Time to put the “X in Sex” and explode with a “Sonic Boom” like the “God of Thunder” — the band KISS is releasing new KISS Kondoms for fans to stay safe when they’re taking their significant others for a “Rocket Ride.”

Apologies for the song title puns used here, but c’mon… this is KISS and it’s a story about Gene Simmons pimping out some condoms — I just couldn’t help myself.

The difference with this release of KISS Kondoms is that they have pictures on them, which is kind of odd when you think about where these things are going to end up when you’re done using them.

Russian band Pushking have joined forces with an onslaught of major musicians and vocalists from heavy metal and hard rock to create an impressive line-up on a collaborative album. The release has been titled The World as We Love It, and compiles 19 re-recorded songs from Pushking’s past efforts, with special guests ranging from Paul Stanley (KISS) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) to Alice Cooper and Steve Vai!

If you think those four guests listed above is enough, think again. Check out the track listing and the guests on each song by continuing on below.

The MP3 album deal of the deal over at Amazon today is a Journey‘s Greatest Hits for only $3.99.

This deal is valid for today, Friday, December 31, 2010, but chances are it will last another day as well “” though, you shouldn’t wait just in case.

The greatest hits collection has 16 songs on it, many of which you’ll recognize as chart toppers from the 1980s: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Separate Ways,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Faithfully,” “Only The Young,” and “Ask The Lonely.” Their popular tunes from the 1970s are also represented with “Wheel In The Sky,” “Lights,” and “Any Way You Want It” (ok, that last one was from early 1980, but it still had the 1970’s line-up and sound).

Damn they have a lot of hits!!! All good stuff, I promise. I just rattled off more than enough tunes to justify shelling out $4 for this album, especially since if you were to purchase the songs individually it would be $.99 per song.

When all is said and done Tron: Legacy is going to be the movie of the year for me, regardless of whether or not it lives up to its boundless potential or the exciting previews that have been trickling out of the Mouse House’s mighty marketing division.

The original 1982 Tron is one of my personal favorite films of all time; I love just about everything about it, from the performances to the snappy writing to the musical score by Wendy Carlos (with awesome contributions from Journey) to the spectacular visual effects which gave the film a look that has and always be ahead of its time.

There’s a timeless, ethereal beauty to the computerized world of Tron that could never be dated in my mind and only grows as a cinematic work of art with each passing year as most video game-based and influenced films seem to embrace a grittier look deprived of any sense of wonder or imagination. It’s an absolutely perfect film to me so the idea of a sequel emerging nearly three decades after the release of the original both excites me and fills me with dread.

Be sure to click over to get a little taste of Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy score!

The MP3 deal of the day over at Amazon today is the Tron Soundtrack for only $1.99.

This is the original motion picture soundtrack to Disney’s 1982 scifi film, featuring two songs from the rock group Journey — “Only Solutions” and “1990’s Theme” — along with a score by composer Wendy Carlos.

The 19-track score contains analog Moog synthesizer and GDS digital synthesizer compositions, along with non-electronic pieces performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

A sequel to the original Tron, titled Tron Legacy, is scheduled for release in 2010 and will contain at least one Journey song (“Separate Ways”) and feature a film score by electronic artists Daft Punk — a sample of it was debuted at the Tron Legacy viral marketing event at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.