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The much-anticipated new KISS album, "Sonic Boom", will be released in Europe on October 5 via Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records.

Commented Loud & Proud president Tom Lipsky: "Great artists make great music and KISS has certainly accomplished that with 'Sonic Boom'." Wally van Middendorp, Senior VP International of Roadrunner Records, added, "We are excited to have the world's premier rock band join forces with the world's premier rock label. 'Sonic Boom' is a brilliant album that will surely be recognized as one of best musical works in the history of KISS."

Stated KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley: "Success comes from a winning team, and Roadrunner is the perfect partner for KISS in terms of understanding what this album is and also having a great track record of success."

"Sonic Boom" will be released on October 6 in the U.S. and Canada exclusively via Wal-Mart, Walmart.com and Sam's Club retail locations.

"Sonic Boom", produced by Paul Stanley in Los Angeles, is the centerpiece of a three-disc set that also features a completely re-recorded greatest hits CD (previously available in Japan) as well as a live DVD shot in Argentina during the band's recent, record-breaking KISS Alive 35 South American tour. The CD set will retail for $12, with pre-orders starting in September on Walmart.com.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons says, "'Sonic Boom' may be the best new record we've done since 'Destroyer'! It is 'Rock And Roll Over' meets 'Love Gun'. The world's biggest retailer had better get ready for the hottest band in the world and hire more cashiers before October 6!"

Stanley adds, "Through all of the albums that are considered our classics, we tried to always find ways to give our fans extras that went beyond just the music. Besides our making the best KISS album in decades, Wal-Mart has made it possible for us to include a bonus CD with 15 of our most famous songs and an additional live DVD, shot during our recent concert in Buenos Aires. So in every sense, 'Sonic Boom' is the ultimate return to classic KISS form. You wanted the best, you got the best!"

Wal-Mart, one of America's largest music retailers, is finalizing its exciting plans now for its in-store and online destinations for KISS fans surrounding the launch of the new album and tour, and will host various KISS products in addition to their music in its stores this fall. More details on Wal-Mart KISS activity, announcements regarding album pre-sales, sweepstakes and KISS appearances will be shared shortly.

"Sonic Boom" track listing:

01. Modern Day Delilah
02. Russian Roulette
03. Never Enough
04. Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect)
05. Stand
06. Hot And Cold
07. All For The Glory
08. Danger Us
09. I'm An Animal
10. When Lightning Strikes
11. Say Yeah

Re-recorded KISS classics:

01. Deuce
02. Detroit Rock City
03. Shout It Out Loud
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Calling Dr. Love
06. Love Gun
07. I Was Made For Lovin' You
08. Heaven's On Fire
09. Lick It Up
10. I Love It Loud
11. Forever
12. Christine Sixteen
13. Do You Love Me?
14. Black Diamond
15. Rock And Roll All Nite

KISS bonus live DVD track listing:

01. Deuce
02. Hotter Than Hell
03. C'mon And Love Me
04. Watchin' You
05. 100,000 Years
06. Rock & Roll All Nite

The "Sonic Boom" cover art was created by Michael Doret, who also designed the band's classic "Rock And Roll Over" album cover.

Regarding the artwork for the new KISS CD, Doret told Deucenews, "Paul came to me with the title of the album. We talked about the 'look' he wanted this cover to have. We talked about how the other cover I had done for them, 'Rock And Roll Over', really had become iconic and now represented KISS' music from that early period. He talked about how he'd like the new cover to be suggestive of that look, because they wanted the music in the new album to be more reflective of that time and, of their roots in hard rock. He also stipulated that I needed to use existing photography of the four members instead of creating graphic caricatures (which is what I did in 'Rock And Roll Over'). So that was my challenge: create another iconic cover that would also be reflective in some way of the previous cover.

"When I did 'Rock And Roll Over', I presented the group with one colored pencil drawing. With only a few minor comments, they approved it. After thinking about what I needed to do for this new cover, I spent a week or so creating sketches, then narrowed it down to one which I presented (very nervously) to Paul. Like the first time around, he immediately loved it. Then it was just a matter of refining the sketch, selecting the photos, working out a color palette, and presenting it all to Paul again."