr. Speed on it, and I think that’s a criminally underrated song with one of the best riffs Stanley ever came up with. This album is fine if you want to dip your toe into the fire. But, Rock and Roll Over and Love Gun are KISS at their peak. Their first three albums are also great, but the production is horrible and killed the vibe. Is Destroyer a must-listen album? For me, no, but if you’re a casual KISS fan or non-fan, you can definitely start here. But, don’t end here, as they were really good before and after this album.
Meh
I really enjoy glam rock albums that are less cheesy than I expected. This was as cheesy as I expected. Credit to them for keeping it stompy and under 35 mins though.
Feels a little dated at times, but I still enjoyed for the most part. Rating: 6/10 Favorite Song: Detroit Rock City
One of the worst rock band of all time ? Maybe, but its for sure one of the most awfull album ive ever heard. 1 really ass hit + 8 uninteresting, recicled fillers with dogshit lyrics. "Beth" is one the worst ballade ever. The singing is so shit. Fuck this band and fuck Gene Simmons too.
It was fine, not amazing but at least a little interesting.
This album is much better than it has any right to be. It's fun, it has a couple of real rockers (Detroit Rock City is such a good time), and it doesn't overstay its welcome. Just a really solid album from a band that you can't take seriously. I gave Aerosmith's Pump a very generous 3 and I'm giving this a very stingy 3.
Well, if I had never heard the whole album I would have missed that lyrically beautiful ballad "Great Expectations". I had to do some digging to see if this was satire. I don't think it was. Know who's more over-rated than Metallica? This band.
I was never a fan, and still think the face paint is stupid. But I got to see them live once in a Monsters of Rock festival, and put up a really engaging show with a lot of positive energy. And that energy is very much present in this album, that does not pretend to be deep, just fun. 9/10
Clásico de rock inigualable
Fav song: Beth
Okay lo tengo que admitir, Kiss no es una banda normie, y me lo demostraron con Detroit Rock City, que pedazo de tema. Es un álbum muy consistente en lo musical, teniendo buenos y rápidos ritmos de rock y metiendo unas baladas en el medio, me cambio la imagen que tenía sobre la banda.
now I understand the popularity
Some good songs but I find them relatively cheesy.
Groupe connu par le tube 'I Was Made for Lovin' You' qui passait souvent à la radio à l'époque de sa sortie. Il me semble avoir tenté ensuite de m'intéresser aux 'Alive' plus anciens, sans avoir vraiment accroché. Puis le groupe est complètement sorti de mes radars. C'est pareil pour cet album. Les deux premiers morceaux sont plutôt sympa (riffs essentiellement), puis après j'ai décroché. Les morceaux suivant ne sont pas assez dynamiques à mon gout. Ce rock très mou ne m'a pas marqué, je me suis ennuyé assez vite. Le pompon est pour 'Beth' et son orchestration pseudo-classique qui m'a fait baisser la note et m'a coupé toute envie d'écouter l'album une seconde fois. =>2/5
The review before I listened to the album: "Finally, a spectacle band that actually rocked." (5) After listening: "I remember this being great. What happened?" (1) Maybe it's me, not them... I'll stick with a 3.
all sounds kinda the same to me
Kind of a banger. Although I'm taking away a half a point because the band members are insufferable picks. 3.5/5
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mad underwhelming. they have no song where they need to be doing allat. ts so tame and boring considering the aesthetics.
obviously i fw detroit rock city being from the detroit area but the rest is not for me, much love though.
I've never been a fan of Knights In Satan's Service ;) but I knew most of these songs. It doesn't make them any better. This is probably their best album - But it's still KISS.
Detroit Rock City is a jam. Everything else was pretty average as far as classic rock goes but that still makes it above average among all the music on this list.
this is not good. It's also funny how soft and plain it is vs what their reputation says and what their image portrays. it's not annoying but I don't need KISS in my music library.
The thing I love about these high school girls, I get older, and they always stay the same age.
