Soundtrack to the Apocalypse

Soundtrack to the Apocalypse is a box set by the American thrash metal band Slayer. Released November 25, 2003 through American Recordings, the four–disc CD and DVD set features music from previous albums, unreleased material, and live film. A deluxe edition version (which has the alias "ammo box"[1]) was released and featured everything from the standard edition, with the addition of 14 live tracks. The box set's name originated from an alternative title for 2001's God Hates Us All. After discussing among themselves the idea of the box set, the band informed their record company, who initially disliked but later approved the idea.

Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
Box set by
ReleasedNovember 25, 2003
RecordedMarch 1983 – July 2003
GenreThrash metal
Length3:39:13 (Discs 1–3), 72:38 (Disc 5: Bloodpack CD)
LabelAmerican
ProducerMatt Hyde, Dino Paredes, Rick Rubin, Dave Sardy, Andy Wallace, Toby Wright
Slayer chronology
God Hates Us All
(2001)
Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
(2003)
Eternal Pyre
(2006)

Many dates were stated by band members as to when it would be released. The official release date was not announced until late October 2003. The box set has been released into the public domain five times between late 2003 to early 2007. There were several producers and film directors that were involved with the box set. The set received positive reviews from critics, but was not well received by fans, with the set debuting on no notable charts.

Conception

Around the time Slayer thought of the album title for 2001's God Hates Us All, Soundtrack to the Apocalypse was considered an alternative name.[2] Vocalist Tom Araya then suggested that if they ever opted to issue a box set, Soundtrack to the Apocalypse would be the most appropriate title.[2] This inspired discussion regarding a possible box set release, which continued for several months.[2] The group decided that once the label agreed to a release, they would be given a little more time to compile the material.[2] Slayer approached the record company regarding a box set release, and discussions lasted roughly a year, since the band had to negotiate with the record company concerning plans they had with the box set which were not in their contract.[2] In September 2003, the record company granted permission to issue the box set and wanted an immediate release for the holiday season.[2]

Slayer submitted a range of material for the record company to choose from, instructing them to return a track list of what they felt to be the best items.[3] Following this, Slayer looked at the returned material; if the recorded track was a “good” performance but the band "didn’t care for the song", they asked the record company to select another track.[3]

Guitarist Kerry King commented "there's tons of stuff on there", citing the amount they had to choose from as a problem.[3] King himself owned five large Tupperware storage boxes full of material amassed over the years.[3] Having every magazine had ever seen the group inside, King also possessed roughly 70 VHS and 8mm videos dating back to 1983.[3] Nick John of Slayer’s management team sifted through every video and transferred them to DVD.[3]

Production

Soundtrack to the Apocalypse's ideal release date was in early November 2003.[4] However, on September 25, 2003, it was announced by employees of MTV that the box set's release date had been pushed back to November 18, 2003.[5] On October 23, 2003, employees of MTV announced that the box set's release date was pushed back to November 25, 2003.[6] Since November 25, 2003, Slayer has released the box set five different times. The first three times were each released in 2003, the first being released through Universal Records,[7] and the other two, one being a Deluxe Edition version, were released through American Recordings.[7][8] The set's fourth release, which was packaged with only three discs, was released through American Records in 2006.[9] The box set's final release was in 2007, where it was released through WEA International.[10] It was also released in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2003.[11] It was produced with three Compact Discs, one DVD, and a booklet.[11]

The packaging was praised by PopMatters, insisting that the box set is "very nicely packaged, in a swanky fold-out digipak with a clear plastic slipcase. The 72-page accompanying booklet is outstanding, with extensive liner notes, loads of photos, and many memories from the band members." USA Today related: "[it is] a combination of the metal grinders' best-known tracks, with live and studio rarities plus 17 DVD selections. A deluxe edition ($100) adds a live disc and a few souvenir extras."[12] Soundtrack to the Apocalypse was produced by Matt Hyde, Dino Paredes, Rick Rubin, D. Sardy, and Andy Wallace and was executively produced by Nick John and Rick Sales.[13] The film on the fourth disc was directed by Di Puglia, Gerard.[13] The set includes many Slayer tracks since 1986 with several rarities and b-sides, and includes a remastered DVD of live performances spanning 20 years. A fifth disc was released with fourteen more tracks than the set's standard edition. The bonus live tracks were recorded at The Grove In Anaheim, California, on May 2, 2002, several months following the return of original drummer Dave Lombardo. The extra tracks are packaged in a "blood pack" sleeve, which is decorated with faux blood and skulls.[14]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
411mania.com(8.5/10)[15]
AllMusic[7]
Mojo[16]
PopMatters(favorable)[11]
Q[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]

