evilive records/e-magine. ema 61028-2 / 53 tracks / sep 2000

Long awaited box set which includes a video, a Samhain skeleton metal pin, an 8-page comic book, a 28-page booklet with photos and lyrics, and, oh yes, 5 CDs in cardboard sleeves. The CDs contain: #1 - Original Initium LP without the Unholy Passion bonus tracks. #2 - Remixed version of Unholy Passion. #3 - November Coming Fire LP, no bonus tracks. #4 - New version of Final Descent CD: Tracks 1-5 are the same like on the original CD version, remixed Unholy Passion tracks and Misery Tomb have been replaced by four unreleased tracks/versions. #5 - A live CD recorded 1985 at the Danceteria, NYC (tracks 1-10, sound quality is good) and 1986 at the Metro in Chicago (tracks 11-18, sound quality is slightly worse). Box cover says “double live CD” which is definitely misleading… it’s only a single CD with two shows. Well… this is fine and all, and it’s good to finally have this box set. But… most of the CDs are half full at best - three CDs would have been enough, or 5 with some additional tracks. The comic book is a joke, stupid, badly drawn stories - embarrassing. The photo booklet is nice, though, and the live CD is probably the other reason to get this. Anyway… worth getting after all, but the Misfits box is a much better deal. [8]

Jahrelang erwartete Samhain-Box mit fünf CDs und verschiedenen Goodies. Die CDs decken die Releases der Band mehr oder weniger ab, obwohl der alte Mix der Unholy Passion 12” unbedingt dazugehört hätte; dafür entschädigt aber eine ordentliche Live-CD. Das Photo- und Textbooklet ist recht schön, dafür ist das Comicheft oberpeinlich, alberne Story und wirklich schlecht gezeichnet. Insgesamt kommt der Misfits-Fan um dieses Ding nicht herum, aber der Eindruck ist etwas durchwachsen, anders als bei der fast perfekten Misfits-Box.

Tracks: initium / samhain / black dream / all murder, all guts, all fun / macabre / he-who-can-not-be-named / horror biz / the shift / the howl / archangel /// unholy passion / all hell // moribund / the hungry end / i am misery /// diabolos ’88 / in my grip / mother of mercy / to walk the night / birthright / let the day begin / halloween II / novembers fire / kiss of steel / unbridled / human pony girl /// night chill / descent / death… in its arms / lords of the left hand / the birthing / twist of cain / lords of the left hand (2^nd version) / trouble / possession /// all hell / samhain / the shift / the howl / unholy passion / all murder, all guts, all fun / i am misery / the hungry end / horror biz / he-who-can-not-be-named / black dream / death comes ripping / mother of mercy / to walk the night / halloween II / in my grip / london dungeon / archangel