This was a time capsule for sure. This whole idea and sound was so against the grain at the time. It has several tracks here that have stood the test of time, most notably probably the opener and “Beth”. I had a much better appreciation for them after seeing them live with full make up, although not with the original line-up. Not a play through for me but it is strong in its moments and for its impact and cultural significance. 3.5/5
I always had somewhat of a tepid reaction to KISS’ studio albums. Mainly because my go-to was the Alive II powerhouse of 1977. Still, listening to this one so many years later still brings me back to being a kid. And with 5 of the 10 tracks being further rocked into banger status on Alive II, it’s hard to not rate up on this. There’s not a lot to try and decipher here. KISS liked doing three things: lovin’, screwin’ and partyin’ all while being the gods of thunder they were. While this sounds pretty tame now, people need to remember that at the time this was considered the devil’s music. I will always shout it out loud for their early music as I report for duty in the KISS army.
Just a band I never got, and never really spent time giving their catalog a try. This one didn’t prove me wrong.
Man, just don’t think I’m much of a KISS fan outside of the hits. Don’t know why it doesn’t hit for me. A couple good songs but a lot felt meh. 2.75
Surprised by the low ratings on this one... What's not to love about four totally straight dudes playing dress up in 8 inch heels and rocking fairly generically?? Please excuse my cheekiness... I'm actually rounding up cuz Detroit Rock City slaps when turned up to 11. 3.5/5
It's okay. I don't love it. Not sure I would listen on the radio (except Beth)
Awesome album
When to listen: want cheery, childish rock? Honestly this album underwhelmed me, I felt like it didn't know what it wanted to be.
Overall good album
Medio repetitivo todo, rompió con Beth. Las canciones que ya tenía solo son las que me gustaron, el resto meh.
This must have been a challenging gig for Bob Ezrin. Firstly, these songs sound like they were written by a junior high band. When Stanley sings first I drink, then I smoke, he comes across as a 14 year old who’s done neither. Then there’s the musicianship. They hit the notes but it sounds off, like it’s their first year playing. The lick in the middle of Detroit Rock City is great, but it sounds like Ace just learned it and can only just play it. If this album were marketed alongside Saturday morning cartoons it would make sense. The fact that it still endures is puzzling.
I honestly wasn't expecting to see KISS on this list. At least this one has what's probably their best song, Detroit Rock City. But man, Gene Simmons is trash at vocals. Even Peter Criss outshines him on this album and his song is only alright.
Few beloved classics songs.
Rating: 3.8/5 Short Review: Big, theatrical, unapologetically over-the-top. Half genius, half chaos, somehow both working and not working at the same time. Feels like a band trying to be larger than life… and occasionally pulling it off. Favorite Track: “Detroit Rock City.” That intro alone feels like a movie. Pure energy, no subtlety, and it absolutely commits.
meh
Always find KISS bland and uninspiring. Highlight of the album was the surprisingly tender Beth which stood out from the rest of the dull glam rock 4/10
Feels theatrical in a way that doesn’t really translate into substance. Big gestures, not much underneath.
I always thought KISS was some big bad heavy rock band, turns out they are Van Halen with Makeup
Like a eunuch Slade without the songs.
An unholy bastard child of hard rock and glam, KISS are a self-parody. The first two tracks and Shout It Out Loud have better-than average riffs and performance, but it's not really enough to sustain a whole record full of silly pseudo-tough posturing and make-up-wearing posers. Alice Cooper did it first and did it way better. These idiots somehow simultaneously took it way too seriously and also half-assed everything just to cash in on an image calculated to create a whole cottage industry of dumb. Bob Ezrin's contribution here was to add in a heaping helping of inexplicable Meat Loaf theatrical epicness that just makes it a hot mess. Broadway musical music for drooling 70s metal kids. Perfect for lampooning in a mockumentary like Spinal Tap. Plodding drums anchor average rock riffs and by-the-numbers sneering vocals and lyrics.
I always suspected that their cultural impact had more to do with the outfits and characters than the music, this proved I was right. There's a couple of fun songs but nothing I can see myself wanting to listen to again
Pish then, still pish now.