Although it did not enter any charts, Thom Jurek from AllMusic praised Soundtrack to the Apocalypse, rewarding the box set with four out of five stars. Jurek said it had "a whopping four CDs and one DVD." Jurek noted that discs one and two "feature tracks from Reign in Blood, and all the albums that proceed from it, and includes bonus cuts previously only released in Japan, and cuts from soundtracks." He also said that the third disc "is, appropriately, titled 'Shit You Never Heard' because that's what it is — sixteen tracks that have been unissued anywhere — from rehearsals, to in-concert recordings, demos, and one 'No Remorse,' a collaboration with Atari Teenage Riot, from the Spawn soundtrack," and that the fourth disc are "an electronic press kit video for Diabolus in Musica, and an appearance at the Kerrang magazine awards."[7] Adrien Begrand from PopMatters favoured the album, lauding the packaging but stating that "like any other CD box set that has come out in recent years, the band seems torn about whom to appeal to, longtime fans, or newcomers."[11] Begrand noted that the first disc "is especially great, as it captures Slayer at the peak of their career, starting with the classic 1986 album Reign in Blood."[11] PR Newswire said it was "a Slayer fan's ultimate experience,"[18] and The Dallas Morning News called it "a fat new audiovisual box set."[19]

Track listing

Disc one: Best of
No.TitleLyricsMusicOriginal albumLength
1."Angel of Death"Jeff HannemanHannemanReign in Blood4:50
2."Criminally Insane" (remix)
  • Hanneman
  • King
Reign in Blood (re-issue)3:07
3."Postmortem"HannemanHannemanReign in Blood3:27
4."Raining Blood"
  • Hanneman
  • King
HannemanReign in Blood4:12
5."Aggressive Perfector"
  • Hanneman
  • King
  • Hanneman
  • King
Reign in Blood (re-issue)2:28
6."South of Heaven"Tom ArayaHannemanSouth of Heaven4:45
7."Silent Scream"Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
South of Heaven3:05
8."Live Undead"
  • Araya
  • King
HannemanSouth of Heaven3:50
9."Mandatory Suicide"Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
South of Heaven4:04
10."Spill the Blood"HannemanHannemanSouth of Heaven4:49
11."War Ensemble"
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
HannemanSeasons in the Abyss4:51
12."Dead Skin Mask"ArayaHannemanSeasons in the Abyss5:16
13."Hallowed Point"
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
  • Hanneman
  • King
Seasons in the Abyss3:24
14."Born of Fire"King
  • Hanneman
  • King
Seasons in the Abyss3:07
15."Seasons in the Abyss"ArayaHannemanSeasons in the Abyss6:26
16."Hell Awaits" (live)King
  • Hanneman
  • King
Decade of Aggression6:49
17."The Antichrist" (live)Hanneman
  • Hanneman
  • King
Decade of Aggression3:11
18."Chemical Warfare" (live)
  • Hanneman
  • King
  • Hanneman
  • King
Decade of Aggression5:25
Disc two: Best of / Japan Tracks / Soundtrack Contributions
No.TitleLyricsMusicOriginal albumLength
1."Sex. Murder. Art."ArayaKingDivine Intervention1:50
2."Dittohead"KingKingDivine Intervention2:30
3."Divine Intervention"
  • Hanneman
  • King
Divine Intervention5:32
4."Serenity in Murder"Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
Divine Intervention2:36
5."213"ArayaHannemanDivine Intervention4:51
6."Can't Stand You"HannemanHannemanUndisputed Attitude1:27
7."Ddamm"HannemanHannemanUndisputed Attitude1:01
8."Gemini"ArayaKingUndisputed Attitude4:51
9."Bitter Peace"HannemanHannemanDiabolus in Musica4:31
10."Death's Head"HannemanHannemanDiabolus in Musica3:29
11."Stain of Mind"KingHannemanDiabolus in Musica3:24
12."Disciple"KingHannemanGod Hates Us All3:35
13."God Send Death"
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
HannemanGod Hates Us All3:45
14."New Faith"KingKingGod Hates Us All3:05
15."In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (Iron Butterfly cover)Doug IngleIngleLess Than Zero3:16
16."Disorder" (The Exploited cover, featuring Ice-T)
