Whether or not you consider Kiss to be a metal band, I don’t believe that anyone could argue that their 1982 album Creatures of the Night is a heavy metal record. And a damn fine one at that!

Here with the epic anthem “War Machine” from the Creatures of the Night record is the mighty Kiss.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of Eric Carr, the drummer of KISS who helped keep the band moving forward during the Eighties. Carr, born Paul Caravello, passed away on November 24, 1991 at the age of 41 from complications stemming from his battle with cancer. The loss was colossal to both KISS and their fan base, but he is remembered.

Eric Carr first joined KISS in 1980, when the band decided that it was time for Peter Criss to leave the group. Or perhaps Peter decided it was time to leave… (choose your side of this anecdote). Either way, substance abuse had taken a major toll on original drummer Criss by this stage of the band that it was allegedly affecting his performances both on stage and in the studio.

28 years ago on this day in KISStory, a bewildering moment arrived for rock and metal fans that for many seemed to have come out of nowhere. KISS had announced they were unmasking, dropping the make-up, costumes, and personae they had previously “worn” for ten years, and moving forward as an “unmasked” band.

The band officially unmasked on MTV (see video below), and the announcement sent shockwaves through the metalhead communities at the time, which was the beginning that this decision was a good move by the band. Up until this stage, KISS enjoyed the height of their career in the 1970s, and as they journeyed into the earlier 1980s, things were beginning to look somewhat dire for the band.

The animated cartoon concept created by KISS drummer Eric Carr before his passing may now become a reality thanks to Rocksville Nation Comics, which will be publishing a comic book including Carr’s Rockheads characters in an April 2011 release. In the second issue of Dyna Meecho’s Rocksville Nation, The Rockheads will be making an appearance in the adventure titled Ticket to Rockheads.

According to a press release, the story sees two young rockers on their own Detroit Rock City-style adventure, desperately attempting to find tickets to the final sold out Rockheads concert. The tale essentially places Eric Carr’s Rockheads as the idols of the main characters, and sounds like a lot of fun.

KISSmuseum.net has somehow managed to get their hands on elements from the drum kit used by Eric Carr during the 1988 KISS Crazy Nights tour, and are making them available for sale online. As KISS fans (and metal fans) from the Eighties would recall, the chrome Chikara drum kit that Carr used: it was an iconic piece of the KISS stage set at the time.

Eric Carr was the drummer of KISS from 1980 to 1991, stepping in the place of original drummer Peter Criss. He took on the make-up persona of “The Fox” and was part of the band as they transitioned into their non-makeup year; help bring a heavier sound to the band, and performed on albums such as Creatures of the Night, Lick It Up, and Animalize. Carr died on November 24, 1991, after battling cancer for several months. He is always remembered fondly by fans around the world.

Part of Eric’s 1988 drum kit was once on display during the KISS Convention Tour in 1995. This is the first time it has ever been available for public purchase. And if that’s not enough, KISSmuseum.net also has Eric’s Porsche — also for sale from their website.