Having not listened to a full KISS album before, I didn't know what to expect—but this wasn't it. I suppose I'm glad to have listened to it and to now be more enlightened, but I won't be returning to this.
For an album named "Destroyer" it sure didn't rock as much as I wanted it to. It was fine. 3.3
Did not listen I-o it
Yup
I mean we all already know what this is
Fine dad rock. couple good trackz
Not completely unlistenable if you like 70s hair metal. But this isn’t for me. The music all kind of blends together.
Has anybody ever done hair ballads worse than Kiss? The third star is for the bassline on Detroit Rock City, which is an absolute all-timer.
I was always pretty meh on Kiss, this didn’t change that.
This album is cited by so many great rock musicians as their gateway album to rock and metal. However it might be a case of time and place as I didn’t grow up with this and listening to it now I don’t fully understand the appeal. There’s a sort of showtune bombast to this album that kind of reminds me of what a lot of rock bands were kind of going for in the mid-‘70s but I don’t think that this album has stood the test of time very well though. I do like some KISS songs here and there but I’m not sure that they’ve ever recorded a full studio album that is some sort of masterpiece. So to me what we have here is just a plain old good rock album and perhaps a few more listens in the right mood and atmosphere might make me rate this as better than average.
No strong opinion whatsoever but I'll bump up the rating because of the costumes and make-up
I have heard of KISS I had not listened to Destroyer I have heard some of the songs Mixed emotions on this. It has moments where it clicks and it's great Rock. But it's off set with some pretty average schlop. Maybe more about the look and perception than the quality of musicianship. Probably got many kids into rock though, and like it or not KISS are iconic. It belongs on the list.
I like it more than I thought and care to admit
It’s not my genre. Recognized a song or two. Not awful. Not great.
Shaking my head. Not good.
I had high hopes for kiss, as they were in scooby doo, but unfortunately it was just alright
Not bad, but not really my genre
It was probably a fun time, but it did not live up to its legendary status. 3.4.
Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
I love KISS. They're a bit of a punching bag (not without reason) and they definitely have a lot of albums I couldn't care less about, but when they're good they're GOOD. 70's KISS in particuar were beasts, and I don't think they put out a bad album in that decade (the 80's onwards is a different story). I'm shocked none of their other albums made the list, with Alive being a really glaring omission in my opinion. • I've heard Detroit Rock City a bit more in my life than perhaps I needed to, so I'm a little over it. However, every time the solo starts, I remember why it's so beloved. This solo is one of the greatest moments across KISS's entire discography, and the harmonies are fantastic. I don't usually listen to the album version of this song (Smashes, Thrashes and Hits is my go-to, though I also like Double Platinum's), so I haven't heard the intro in a while (with Gene Simmons as our radio host), and I forgot about how loud the ending was with the car accident (and that it flowed so smoothly into the next song) • I really like King of the Night Time World, it's classic KISS through and through. • I adored God of Thunder when I was kid, and I do still think it's a good song. It's one of the most Gene Simmons-y songs for me, so it's really funny that it was written entirely (and almost sung by) Paul. His demo is a fun listen, but this song, slowed down and with Gene singing, is exactly what it should be. • Great Expectations is the first song I'm not as familiar with. It features the piano heavily, and Gene's vocals in the verse sound pretty different to his usual style. The lyrics, however, are exactly what I should expect from him, and the juxtaposition between them and the instrumental is a bit funny. A choir comes in for the last 90 seconds of the song. I really can't think of another KISS song that sounds anything like this (maybe something from The Elder?), it's very experimental for them and while I don't find that it's really landed for me it's interesting to hear them try something different • I do know Flaming Youth, though not as well as some of the others. It's a nice, classic rock song. The bridge also uses an odd meter, which is something KISS didn't do super often. The only other time that's really springing to mind is the intro riff in Nothing to Lose • Sweet Pain also doesn't