  • Buchan
  • Duncan
  • MacCormack
Judgment Night4:56
17."Memories of Tomorrow" (Suicidal Tendencies cover)
  • Muir
  • Mayorga
Undisputed Attitude (Japanese edition)0:53
18."Human Disease"
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
Bride of Chucky4:20
19."Unguarded Instinct"KingHannemanDiabolus in Musica (Japanese edition)3:44
20."Wicked"
  • Araya
  • Bostaph
  • Hanneman
  • King
Diabolus in Musica (European & Japanese edition)6:03
21."Addict"KingHannemanGod Hates Us All (Japanese & Collector's edition)3:41
22."Scarstruck"KingKingGod Hates Us All (Japanese & Collector's edition)3:31
Disc three: Rare Tracks / Live
No.TitleLyricsMusicRecordedLength
1."Ice Titan" (live)  March 1983, California4:18
2."The Antichrist" (rehearsal)Hanneman
  • Hanneman
  • King
December 1983, Tom Araya's Garage2:53
3."Fight till Death" (rehearsal)HannemanHannemanDecember 1983, Tom Araya's Garage3:30
4."Necrophiliac" (live)
  • Hanneman
  • King
HannemanSeptember 1985, California5:00
5."Piece by Piece" (rough mix, includes bass guitar intro)KingKingReign in Blood studio sessions2:13
6."Raining Blood" (live)
  • Hanneman
  • King
HannemanNovember 1986, Canada3:09
7."Angel of Death" (live)HannemanHannemanNovember 1986, Canada4:58
8."Raining Blood" (Jeff Hanneman home recording)
  • Hanneman
  • King
Hanneman1986, Jeff Hanneman's home2:00
9."South of Heaven" (Jeff Hanneman home recording)ArayaHanneman1988, Jeff Hanneman's home3:29
10."Seasons in the Abyss" (live)ArayaHannemanJune 1991, Michigan6:43
11."Mandatory Suicide" (live)Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
June 1991, Michigan3:59
12."Mind Control" (live)
  • Araya
  • King
  • Hanneman
  • King
Brazil, 19943:05
13."No Remorse (I Wanna Die)" (with Atari Teenage Riot)
Spawn: The Album4:15
14."Dittohead" (live)KingKingMay 1998, California3:03
15."Sex. Murder. Art." (live)ArayaKingMay 1998, California2:22
16."Bloodline" (live)
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
  • Hanneman
  • King
Hultsfred Festival, Sweden, 20024:02
17."Payback" (live)KingKingHultsfred Festival, Sweden, 20026:39
Disc four: DVD (Various Live Performances / TV Performances)
No.TitleFilmedLength
1."Die by the Sword" (live)March 1983 in California 
2."Aggressive Perfector" (live)1983 in California 
3."Praise of Death" (live)September 1984 in California 
4."Haunting the Chapel" (live)May 1985 in Sweden 
5."Necrophobic" (live)1986 in New York 
6."Reborn" (live)1986 in New York 
7."Jesus Saves" (live)1986 in New York 
8."War Ensemble" (live)June 1991 in Michigan 
9."South of Heaven" (live)June 1991 in Michigan 
10."Dead Skin Mask" (live)June 1991 in Michigan 
11."Gemini" (live)August 1996 in California 
12."Kerrang! Magazine Awards '96: Heaviest Band Award"Kerrang! Magazine Awards '96 
13."EPK for Diabolus in Musica"  
14."Stain of Mind" (live)July 1998 in Tokyo, Japan 
15."Bloodline" (live)April 2002 by ESPN 
16."Disciple" (live)July 2003 in France 
17."God Send Death" (live)July 2003 in France 
Disc five: (Deluxe Edition) - Live Bloodpack CD, Live at The Grove in Anaheim (May 2, 2002)
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Darkness of Christ" (live)KingHanneman1:48
2."Disciple" (live)KingHanneman4:30
3."War Ensemble" (live)
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
Hanneman5:40
4."Stain of Mind" (live)KingHanneman3:59
5."Postmortem" (live)HannemanHanneman4:20
6."Raining Blood" (live)
  • Hanneman
  • King
Hanneman3:25
7."Hell Awaits" (live)King
  • Hanneman
  • King
7:14
8."At Dawn They Sleep" (live)
  • Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
Hanneman7:44
9."Dead Skin Mask" (live)ArayaHanneman6:32
10."Seasons in the Abyss" (live)ArayaHanneman4:32
11."Mandatory Suicide" (live)Araya
  • Hanneman
  • King
5:13
12."Chemical Warfare" (live)
  • Hanneman
  • King
  • Hanneman
  • King
7:00
13."South of Heaven" (live)ArayaHanneman4:32
14."Angel of Death" (live)HannemanHanneman6:18

