Top 10 Metal Box Sets 2009
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At one point in my life, I was a box set person. I had box sets of James Brown, The Police, and Motown. They were just CD sets with extended liner notes, but they were immensely fulfilling. Now music box sets come in all sorts of packaging at all sorts of price points. For various reasons, I stopped being a packaging person, so box sets hold no appeal for me now. But the rest of the world must think otherwise. Why else would holiday seasons bring deluge after deluge of environment-destroying box sets? Here are 10 metal ones for this year, in order of increasing price (and absurdity).
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Various Artists – Grind Madness at the BBC
$14
This one is not absurd. It is affordable and awesome: a 3-CD box set of the BBC Peel Sessions from Napalm Death, Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Extreme Noise Terror, Godflesh, Heresy, Unseen Terror, and Intense Degree. Three hours, 38 minutes, and 30 seconds of face-peeling (mostly) grind. Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris contributes liner notes. Get it from Earache US, Earache EU, or Amazon
Nihilist – Carnal Leftovers
€29,99
All the studio recordings, officially released on vinyl for the first time. Five 7″s, booklet with intensive liner notes, photos, etc. Each 7″ has its own separate artwork. Red vinyl limited to 500 copies, black vinyl limited to 700 copies. Available from Nuclear Blast DE.
Belphegor – Walpurgis Rites (Mailorder Edition)
€49,99
Nuclear Blast has been manufacturing rather ridiculous “mailorder editions” of its releases. For example, the Korpiklaani one includes four liquor jugs, and the Legion of Damned one includes a cheese slicer. The Belphegor one takes the cake by including a stick grenade, which is presumably non-functional. Get it here.
Metallica – Francais Pour Une Nuit (Collector’s Edition)
$89.99
This is Metallica’s new live DVD, packaged in a round box that includes five photo prints, a t-shirt, a lanyard, a laminated show pass, and a CD of Death Magnetic. For a picture and ordering information, go here.
Sentenced – The Coffin (Box Set)
$124.50/€79,99
Sentenced’s entire discography in a coffin-shaped box. It includes 16 CD’s, 2 DVD’s, and a 100-page booklet. For US orders, go here. For EU orders, go here. The EU site has a picture of the contents.
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Immortal – All Shall Fall (Mailorder Edition)
€89,99
This package includes a digipak of All Shall Fall, the album on four picture disc 7″s, a poster flag, a patch, and a button. It seems like listening to an album over four 7″s would get annoying quickly. If you wouldn’t mind, order this box set here.
AC/DC – Backtracks
$199
OK, not metal, but definitely of interest to metalheads. This box set comes in a working guitar amp! Inside are three CD’s, two DVD’s, one LP, a 164-page hardcover book, and various tchotchkes. For pictures, videos, and ordering information, go here.
Enslaved – Wooden Box Set
€160,00
This box set comes from Viva Hate, who also put out the infamous Opeth and Immortal wooden box sets. Enslaved’s includes 6 LP’s on 180g vinyl, a demo tape, a belt buckle, and a cadet cap. It looks like white vinyl is sold out, but green and black vinyl versions are still available. For details, go here; for ordering, go here.
Floor – Below & Beyond
$249.99
We have entered the land of the absurd. Robotic Empire’s box set for Floor includes 10 12″s (each with a different color of vinyl), a 7″, eight CD’s, and a 32-page booklet in a cloth-bound box. (The box set is pictured up top.) Pre-orders will also get a limited-edition t-shirt. 275 copies will be available to the public. Ordering information is here. I have no idea why in this recession economy a record label chose to manufacture and sell this monstrosity.
Rammstein – Liebe ist für alle da (Deluxe Version)
$250
In comparison, Rammstein’s box set is almost tame. It’s a flight case containing the CD, six dildos, handcuffs, and lubricant. Yawn. I can’t imagine anyone ordering this. If anyone does, I don’t ever want to meet him/her/it. Photos and ordering information are here.
