Every single time that No Remorse Records announces the imminent release of a box set, you can be sure of two things: a) it would be of exquisite quality and b) one has to be fast as a shark in order to pre-order the item as it is always of limited quantity and after the initial pressing, there isn’t any reprint to be found. The whole thing gained extra points due to the fact that the Virgin Steele name surely draws the attention of hundreds of fans around the world that would rush to order the box set even though they would have probably possessed the first edition of those two albums. So, let’s see what we get with these two box sets…
For starters, there is a limited run of 200 handwritten copies for each album. In there, we get the album in CD format, in vinyl (red with black splatters), a t’ shirt with the album cover as its artwork and a patch. Of notice is the fact that the vinyl album comes in two different cover sleeves (one slipcase and the other that carries the vinyl album) while the t’ shirts display a nostalgic 80s aesthetic. As for the content itself…well, there is no great differentiation to the respective reissue of 2002 as we only get a couple of live tracks (“A Token of my Hatred” & “Great Sword of Flame” cued from the House of Atreus Tour in 2001) plus various remixes and demos of well-known songs. Last but certainly not least, the box set is truly stellar and a great addition that will definitely stand out to every record collection!
All in all, I’d say that one should definitely invest on the purchase of those two box sets but it also goes without saying that both are forwarded towards the avid collectors of the band. The rest can choose the individual item of their preference in CD or vinyl format.
