KISS

Kiss' fifth LP was unleashed during the bicentennial anniversary, and for many rockers it invoked a new spirit of '76. From Peter Criss' smash hit ballad "Beth" to the dark rumbling "God of Thunder" and the ultimate party anthem "Shout It Out Loud," Kiss delivered a near-perfect (and highly influential) studio album.

There's no doubt that Destroyer is Kiss's best album yet or that Bob Ezrin, Alice Cooper's
heavyhanded wizard of heavy-metal production who helped write seven of the nine tunes
here, has made the difference. But despite Ezrin's superb production, Kiss still lacks that
flash of creative madness that could have made their music interesting, or at least
listenable. The lead-off song, "Detroit, Rock City," begins with 90 seconds of Coo... More >

Like most hard (not heavy) groups wildly favored by young teens (cf. Alice Cooper, BTO), these guys have always rocked better than adults were willing to enjoy, but pro producer Bob Ezrin adds only bombast and melodrama. Their least interesting record. (Grade - C+)