Kiss ‘Destroyer’ Deluxe Edition Delayed

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The release date for the deluxe two-CD edition of Kiss‘s 1976 blockbuster album ‘Destroyer’ has been delayed by a couple of months. The reissue, which will feature restored cover art that was considered too risque when the album was originally released, was going to come out on Feb. 28 but is now scheduled for April 17.

‘Destroyer’ solidified that mass-market success Kiss first attained with their unexpected 1975 smash hit live album ‘Alive!’ The record found the band refining their songwriting and production skills considerably with the help of producer Bob Ezrin.

When ‘Destroyer’ was first released some fans complained about the polished sound, and the record sold well but not at the high levels the band was hoping for. Surprisingly, it was the tender ballad ‘Beth,’ relegated to B-side status, that eventually became a smash hit through grass roots airplay, rekindling interest in the record.

Ultimately tracks such as ‘God of Thunder’ and ‘Shout it Out Loud’ also became acknowledged Kiss classics. In our currently running Readers’ Poll to determine the best song from ‘Destroyer,’ lead single and frequent concert starter ‘Detroit Rock City’ has a commanding lead, taking over half of the votes so far.

You can see the original, label-rejected ‘Destroyer’ cover art and find out more about the new version of this classic album here. There is no word on when the brand new studio album from Kiss, ‘Monster’ will be released although the band was reportedly two days from finishing it back in early January.