The Vinyl Conflict
The Vinyl Conflict is a box set by the thrash metal band Slayer, released October 12, 2010.[1] It includes all ten of Slayer's studio albums since 1986 and their 1991 live album Decade of Aggression. The idea of releasing a second box set was made public in August 2010. It was first released with a price of $199.99. The albums are all in vinyl and are remastered. It received generally positive reception from critics.
The Vinyl Conflict | ||||
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Box set by | ||||
Released | October 12, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 1986–2008 | |||
Genre | Thrash metal, speed metal | |||
Label | American, Nuclear Blast Records | |||
Slayer chronology | ||||
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Conception
In August 2010, it was announced that band would be releasing a second box set after Soundtrack to the Apocalypse (2003), and would include every one of Slayer's studio albums from 1986's Reign In Blood to 2009's World Painted Blood. It originally had a price tag of $199.99,[2] but is now sold at retail price of $149.98.[3] It was released through American Recordings and Sony. Blabbermouth.net noted that they are "treating the albums the way they would treat a great jazz, classical, Bob Dylan or Miles Davis record, something that isn't normally done for metal records." To increase quality, lacquers were cut several times, and the original albums were remastered. It was released as a high-quality 180 gram audiophile vinyl, pressed at RTI, an American pressing plant.[1] The vinyl discs are packaged in a standard, clear inner sleeve to preserve the vinyl, and are also in high-quality litho-wrapped jackets, and boxed in a slipcase. Reproductions of the original albums inner sleeve artwork were converted to 12 inch square inserts to fit the standard vinyl disc covers.[4]
Adam Farber of Sony Music Entertainment explained: "The vinyl box is a real treat for fans, especially with today's renewed and increased interest in vinyl."[1] It is the first time that ten of Slayer's studio albums have been mass-produced on vinyl. Dino Paredes of American Recordings relates: "It's been years and years since the Slayer vinyl has been in print — only the two most recent albums are currently available on vinyl, the rest have been out of print for years and very hard to find. These albums sound spectacular — they sound like you've never heard them before. Everything about 'The Vinyl Conflict' — the look of it, the feel of it — is very strong, very powerful, very Slayer, from the music to the dripping, bloody pentagram on the front of the box. It's perfect."[1][5]
Reception
John Kosik of the Associated Press criticized its price, stating: "For $200, casual fans may want to steer clear." Kosik also said that what it "offers the hard-core listener goes beyond the distinct romance of vinyl's warm, earthy sound."[6] Bob Gendron of TONEAudio wrote that the box set was a "godsend" and also said that they were "amazingly produced LPs that bring to life several of the greatest metal records ever made…"[7] Guitar World praised the box set for its mastering, saying the benefits of the treatment "are immediately clear when you drop the needle onto one of these babies. Basically all the songs Slayer fans lose their mind over are here, sounding heavier, livelier and more brutal than ever." He also said that the remastering made a listener want to thoroughly listen to the music.[8]
Album listing
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Angel of Death" | Jeff Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:51 |
2. | "Piece by Piece" | Kerry King | King | 2:03 |
3. | "Necrophobic" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman, King | 1:40 |
4. | "Altar of Sacrifice" | King | Hanneman | 2:50 |
5. | "Jesus Saves" | King | Hanneman, King | 2:54 |
6. | "Criminally Insane" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman, King | 2:23 |
7. | "Reborn" | King | Hanneman | 2:12 |
8. | "Epidemic" | King | Hanneman, King | 2:23 |
9. | "Postmortem" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 3:27 |
10. | "Raining Blood" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman | 4:17 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "South of Heaven" | Tom Araya | Jeff Hanneman | 4:58 |
2. | "Silent Scream" | Araya | Hanneman, Kerry King | 3:07 |
3. | "Live Undead" | King, Araya | Hanneman | 3:50 |
