The Stranglers "The Old Testament" box-set reissue

[Sensoria]

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/0 ... t-reissue/

UK punk/new-wave legends' 1992 box-set which collects their first six studio albums released for the United Artists/EMI label plus bonus singles and B-sides on four CDs will be reissued May 27th with a brand-new fifth CD of rarities including live tracks, radio edits and remixes.

[Barmy]

Thanks. I like the band but don't have any of their albums. After VAT deduction this is a no-brainer.

[Gary Russell]

Shame not a upgrade the original accompanying VHS collection of promos to a DVD to go with this. A lot of stuff that isn't present on the existing DVD collections.

[hypnohighball]

Let's hope they use the original boxed set masterings, and not the awful remasters from 10 years or so ago. Those sounded horrible - shrill, loud and brickwalled, while the original cd masterings were the best sounding Stranglers cds ever.

[Barmy]

This APPEARS to be a reissue with bonus disc. No more remasters ever, please.

[hypnohighball]

That would be great if true. It's pretty unusual for an older boxed set to be reissued without being remastered, though. The recent Dr. Feelgood "All Through The City" box, issued by the same label, EMI/United Artists, used the remasters as sources. The Clash "On Broadway" box was reissued using remasters as well.
At any rate, this is a great deal for anyone that wants the all of the Hugh-era Stranglers output all in one place in one fell swoop. I have the original box so don't need it myself.

[Sensoria]

Fully agree with you, hypnohighball.
I have the original box too. But anyone that wants all of the United Artists/EMI-era(!) Stranglers all in one place will find its reissue a great deal indeed. (The Hugh Cornwell-era Stranglers' other record deal was with Epic/Sony - 1983-1990 i.e. "Feline" to "10".)

Other than that, I wonder why the complete promo video DVD collection of theirs hasn't been out yet. EMI and Sony, both reissued all of their albums up to the aforementioned "10" from 1990 with bonuses more than 10 years ago.

[moni]

There is a review for this on amazon saying the sound on this is rubbish. I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive but it doesn't bode well[:(]

[hypnohighball]

Yep - over at the Steve Hoffman forums reviews are coming in and it ain't good. Looks like the new mastering was done by Peter Mew, who's famous for loud, brickwalled mastering.
They just couldn't leave it alone.....[V]

[Barmy]

Thanks for the heads up.

I'm pretty much opting out of the remaster game. Don't want to support this anymore.

Anyone who is the victim brickwalled remasters--PLEASE post reviews on amazon.

[I. M. He]

I was considering picking this up for the bonus disc (I've had the original box set since it was released), but after reading this I'm going to pass.

[Sensoria]

[quote][i]Originally posted by I. M. He[/i]
<br>I was considering picking this up for the bonus disc (I've had the original box set since it was released), but after reading this I'm going to pass.
[/quote]

Same here!

[moni]

Listening to this right now yes it is a bit loud but i have heard a whole of a lot worse and i think all those people leaving 1 star reviews on Amazon are going way overboard.

[Barmy]

The offense is that the warm sounding 1992 CDs were brickwalled up the ass. This is an epidemic. When remaster becomes a synonym for brickwalling,consumers need to revolt. More and more, straight reissues are better than remasters.