Samhain Box Set

Samhain Box Set
Samhain Box Set
	;
Compilation album by Samhain
Released	September 5 2000
Recorded	1983 - 1990
Genre(s)	Gothic Rock, Horror Punk, Doom Rock, Deathrock, Heavy Metal
Length	194:00
Label	Evilive, E-Magine
Samhain chronology

The Samhain Box Set is a box set released by Samhain in 2000 via Evilive and E-Magine. It would comprise of the majority of the band's discography in a similar fashion to the iconic Misfits Box Set released in 1996, along with previously unreleased material. This would also include long-unreleased photos and liner notes by Glenn Danzig, London May and Steve Zing.

Background[]

The Samhain Box Set would include remastered editions of the following releases: Initium (1984), Unholy Passion (1985), Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire (1986), Final Descent (1990), Live '85 - '86 (Previously unreleased, later re-released in 2001) and a Live VHS (Previously unreleased). The version of "Unholy Passion" presented is the re-mastered edition included with original pressings of Final Descent, released as a stand-alone CD for the first time. The song "Death... In Its Arms" is misspelled on all releases and two albums incorrectly list song orders ("Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire" has songs 4 and 5 reversed; "Final Descent" has songs 7 and 9 reversed.).

The outer box cover was painted by Martin Emond, who had previously provided artwork for singer Glenn Danzig's post-Samhain band, Danzig, and his comic book company Verotik. Within the box, each of the five CDs came in its own "mini-LP" sleeve (unlike the jewel-cases used for the individual CD reissues the following year). Also included was a 32-page booklet of photographs, liner notes and reprinted lyrics to Discs One and Three.

The boxed set was advertised as "a $75 value, all for just $59.95" (USD), and is long out of print. If pre-ordered online through distributor E-Magine Music's website, the first pressing of the boxed set was shipped two weeks prior to the street date, with the first 1,000 packaged with an "internet exclusive" bonus metal pin of the "scarecrow beast" character that appeared on Samhain T-shirts in the 1980s (similar to the one on the cover of the November-Coming-Fire album).

Second pressings of the boxed set omitted the bonus pin, but included "the previously unreleased Samhain comic book" by Mr. Monster creator Michael T. Gilbert. Four pages were composed by Sean "Testicle Head" Wyett, who also illustrated Danzig for the back cover of the Misfits' Legacy of Brutality. The "contents" listing on the back of the box was modified to reflect the comic's inclusion. Some boxed sets were reportedly shipped with both the bonus metal pin and the comic. Depending on what is included affects the value of the release, with a full box set going for hundreds on the second hand market.

The live VHS would feature recordings at the following dates and locations:

Tracks 1-8 recorded 13 April 1985 at Typographer's Hall, Baltimore, MD.
Tracks 9-13 recorded 13 April 1986 at The Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL.
Tracks 14-16 recorded 14 July 1986 at The Ritz, New York, NY.

Tracklist[]

Initium[]

1. Initium / Samhain (3:39)
2. Black Dream (2:00)
3. All Murder All Guts All Fun (2:44)
4. Macabre (2:12)
5. He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named (1:38)
6. Horror Biz (2:41)
7. The Shift (3:08)
8. The Howl (2:50)
9. Archangel (5:12)

Unholy Passion[]

1. Unholy Passion (3:10)
2. All Hell (2:19)
3. Moribund (1:43)
4. The Hungry End (3:06)
5. Misery Tomb (3:24)
6. I Am Misery (3:40)

November-Coming-Fire[]

1. Diabolos '88 (1:24)
2. In My Grip (2:44)
3. Mother of Mercy (3:09)
4. Birthright (2:10)
5. To Walk the Night (2:11)
6. Let the Day Begin (2:36)
7. Halloween II (3:15)
8. November's Fire (2:47)
9. Kiss of Steel (1:29)
10. Unbridled (1:48)
11. Human Pony Girl (4:57)

Final Descent[]

1. Night Chill (2:15)
2. Descent (4:23)
3. Death... In It's Arms (2:54)
4. Lords of The Left Hand (3:05)
5. The Birthing (3:29)
6. Twist of Cain (4:17)
7. Possession (3:44)
8. Trouble (3:19)
9. Lords of The Left Hand: 2nd Version (2:41)

Live '85 - '86[]

1. All Hell (2:29)
2. Samhain (1:47)
3. The Shift (2:50)
4. The Howl (2:45)
5. Unholy Passion (3:32)
6. All Murder, All Guts, All Fun (3:37)
7. I Am Misery (4:18)
8. The Hungry End (3:37)
9. Horror Biz (3:23)
10. He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named (1:35)
11. Black Dream (2:24)
12. Death Comes Ripping (2:06)
13. Mother of Mercy (3:38)
14. To Walk The Night (2:06)
15. Halloween II (3:28)
16. In My Grip (2:44)
17. London Dungeon (2:43)
18. Archangel (3:25)

The Live VHS[]

1. All Murder, All Guts, All Fun (2:22)
2. The Shift (2:44)
3. Unholy Passion (3:14)
4. Black Dream (2:17)
5. The Hungry End (3:02)
6. I Am Misery (3:32)
7. Horror Biz (2:20)
8. Moribund (2:18)
9. All Hell (2:28)
10. London Dungeon (2:36)
11. Archangel (3:22)
12. Mother of Mercy (3:06)
13. To Walk The Night (2:06)
14. Samhain (1:20)
15. Moribund (1:53)
16. Black Dream (2:22)

Personnel[]

Glenn Danzig - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Drums (All Releases); Photography, Design, Liner Notes, Producer
Eerie Von - Bass (All Releases), Photography
Lyle Preslar - Guitar (Four songs on Initium)
Mike Gutilla - Chimes (Initium)
Al Pike - Bass (One song on Initium)
Steve Zing - Drums (Initium, Unholy Passion, selected live tracks), Photography, Liner Notes
Damien - Guitar (Unholy Passion, November-Coming-Fire, all live tracks)
London May - Drums (November-Coming-Fire, selected tracks on Final Descent, selected live tracks), Photography, Liner Notes
John Christ - Guitar (Four songs on Final Descent)
Chuck Biscuits - Drums (One song on Final Descent)
Bob Allecca - Engineer (Initium, November-Coming-Fire)
Tom Baker - Mastering (Live '85 - '86), Remastering
Mike Vayanas - Photography
Eric Engel - Photography
Rob Kinney - Photography
Ron Akiyama - Photography
Sam Fisher - Photography
Ted Demurat - Photography
Martin Emond - Box Cover Illustration
Michael T. Gilbert - Comic Book Artwork
Sean Wyett - Comic Book Artwork
Toby Dammit - Design

External Links[]

/ The Box Set on Discogs