Personnel

Slayer

  • Tom Araya – bass, vocals
  • Jeff Hanneman – guitar
  • Kerry King – guitar
  • Dave Lombardo – drums on disc #1 tracks 1–18, disc #2 track 15, disc #3 tracks 1–7, 10–11 and 16–17, disc #4 tracks 1–10 and 15–17, disc #5 tracks 1–14
  • Paul Bostaph – drums on disc #2 tracks 1–14 and 16–22, disc #3 tracks 12 and 14–15, disc #4 track 14
  • Jon Dette – drums on disc #4 track 11

Production

  • Rick Sales – executive producer, worldwide representation
  • Nich John – executive producer, worldwide representation, DVD producer
  • Kevin Estrada – co-executive producer, photography
  • Rick Rubin – American recordings
  • Dino Paredes – American recordings
  • Sanctuary Artist Management – worldwide representation
  • Vlado Meller – mastering
  • Steve Kadison – mastering-assistant
  • Adam Abrams – project coordination
  • Jeff Fura – DVD producer
  • Kelly McFadden – DVD menu design
  • Dave Wright – DVD authoring
  • Scott Sill – DVD authoring
  • Paul Kirsch – DVD editing
  • George Fitz – DVD editing
  • Vartan – art direction
  • t42design – art direction, design
  • Mark Weiss – photography
  • Doug Goodman Archive – photography
  • Slayer Archives – audio & visual materials
  • Marc Paschke – essay & liner notes
  • Eric Braverman – essay & liner notes
  • Michael Kachko – marketing
  • Scott D. Harrington – legal
  • John Dittmar – booking agent
  • Scott Sokol – booking agent
  • John Jackson – booking agent
  • Bill Vuylsteke – business management
  • Angela DeSimone – business management
  • Monroe Grisman – merchandise
  • Ted Mattes – merchandise

References

  1. CMJ New Music Report November 3, 2003. p. 23
  2. Lord of the Wasteland (November 2003). "SLAYER INTERVIEW — TOM ARAYA". Metal-rules.com. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  3. Sharken, Lisa. "Kerry King... It's good to be King". Musiciansfriend.com. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  4. CMJ New Music Report September 22, 2003. p.21
  5. Iann Robinson, Ryan J. Downey, Robert Mancini and Jon Wiederhorn (2003-09-25) "Metal File: Hard & Heavy News On Hatebreed, Slayer, Slipknot, Megadeth, Six Feet Under, Anthrax & More". MTV. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  6. Iann Robinson , Ryan J. Downey and Jon Wiederhorn (2003-10-23) "Metal File: Hard And Heavy News On Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Cradle Of Filth, Black Dahlia Murder & More". MTV. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  7. Jurek, Thom. "Soundtrack to the Apocalypse - Slayer". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  8. Jurek, Thom. "Soundtrack to the Apocalypse (Deluxe Edition) - Slayer". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  9. Jurek, Thom. "Soundtrack to the Apocalypse (3 Disc) - Slayer". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  10. Jurek, Thom. "Soundtrack to the Apocalypse (WEA International) - Slayer". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  11. Begrand, Adrien (2004-01-23). "Slayer: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse". PopMatters. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  12. "Unwrap these new box sets". USAToday.com. 2003-11-19. Retrieved 2010-08-04
  13. "allmusic ((( Soundtrack to the Apocalypse > Credits )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-29
  14. (2003-10-22) "Slayer: 'Soundtrack To The Apocalypse' Track Listing Revealed!" Archived 2003-11-02 at the Wayback Machine. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2010-07-31
  15. D'Errico, Tom (2004-01-08). "Music - Slayer - Soundtrack To The Apocalypse Review". 411mania.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  16. "Slayer - Soundtrack To The Apocalypse CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  17. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 741–742. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone slayer album guide.
  18. "Slayer Four-Disc Box Set SOUNDTRACK TO THE APOCALYPSE Features Album Tracks, Rarities and DVD of Live Performances; Five-Disc Deluxe Edition Adds Concert CD". PR Newswire. 2003-11-20. Retrieved 2010-08-04
  19. Gubbins, Teresa. "Dallas Morning News, The : Slayer". The Dallas Morning News. 2003-11-07. Retrieved 2010-08-04
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