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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nNo other hard rock band in the world today knows how to celebrate (and some might say \u201cexploit\u201d) their heritage quite like the New York Godfathers of shock rock, KISS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I suppose the flood of modern-day ephemera all started with the release of their epic KISSTORY book around the time that the initially shelved \u2018Carnival Of Souls\u2019 album saw mainstays Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley reach out to their old band mates Peter Criss and Ace Frehley to set up the reunion tour to end all reunion tours. During that record breaking worldwide adventure a bazillion and one merch ties ins hit the KISS Army from all angles with perhaps the series of truly excellent KISSOLOGY DVD box sets being the highlight of that era for yours truly. There have of course been many \u201cEnd Of The Road\u201d tours by the band since then, but as the rescheduled post-Covid shows made their way around the globe for one final time, up popped a series of (to date) four \u2018From The Soundboard\u2019 official bootlegs that have seen some career defining concerts from the band finally getting a general release. Even if the packaging on those releases leaves a lot to be desired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which is something you really cannot level at the Super Deluxe Edition box set the band released in 2021 to celebrate the 45th<\/sup> Anniversary of their \u2018Destroyer\u2019 album. Spread across multiple formats, it is the 73 track, 3CD and Blu-ray Audio version that really set the bar at an all new high for these kinds of releases. Packed full of exclusive posters, trading cards, plus a whole host of interesting nick-nacks all topped off by a fantastic 68-page book, what had most KISS fans reaching for their credit cards to acquire this bad boy, was the fact 48 of the 73 tracks were previously unreleased and \u2018Destroyer\u2019 itself had been newly remastered at Abbey Road Mastering Studios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Releases like this obviously command a hefty price tag, but when it came to the \u2018Destroyer\u2019 box, I honestly think it was worth every penny of the \u00a3120 I paid for it. Something you sadly can\u2019t always say these days when purchasing Deluxe Editions of albums (I\u2019m looking at you Seal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fast forward to the summer of 2022 then, and whispers started to circulate of KISS doing something similar for the 40th<\/sup> Anniversary of their tenth studio album \u2018Creatures Of The Night\u2019. Expanded to 5CDs and once again with Blu-ray Audio, when the price point of the Super Deluxe Edition initially broke via KISS Online however it was enough to make even the most die-hard of fans take a deep breathe. BUT, with 103 tracks in total and with 75 tracks being unreleased, plus all the usual fare KISS excel in producing, I finally settled on securing a copy for around \u00a3230, which was far, far less than that original jaw dropping price point. Of course, as always with KISS there are versions to fit every KISS Army member\u2019s budget, and along with the Super Deluxe Edition there are also a 3 LP Deluxe, 2 CD Deluxe, 1 LP 180gm Half-Speed Master, 1 CD Remaster, as well as a 5 CD Super Deluxe Edition digital download and streaming plus a 2 CD digital download only version, oh and let\u2019s not forget there\u2019s also a colour vinyl exclusive too. Phew!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what\u2019s all the fuss about? Well, \u2018Creatures Of The Night\u2019 really was the pivotal record that saw KISS once again reconnect with their core hard\/heavy rock fanbase following a series of forays into such musical genres as disco, powerpop and indeed progressive-tinged concept rock. I remember hearing a couple of tracks from the album being previewed on Tommy Vance\u2019s Friday Night Rock Show back in the day and even on my old beat-up ghetto blaster those tracks sounded HUGE, not least due to the pounding drums by the band\u2019s newly acquired sticksfox Eric Carr. It is a testament to that infamous Michael James Jackson production job that it is that monstrous drum sound that immediately greets me like some long-lost friend as I sit back and play the album in full for the first time in ages. And, whilst Ace Frehley would feature on the original album cover and in the video to the album\u2019s lead single \u2018I Love It Loud\u2019 it\u2019s worth remembering that \u2018Creatures\u2019 the album is very much the sound of one Vinnie Vincent, working alongside Simmons and Stanley with the (by then) usual array of guest players, ranging from blues guitarist Robben Ford to Mr. Mister guitarist Steve Farris, to produce the heaviest KISS record to that point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n