Hard rock and heavy metal veterans KISS announced today, April 1, 2013, that founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are leaving the band and going into retirement at the end of this year, while the band will go on as KISS II, a lineup featuring NO original members, beginning in 2014.

Before Simmons and Stanley, who formed the group in New York City 40 years ago, can officially begin their quiet rock and roll-free nights and party-less days, they must fulfill their current record company contract for one more album. Therefore, the long-time musical partners have agreed to finally do the sequel to The Elder with Bob Ezrin, stating that the original 1981 album now has a cult following, and they are thinking “long-term” for the fans. The sequel will be called The Elder Reloaded.