Search - Slayer :: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse (Dlx)

Who is this box set aimed at?

zoltan_slack_net | Brooklyn, New York United States | 01/12/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a big slayer fan. I've seen them 6 times over the last three years, got all their albums, blah blah blah. I got the deluxe slayer set for xmas and while I like some of it, overall it's a huge ripoff.1) Almost all of discs I and II are songs a slayer fan already has. I doubt that a non-fan would be buying a deluxe box set so discs I and II are a complete waste of time/space/money2) Many of the "rarities" on this disc have been widely circulated in bootleg form. The diehard slayer fans who should be interested in this box set probably have them too.3) Some of the rare live tracks sound really bad. There's some sort of weird miking or stereo panning on the toms so you can't listen to it on headphones without becoming very annoyed.4) The live dvd is interesting but could have been better. At least show us a trip to the beer store like in Cliff Em All.5) The bonus "blood pak" disc is a great live set with Lombardo. Sounds great, unfortunate that they decided to dedicate one disc to the concert so they had to edit some tracks out. Why not omit one of the greatest hits cds and spread the concert over two discs? Is this set supposed to be for the fans or what? 40 extra bucks for a cardboard box, a banner, a piece of plastic on a string, a cheeseball plastic disc case with BOTH red liquid AND glittering tinfoil skulls floating around in it. Oooooooh, scary. I might pay 5 or 10 bucks for this bonus stuff. Maybe another 5 bucks for the 70 page book. I guess that makes the live CD worth 25-30 bucks, which is a ripoff even if it is good.In short this should have been a four disc set, no greatest hits, one disc of real rarities, one dvd with a beer store scene, and a two cd Lombardo concert in Anaheim. Leave out all the cardboard crap and charge less for it. It's sad that they chose to gouge the true fan instead of providing something their fans really want. They certainly had plenty of time to put it together. Sigh.Can only recommend to diehards who need to buy everything slayer releases. I can't recommend this or the "Regular Edition" boxset to anyone else because that boxset seems to be aimed at slayer newbies, who probably wouldn't want to blow money on a boxset of an artist they don't know too well. I just don't get it. I'm sure it makes sense to slayer's accountant, though."

WEAK!

Kevin Rayl | Taylor, MI United States | 12/08/2003

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This collection is weak. I've been into Slayer for years- since Show No Mercy. Anybody notice there's nothing from Mercy,Chapel, or Hell Awaits, except a couple live cuts from DOA. What happened to the rerecorded versions with Bostaph that were much talked about? Then you're missing Sickboy, Hand Of Doom, the rare Seasons. None of the music videos. No interview or backstage footage. None of the supposed 50 songs recorded for Undisputed Attitude. All in a CARDBOARD! ammobox. Anyone remember the limited edition STEEL case for DOA. I would have been happy to pay more for a more loaded collection that included the metal blade stuff Instead of a greatest hits with a handful of extras. Slayer is the greatest metal band ever, but this collection is pretty weak overall."

Great music, questionable set

emperorcaligula | 01/09/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As much as I like Slayer's music, I am a bit underwhelmed by this box set. My primary complaints are two-fold: First, I think the arrangement of the songs (i.e. 5 songs from this album, 5 songs from this album, etc.) is boring and uncreative. Couldn't they have mingled the old with the new? Couldn't they have mixed live tracks with the album tracks? Second, the unreleased material is pretty worthless. The production is terrible and I don't quite see the historical significance. The packaging is good, particularly the booklet, but a pretty package does not make a box set great. Unfortunately, this set appears to have been quickly thrown together just in time for the holidays. If you are someone just getting in to Slayer, I would not buy this set-- instead, spend your money on Reign in Blood, South of Heaven, and Seasons in the Abyss. I have never gotten sick of any of these albums and I doubt you will either. This sloppy set though, you will get sick of."