Box Set (Samhain album)


The Samhain Boxed Set was released in 2000, more than 13 years after Samhain effectively ceased recording and performing. The set's five CDs and one VHS tape compile nearly all of the band's original catalogue, newly remastered from the original master tapes, and a wealth of previously unreleased material, the latter of which includes a live CD and a VHS video cassette of live footage.
Of Samhain's previous official releases, only the original mix of the Unholy Passion EP was not included in the boxed set; conjecture is that the original master tapes had been lost over the years, or were erased when Danzig re-recorded the guitar and some vocal tracks to those songs in June 1987 for eventual release as side B of the original Final Descent.

Special packaging

The outer box cover was painted by Martin Emond, who had previously provided artwork for singer Glenn Danzig's post-Samhain band, Danzig, and comic book company Verotik. Within the box, each of the five CDs came in its own "mini-LP" sleeve. Also included was a 32-page booklet of photographs and reprinted lyrics to Discs One and Three.
The boxed set was advertised as "a $75 value, all for just $59.95", and is now out of print. If pre-ordered online through distributor E-Magine Music's website, the first pressing of the boxed set was shipped two weeks prior to the street date, with the first 1,000 packaged with an "internet exclusive" bonus metal pin of the "scarecrow beast" character that appeared on Samhain T-shirts in the 1980s.
Second pressings of the boxed set omitted the bonus pin, but included "the previously unreleased Samhain comic book" by Mr. Monster creator Michael T. Gilbert. The "contents" listing on the back of the box was modified to reflect the comic's inclusion. Some boxed sets were reportedly shipped with both the bonus metal pin and the comic.

Track listing

''Initium'' (Disc One)

  1. "Initium" / "Samhain"
  2. "Black Dream"
  3. "All Murder, All Guts, All Fun"
  4. "Macabre"
  5. "He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named"
  6. "Horror Biz"
  7. "The Shift"
  8. "The Howl"
  9. "Archangel"

    ''Unholy Passion'' (Disc Two)

  10. "Unholy Passion"
  11. "All Hell"
  12. "Moribund"
  13. "The Hungry End"
  14. "Misery Tomb"
  15. "I Am Misery"

    ''Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire'' (Disc Three)

  16. "Diabolos '88"
  17. "In My Grip"
  18. "Mother of Mercy"
  19. "Birthright"
  20. "To Walk the Night"
  21. "Let the Day Begin"
  22. "Halloween II"
  23. "November's Fire"
  24. "Kiss of Steel"
  25. "Unbridled"
  26. "Human Pony Girl"

    ''Final Descent'' (Disc Four)

  27. "Night Chill"
  28. "Descent"
  29. "Death...In Its Arms"
  30. "Lords of the Left Hand"
  31. "The Birthing"
  32. "Twist of Cain"
  33. "Possession"
  34. "Trouble"
  35. "Lords of the Left Hand: 2nd Version"

    ''Samhain Live '85-'86'' (Disc Five)

  1. "All Hell"
  2. "Samhain"
  3. "The Shift"
  4. "The Howl"
  5. "Unholy Passion"
  6. "All Murder, All Guts, All Fun"
  7. "I Am Misery"
  8. "The Hungry End"
  9. "Horror Biz"
  10. "He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named"
  11. "Black Dream"
  12. "Death Comes Ripping"
  13. "Mother of Mercy"
  14. "To Walk the Night"
  15. "Halloween II"
  16. "In My Grip"
  17. "London Dungeon"
  18. "Archangel"

    ''Live VHS''

  1. "All Murder, All Guts, All Fun"
  2. "The Shift"
  3. "Unholy Passion"
  4. "Black Dream"
  5. "The Hungry End"
  6. "I Am Misery"
  7. "Horror Biz"
  8. "Moribund"
  9. "All Hell"
  10. "London Dungeon"
  11. "Archangel"
  12. "Mother of Mercy"
  13. "To Walk the Night"
  14. "Samhain"
  15. "Moribund"
  16. "Black Dream"