4. | "Behind the Crooked Cross" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 3:15 |
5. | "Mandatory Suicide" | Araya | Hanneman, King | 4:05 |
6. | "Ghosts of War" | King | Hanneman, King | 3:53 |
7. | "Read Between the Lies" | King, Araya | Hanneman | 3:20 |
8. | "Cleanse the Soul" | King, Araya | Hanneman | 3:02 |
9. | "Dissident Aggressor" (Judas Priest cover) | Rob Halford | K.K. Downing, Glenn Tipton | 2:35 |
10. | "Spill the Blood" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:49 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "War Ensemble" | Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:51 |
2. | "Blood Red" | Araya | Hanneman | 2:47 |
3. | "Spirit in Black" | Kerry King | Hanneman | 4:07 |
4. | "Expendable Youth" | Araya | King | 4:09 |
5. | "Dead Skin Mask" | Araya | Hanneman | 5:20 |
6. | "Hallowed Point" | Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman, King | 3:23 |
7. | "Skeletons of Society" | King | King | 4:40 |
8. | "Temptation" | King | King | 3:25 |
9. | "Born of Fire" | King | Hanneman, King | 3:07 |
10. | "Seasons in the Abyss" | Araya | Hanneman | 6:38 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hell Awaits" | Kerry King | Jeff Hanneman, King | 6:50 |
2. | "The Antichrist" | Hanneman | Hanneman, King | 3:50 |
3. | "War Ensemble" | Hanneman, Tom Araya | Hanneman | 4:58 |
4. | "South of Heaven" | Araya | Hanneman | 4:25 |
5. | "Raining Blood" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman | 2:32 |
6. | "Altar of Sacrifice" | King | Hanneman | 2:48 |
7. | "Jesus Saves" | King | Hanneman, King | 4:12 |
8. | "Dead Skin Mask" | Araya | Hanneman | 4:58 |
9. | "Seasons in the Abyss" | Araya | Hanneman | 7:01 |
10. | "Mandatory Suicide" | Araya | Hanneman, King | 4:00 |
11. | "Angel of Death" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:52 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hallowed Point" | Hanneman, Araya | Hanneman, King | 3:36 |
2. | "Blood Red" | Araya | Hanneman | 2:50 |
3. | "Die by the Sword" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 3:35 |
4. | "Black Magic" | King | Hanneman, King | 3:28 |
5. | "Captor of Sin" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman, King | 3:34 |
6. | "Born of Fire" | King | Hanneman, King | 3:03 |
7. | "Postmortem" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:04 |
8. | "Spirit in Black" | King | Hanneman | 4:07 |
9. | "Expendable Youth" | Araya | King | 4:36 |
10. | "Chemical Warfare" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman, King | 5:30 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Killing Fields" | Tom Araya | Kerry King | 3:57 |
2. | "Sex. Murder. Art." | Araya | King | 1:50 |
3. | "Fictional Reality" | King | King | 3:38 |
4. | "Dittohead" | King | King | 2:31 |
5. | "Divine Intervention" | Slayer | Hanneman, King | 5:33 |
6. | "Circle of Beliefs" | King | King | 4:30 |
7. | "SS-3" | Hanneman | Hanneman, King | 4:07 |
8. | "Serenity in Murder" | Araya | Hanneman, King | 2:36 |
9. | "213" | Araya | Hanneman | 4:52 |
10. | "Mind Control" | Araya, King | Hanneman, King | 3:04 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Disintegration" "Free Money" | Eric Mastrokalos, Brett Dodwell, Roy Hansen | Verbal Abuse | 1:41 |
2. | "Verbal Abuse" "Leeches" | Mastrokalos, Dodwell, Hansen | Verbal Abuse | 1:58 |
3. | "Abolish Government" "Superficial Love" | Todd Barnes, Ron Emory, Jack Grisham, Mike Roche | T.S.O.L. | 1:48 |
4. | "Can't Stand You" | Jeff Hanneman | Pap Smear | 1:27 |
5. | "Ddamm" | Jeff Hanneman | Pap Smear | 1:01 |
6. | "Guilty of Being White" | Brian Baker, Jeff Nelson, Ian MacKaye, Lyle Preslar | Minor Threat | 1:07 |
7. | "I Hate You" | Mastrokalos, Dodwell, Hansen | Verbal Abuse | 2:16 |
8. | "Filler" "I Don't Want to Hear It" | Baker, Nelson, MacKaye, Preslar | Minor Threat | 2:28 |
9. | "Spiritual Law" | Casey Royer, Rikk Agnew, John Calabro | D.I. | 3:00 |
10. | "Mr. Freeze" | Kyle Toucher | Dr. Know | 2:24 |
11. | "Violent Pacification" | Spike Cassidy, Kurt Brecht | D.R.I. | 2:38 |
12. | "Richard Hung Himself" | Royer, Fred Traccone | D.I. | 3:22 |
13. | "I'm Gonna Be Your God" (parody tribute of "I Wanna Be Your Dog") | James Osterberg, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, David Alexander | The Stooges | 2:58 |
14. | "Gemini" | Kerry King, Tom Araya | Slayer | 4:53 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Bitter Peace" | Jeff Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:32 |
