Released on this day in 1976, Destroyer is the fourth studio album by KISS. The third successive album to reach the top 40 in the US for the band, it also became the first Kiss album to achieve platinum status. Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper, was brought in to produce the album. Ezrin introduced to Kiss sound effects, strings, screaming children, reversed drums (on "God of Thunder") and a children's choir. The song "Great Expectations" uses the first phrase of the main theme from the second movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 (known as Sonata Pathétique), but songwriting is credited to Simmons and Ezrin. Destroyer is the first Kiss album to prominently feature outside musicians, such as members of the New York Philharmonic. One musician not credited was Dick Wagner, from Alice Cooper's band, replacing Ace Frehley on the track "Sweet Pain". Wagner also played the acoustic guitar found on the song "Beth". The album also features rock radio staples like "Detroit Rock City," "Do You Love Me," "Shout It Out Loud," and "Flaming Youth."
Since its release, the album has gone on to sell over 2 million copies worldwide. Above, you can hear Paul Stanley discussing the recording of the album, and below, hear it from Bob Ezrin's point of view.