MMV

really good

Having been a diehard Venom fan and an avid collector for years i was sceptical when i first heard about a Venom boxset since most boxsets are usually a "Best of" with little other than the exclusivity of the box to distinguish it from another "best of" cd, let alone the fact that every year a new Venom compilation album appears usually with a new cover.This, however, is different...The box (normal box not folding paperback case) contains 4 cds in standard jewel case and the majority of the tracks are either the "single" version, outtake, live or other unreleased tracks. The cds are in plain flat black which i feel is really fitting of Venom and look great. The tracks included cover all periods up to "Cast In Stone" but exclude the "Mk2" period when Tony Dolan was on vocals. A total of 8 tracks appear on cd for the first time. Also included are tracks like the "intro tapes" used before the start of a Venom gig and radio and Tv adverts; all this really conveys a nostalgic atmosphere from an era when Venom was dominating the metal scene.Die hard fans will be pleased to know that Disc 4 contains the infamous "Assault series" (a series of very rare LPs on vinyl only, trully a Venom collector's grail) and also Disc 3 includes the track "Senile Decay" which up until now was only available on vinyl. The "Assault" series and "Senile Decay" is enough reason for Venom fans to get the boxset.Sound quality is very good, definitely better than the album sound, especially considering the age of some songs (some are almost 25 years old!) and the lack of production of Venom songs until the "Possessed" album. The sound is loud, gritty and powerful, exactly how Venom should sound!A very nice 60 page booklet is included which includes many photographs and interviews, many of which are very rare (taken from the band's archive) and also a complete timeline and discography of the band (which unlike other similar attempts is very complete and accurate). This must be attributed to Cronos who personally took time to ensure that this boxset would be something special and offer fans something special. Also included is a poster from the "Seven Dates of Hell" tour, in which a then promising young band called Metallica opened the gigs for Venom.The quality of the box as well as the booklet is a really pleasant surprise especially when one compares it to other boxsets on the market. It should be noted that the paper the booklet is printed is not like other similar papers that gets stained with fingerprints when you touch it. The layout of the book and the box is very nice, it is filled with little details that Venom fans will appreciate like the infamous logo "Home taping is killing music. So are Venom".Overall I have to say I am extremely impressed with MMV in all aspects: content, value and quality.This boxset offers true value for money even for a simple metal fan who only heard of (or read about) Venom as part of Metal's history. It contains a lot of information and historical background, a selection of classic, rare and previously unreleased tracks and the infamous Assault series (this alone is enough reason for many people to buy MMV).

Inutile de courir après les compilations nombreuses, tout y est. L'objet est magnifique en plus. Des heures d écoutes et de lectures

I can hardly believe it! Never in my lifetime would I guess to witness such a grand occasion! A Venom box set is something I only dreamed of. The box set itself is put together the same way as Motorhead's "Stone Deaf Forever." It is packaged in a sturdy box with a plastic inlay and each cd is in an individual jewel case. Also included is a reprint of an old poster and a great 60 page book full of rare photos, news paper and magazine clippings, discography and a revealing history of one of the world's most infamous bands. This Box will not dissapoint. I highly recommend this set even to the most seasoned Venom fans. For one thing, the book is worth the money, in my opinion, and second, the 4th disc which contains all of the Venom "Assault" series. The only one that didn't make it was the Japanese assault. This set was compiled by Cronos himself and I think he did a pretty good job putting it together. True, none of the music from "Prime Evil, Temples of Ice and Wastelands" made the set, but there is history written about it. Besides, the Cronos, Mantas and Abbadon trio was the best and everyone knows that! What I mean to say is that this box set has everything that counts. Within it's contents you will hear the music that Venom is known for. This is the type of stuff your parents did not want you to listen to. Venom is one of the best examples of how mean and ugly metal can be. They were like a greasy engine fuelled on the most potent of riffs. They gave no mercy and expected none in return. The only gripe I have about this set is that there was no DVD included. The "7 Dates of Hell" video would have been the icing on the cake. All in all, I was not dissatisfied with Venom's collection. If your into real heavy metal, this is for you!

Great CD

リマスター盤のボーナストラックでレア音源はほぼ出尽くしているはず。レア音源だけを集め直して、改めてボックスで出されても箱とジャケにしか価値を見出せない。PRIESTやSLAYERやSABBATHみたいにCDはほぼ既発表音源のみだとしてもレア映像のDVDでも付ければ気が利いてるのに・・・。これを買うぐらいなら85年Hammersmithの輸入DVD買った方が全然良い。"Live In England"というタイトルでDVDのコーナーで買えます。