2. | "Death's Head" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 3:34 |
3. | "Stain of Mind" | Kerry King | Hanneman | 3:24 |
4. | "Overt Enemy" | Hanneman | Hanneman | 4:41 |
5. | "Perversions of Pain" | King | Hanneman | 3:33 |
6. | "Love to Hate" | Hanneman, King | Hanneman | 3:07 |
7. | "Desire" | Tom Araya | Hanneman | 4:20 |
8. | "In the Name of God" | King | King | 3:40 |
9. | "Scrum" | King | Hanneman | 2:16 |
10. | "Screaming from the Sky" | Hanneman, King, Araya | Hanneman | 3:12 |
11. | "Point" | King | Hanneman | 4:11 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Darkness of Christ" | Kerry King | Jeff Hanneman | 1:30 |
2. | "Disciple" | King | Hanneman | 3:35 |
3. | "God Send Death" | Tom Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman | 3:47 |
4. | "New Faith" | King | King | 3:05 |
5. | "Cast Down" | King | King | 3:26 |
6. | "Threshold" | King | Hanneman | 2:29 |
7. | "Exile" | King | King | 3:55 |
8. | "Seven Faces" | King | King | 3:41 |
9. | "Bloodline" | Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman, King | 3:36 |
10. | "Deviance" | Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman | 3:08 |
11. | "War Zone" | King | King | 2:45 |
12. | "Here Comes the Pain" | King | King | 3:29 |
13. | "Payback" | King | King | 3:05 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Flesh Storm" | Kerry King | King | 4:14 |
2. | "Catalyst" | King | King | 3:07 |
3. | "Skeleton Christ" | King | King | 4:22 |
4. | "Eyes of the Insane" | Tom Araya | Jeff Hanneman | 3:29 |
5. | "Jihad" | Araya | Hanneman | 3:32 |
6. | "Consfearacy" | King | King | 3:06 |
7. | "Catatonic" | King | King | 4:53 |
8. | "Black Serenade" (Alternate Version) | Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman | 2:58 |
9. | "Cult" | King | King | 4:39 |
10. | "Supremist" | King | King | 3:51 |
11. | "Final Six" | Araya, Hanneman | Araya, Hanneman | 4:10 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Recorded at | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "World Painted Blood" | Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman | Hanneman | Pennemunde Music | 5:53 |
2. | "Unit 731" | Hanneman | Hanneman | Pennemunde Music | 2:40 |
3. | "Snuff" | Kerry King | King | Molosser Music | 3:42 |
4. | "Beauty Through Order" | Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman | Pennemunde Music | 4:37 |
5. | "Hate Worldwide" | King | King | Molosser Music | 2:52 |
6. | "Public Display of Dismemberment" | King | King | Molosser Music | 2:35 |
7. | "Human Strain" | Araya, Hanneman | Hanneman | Pennemunde Music | 3:09 |
8. | "Americon" | King | King | Molosser Music | 3:23 |
9. | "Psychopathy Red" | Hanneman | Hanneman | Pennemunde Music | 2:26 |
10. | "Playing With Dolls" | Araya, Hanneman, King | Hanneman | Pennemunde Music | 4:14 |
11. | "Not of This God" | King | King | Molosser Music | 4:20 |
References
- (2010-09-04). "SLAYER: New Video Interview With KERRY KING". Blabbermouth.net
- Slate, Luke (2010-09-27). "Slayer to release 10-vinyl box set career retrospective". Drownedinsound
- "Slayer "The Vinyl Conflict (LP Boxset)" @ Slayer Global Store". Myplaydirect.com. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
- (2010-09-16) "The Ultimate Slayer box set- The Vinyl Conflict". Insomniac.
- (2010-08-17). "Slayer Announce Vinyl Conflict". AntiMusic.
- Bauer, Scott (2010-11-28). "Selected Box-Set Reviews". Associated Press. The Denver Post.
- Gendron, Bob. "Slayer box set - Music Reviews". TONEAudio. Retrieved 2011-04-16
- "REVIEW - Slayer: The Vinyl Conflict". Guitar World. Retrieved 2011-04-16
- Huey, Steve. Reign in Blood - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Alex, Henderson. South of Heaven - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Huey, Steve. Seasons In the Abyss - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Jurek, Thom. Reign in Blood - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Henderson, Alex. Divine Intervention - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Jurek, Thom. Undisputed Attitude - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Huey, Steve. Diabolus in Musica - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Birchmeier, Jason. God Hates Us All - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Jurek, Thom. Christ Illusion - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- Jurek, Thom. World Painted Blood - Slayer at AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.