MONSTERS OF METAL – The Ultimate Metal Compilation Double DVD Vol. 1

What can I say? This is simply a collection of videos that Markus Staiger, the head of Nuclear Blast as well as head of cassette promotion, Porsches and flipper machines, has put together for lots of joy. For hours throughout 2 discs of zeros and ones you can enjoy Heavy Metal promotion videos, just like in the good old days of Sky Channel (Mick Wall-era) and MTV (Vanessa Warwick-era).

In one way, a compilation like this is just useless. It has the videos, and that’s pretty much it. Nothing goes on in-between the clips, the bands don’t present their clips etc. There is of course a bonus section with Destruction, Hypocrisy and Kataklysm live as well as the “Dr. Blast” show, where Mat Sinner (in this setting an employee at Nuclear Blast) presents newly released CDs from the Blast.

On the other hand – Mick Wall, Amanda Reddington and Vanessa Warvick are now working different fields in the music business, and if you look at the double DVD from that perspective, this is lots of joy. In fact, some of you may ask yourself: Do bands still make promotion videos? Yes, they do, there are just not many ways to see them nowadays. MTV brought back Headbanger’s Ball, and from what I have heard, only Lars Ulrich has great pleasure watching all the nu-metal they show.

So is this compilation useless then? No, not at all. It spans over all kinds of metal that has a fundament at least here in Europe. Like every true Metal compilation, it starts off with the kings and their massive hit from last year, “Warriors Of The World United”, then features more NB recording acts like Hammerfall (a video recorded a few days after a shithead tried to re-furniture Joacim Can’s face), Helloween, Anthrax and Soilwork. Sure, Nuclear Blast is well covered on this set, but also bands like Judas Priest, Blind Guardian, Iron Maiden and Circle II Circle (to name a few) are featured.

I see no point in reviewing every video clip individually – that would make the longest review ever on Metal Express Radio and spoil some of the fun as well – but when you get this and prepare for an evening of crunching Metal spanning from Masterplan to Emperor, at least do yourself the favor and pay extra attention to the Soilwork and In Flames videos 😉