Rock Round-Up: Expansions by KISS, Pantera on the Horizon

It’s been great to say there’s been no shortage of news from the catalogue world to report on at Second Disc HQ. For hard rock fans, reports have been coming in that two famed records will be joining the ranks of other expanded and remastered editions in the coming months.

First up, one of the “open secret” titles of 2012, as reported last year: a deluxe edition of KISS’ classic 1976 effort Destroyer. The iconic rockers released Destroyer in the wake of the release of concert album Alive! a year before, which earned them their first taste of mainstream success. With all eyes on the costumed quartet, the band underwent a series of intense, ambitious sessions with producer Bob Ezrin and churned out some of the most exciting rock tunes of their career, including “Shout It Out Loud” and mood-setting album opener “Detroit Rock City.” But it was an unlikely ballad, “Beth,” sung by drummer Peter Criss, that jet-propelled the album after three middling chart singles. Altogether, Destroyer sold 2 million copies and remains one of the most beloved albums the band ever released.

Though there’s no concrete details for the content of the deluxe Destroyer (it’s expected to be presented over two discs like Universal’s other Deluxe Edition titles), it is slated for release on April 17, and will feature Ken Kelly’s original rejected artwork for the album. (Casablanca Records objected to what is now considered a tame depiction of the band standing triumphant over the flaming wreckage of a city, upon which Kelly submitted the version we all know and love today.) As always, keep it here for more info as it’s available.

But there’s more after the jump – a future reissue you might find “vulgar”…

It was a treat for modern metal fans when Pantera’s Cowboys from Hell, their 1990 major label debut, was greatly expanded by Rhino in 2010. According to an interview with Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul, a reissue of acclaimed follow-up A Vulgar Display of Power (1992) is due this year. Considered by many to be the band’s best work as well as one of the most influential records of the genre, extras will include the sole Pantera track remaining in the vaults.

The track, “Piss,” was one of the few Pantera tracks that never saw the light of day. Why aren’t there more? Paul explains: “We never had songs that didn’t make the record. If we were going to write 11 songs, then we’d write 11 quality songs. Some bands write 40 songs and then hope they have nine good ones in the bunch. That sucks. Why not concentrate on writing nine great ones and forget the 31 others?”

With the band splitting up in 2003 and Paul’s brother, “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, tragically shot killed onstage the following year, this forthcoming reissue looks to be a fitting tribute to a great band when it’s released later this year.

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Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette (Founder) was fascinated with catalog music ever since he was a teenager. A 2009 graduate of Seton Hall University with a B.A. in journalism, Mike paired his profession with his passion through The Second Disc, one of the first sites to focus on all reissue labels great and small. His passion for reissues turned into a career, having written at and worked for all three major catalogue music labels and contributing to Allmusic, Billboard, Discogs, City Pages and Ultimate Classic Rock. He's penned liner notes for Verve, Chess, Mondo and Soul Music Records.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Mike lives in Astoria, Queens with his wife, a cat named Ravioli, twin daughters and a large yet tasteful collection of music.