really sound like a KISS song outside the vocals • Shout It Out Loud is another iconic song, one of my favourite KISS anthems. It's corny, I've heard it a million times, but I get into it every time I hear it. I really like the call and response coming into the last chorus, especially live. • I feel strangely about Beth. When I was younger, it was inoffensive. Then I got older, and started to not really like it. Now, though, I think it's a very nice song. I wouldn't often go out of my way to listen to it, but I also don't think I'd skip it. Peter Criss had an incredible voice, and his songs were usually highlights of an album for me (Hard Luck Woman is a top 5 KISS song), so I can't be too hard on Beth. • I adore Do You Love Me, and if it wasn't for Detroit Rock City would be an easy pick for my favourite from this album. The whole song's really good, but it gets to a whole new level with the bridge and outro, with the church bells and pianos culminating in such a grand feeling. Paul Stanley's speech at the end really gets me pumped too. • I never knew Rock and Roll Party existed. It's not a song, just ambient sound (that title easily could've been an actual KISS song though) and was a hidden track on the original release, so Do You Love Me still gets to be the final song of the album. Rock and Roll Party doesn't add anything to the album, but it's so short it doesn't take anything away either. So, as I said at the start, I love KISS, especially their 1970's work. However, Destroyer is actually probably my least favourite 70's KISS album, I find it to be the least consistent. In saying that, though, I did like the album more than I expected to on this listen. I didn't put anything new in my playlist, but the songs that I do like are so good. I'm happy to have gotten to listen to KISS once from this list, but I do wish they had gotten one or two entries more. Favourite song: Detroit Rock City
Good but not especially memorable.
In 1978 I was nine years old, and I bought this record from a local Pay ‘n’ Save. I didn’t even make it through side one before I asked my dad if we could return it. Which was an insane thing to ask, because it had been opened and played! Here’s the thing: Pay ‘n’ Save took it back. Because even the underpaid clerk understood what a monstrous pile of shit this album was, and KISS in general. I exchanged it for the Grease soundtrack, and I never looked back.
very good
About as generic and cliched as rock gets. Meh. Without the silly makeup, they would have been forgotten long ago.
This is the album that made me realise that apparently I like metal/hard rock better than punk/post-punk. A couple of ok tracks on the second side but this isn’t quite a full 3.
Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: ️🤩😸👹😈 Production (2012 Resurrected Remix): 😐👍🆗 Music: 🧼🤘😅 Rating: 💋(💋)/5
No
I can't give it a 3 after hearing Great Expectations. Yeesh.
Solo tiene 1 buena canción
Some tunes some absolute dross
Feels kind of slow and lazy for rock and roll. Does not have the Crisp sound of Black Sabbath
Schlock rock. Mercifully short.
Alright. Better than I expected
DRC is hard carrying the whole thing
This has some of Kiss's best songs while being an extremely mid album. Detroit Rock City, King of the Nighttime World, God of Thunder, and Shout it Out Loud all RULE and every other song is total cheeks.
This style of AOR is the most annoying thing in the world. Just annoying screeching vocals, and unlike AC/DC this isn't even saved by the music itself being good. Just all around glam slop, and it's refreshing to see that the public opinion on bands like this is shifting. I've never liked this kind of music and it's great to see that other people are starting to find it as annoying as I always have. We just need to leave this in the 70s and 80s and forget this era ever existed.
If I were 20 years older, it’s likely I would have listened to this on repeat - I’m not, so I will never listen to this again.
Somehow, despite all the bells and whistles (children's choirs! Sound effects!) it emerges as one of the least musically interesting albums on the list. Everything here had been done better, earlier, and we're left with some derivative, basically competent 70s guitar rock. Probably more fun to be in the band than to listen to them, though I'd prefer neither.
One of the 3 star reviews already said it best, but I didn’t dislike this album as much as I thought I would. Closet to a 3.25 for me. I can totally see why it was a hit at the time it was released. But something about it is very eh.
Some strong songs. It has aged better than some albums from that time period. It's in that 3.5 range to me.
no thanks ❤️