Destroyer is the first KISS album to prominently feature outside musicians, such as members of the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. Though one musician was not credited. Dick Wagner, from Alice Cooper's band, replaced Ace Frehley on tracks such as "Sweet Pain" (as Frehley didn't want to interrupt a card game he was playing during recording sessions for the song) and even on a song that Frehley himself co-wrote "Flaming Youth". Wagner also played the acoustic guitar found on the song "Beth".

The Band

PETER CRISS - Drums / Vocals
PAUL STANLEY - Guitar / Vocals
GENE SIMONS - Bass / Vocals
ACE FREHLEY - Guitar

Album Notes

• Producer: Bob Ezrin

• Recorded at The Record Plant, New York, New York.

• The unnamed track at the end of the album is usually referred to as "Rock and Roll Party."

Charts & RIAA Certifications

• BillBoard Album Chart Peak: #11

• "Shout It Out Loud" reaches #31 in the charts.

• "Beth" reaches #7 in the singles charts and eventually sells a million copies. It is certified GOLD on January 5, 1977, KISS' first Gold single and major hit.

• Destroyer makes # 22 in the UK album charts, the first KISS album to chart in the UK.

• "Flaming Youth" only reaches #74 in the singles charts.

• Certified Gold - 04/22/1976

• Certified Platinum (Triple Platinum) - 11/11/1976

Track Listing

1. Detroit Rock City (Stanley/ Ezrin)

2. King Of The Night Time World (Stanley/ Ezrin/ Fowley Anthony)

3. God Of Thunder (Stanley)

4. Great Expectations (Simmons/ Ezrin)

5. Flaming Youth (Stanley/ Frehley/ Simmons/ Ezrin)

6. Sweet Pain (Simmons)

7. Shout It Out Loud (Simmons/ Stanley/ Ezrin)

8. Beth (Criss/ Penridge/ Ezrin)

9. Do You Love Me (Stanley/ Fowley/ Ezrin)