Coming on the heels of the group's breakthrough album Alive!, Destroyer is easily the most ambitious studio recording of KISS's '70s catalogue. Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper, was brought in to produce the album. Among the production flourishes Ezrin introduced to KISS were sound effects, strings, screaming children ("You're the Devil!" on God Of Thunder) as well as a children's choir.
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 one track, Sweet Pain, as Frehley didn't want to interupt a card game he was playing during recording sessions for the song.
The success of Alive! and Destroyer enabled the band to embark on their first tour of Europe.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 496 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Read Ken's behind the scenes story about the Kiss artwork in his book "ESCAPE"
