Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Originally released in 1977 (the year of punk's simultaneous birth and more notably, death), (I'm) Stranded has gone on to become, not only one of the most vital pieces of OG Aussie punk, but commonly considered as one of the quintessential early blueprints for an entire generation of artists. Staying on course and not even wading into the creative differences that would soon loom large over each subsequent follow up, this box set arrives as a joint collaboration between L.A. garage rock label In The Red, Universal Music Australia and spearheaded by Feel Presents and The Saints founder Ed Kuepper (later Laughing Clowns), who collectively deliver the original LP remastered for the time in four decades, along with never-before-pressed-to-wax bonus discs of a five-song live performance from Paddington Town Hall in Sydney in 1977, the band's full set from the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival, London November 1977, all three tracks from the 1977 This Perfect Day 12" and all four tracks from 1977's 1-2-3-4 double 7" single, as well as the previously unreleased 1976 demo mix of the (I'm) Stranded LP. Also boasting a 28 page 12" x 12" photo essay of the band covering their origins from 1973 through the end of '77, authorised band history, an 8" x 10" 1976 promo photo, and sticker, this is fan service and an album celebratory box set done right.

Review: The aptly titled Morbid Metal offers up the ultimate fan service to devout worshippers of Swiss industrial black metal legends Samael, who whilst nowadays are renowned for their uniquely oppressive and mechanical machinations, began life in a far more primitive, traditional sense. Spread out across 5 x 7" picture disc EPs, the box set collates all of the band's recorded output preceding their 1991 debut full-length Worship Him, including Into The Infernal Storm Of Evil (Demo recorded in March 1988), Macabre Operetta (Rehearsal recorded in May 1988), Medieval Prophecy (7" EP recorded in October 1988), From The Dark To Black (Promo recorded in 1989), and Morbid Metal (Live in Rotterdam in 1992), while also featuring a 120-page hardcover book including a new in-depth interview with mastermind Vorphalack as well as liner notes, unseen pictures, a patch and a hand-numbered certificate. Strictly limited to 500 copies, this collection provides a rare glimpse at the origins of one of the most vital purveyors of underground metallic extremity.