Moonsorrow release 'biggest metal box set ever'

Touted as the largest metal box set in history, Monsorrow’s gargantuan Heritage 1995-2008 goes on sale today in collaboration with with Blood Music, the gurus responsible for Strapping Young Lad’s stunning The Complete Works collection.

Containing the band’s back catalogue and a bonus disc of rarities and demos across a whopping 14 heavyweight discs and a whole host of extras, it promises to be every bit of epic as the Finnish heathen metallers’ music itself. Check out a video, mock-up and statement from guitarist/vocalist Mitja Harvilahti on the work that went into Heritage!

• All recorded works by Moonsorrow from their inception in 1995 until the year 2008.

• All works specifically remastered for vinyl by Troy Glessner (Devin Townsend Project)

• Twenty-five pieces of new artwork by Rainbath Visual (Deafheaven, Moss) and Nucleart Design (Impaled Nazarene, Setherial), in addition to the original artwork and photographs for all albums

• Layouts by Travis Smith (Strapping Young Lad, Katatonia, Opeth).

• Fourteen LPs, containing nearly eight hours of music on heavyweight 200-gram audiophile virgin vinyl LPs

• 21 live, demo, unreleased, and rare bonus tracks

• The first time nearly all of this material has been pressed on vinyl.

• Suden Uni (2001) LP in heavyweight gatefold jacket with heavyweight printed insert.

• _Voimasta Ja Kunniasta _(2001) 2xLP in heavyweight triple gatefold jacket.

• Kivenkantaja (2003) 2xLP in heavyweight triple gatefold jacket.

• Verisäkeet (2005) 3xLP in heavyweight triple gatefold jacket.

• V: Hävitetty (2007) 2xLP in heavyweight triple gatefold jacket.

• Tulimyrsky (2008) 2xLP in heavyweight triple gatefold jacket.

• Demos & Rarities (1995-1999) 2xLP in heavyweight gatefold jacket.

• Ravaged Road (2014) feature length - 45 minute - tour documentary DVD, created by the band specifically for the set.

• Tulimyrsky ultra-wide, panoramic poster - 1400mm x 285mm (55 in. x 11 in.) - the widest possible print in the entire country.

• Moonsorrow Heritage turntable slipmat.

• Moonsorrow Heritage T-shirt. [exclusive to Die Hard Edition]

• Thanks list, containing the names of every supporter of the Die Hard edition, autographed by the entire band. [exclusive to Die Hard Edition]

• 100% of the records on crystal-clear colored vinyl. [exclusive to Die Hard Edition]

• Two-piece, custom-cut, heavyweight box, specially designed and shaped for this set.

Price: 350 EUR + Shipping

[special 375 USD + Shipping for USA/Canada only]

Other versions that will be available: Splatter Edition, White Edition, and Die Soft Edition.

Mitja Harvilahti on _Heritage 1995-_2008

“We are not known for doing tiny songs and nice little albums, but when Blood Music contacted us about releasing the biggest LP box set in the history of metal, it sounded humongous.

“The idea was to remaster everything for vinyl, release everything in special double or triple gatefold layouts, with redrawn cover art and loads of exclusive extras. Such a package seemed insanely complicated to produce, and indeed, it took us two years to put everything together! We saw the earlier releases by Blood Music and understood their attention to detail and the stunning work they had achieved.

“We were able to use the very best people for the job: Travis Smith (Strapping Young Lad, Katatonia, Opeth) for the layouts, Troy Glessner (Devin Townsend Project) for remastering, and Reuben Sawyer (Deafheaven, Moss) to redraw all the covers and original interiors for the box set. We also came to the conclusion that since we’ve never released a proper DVD, now is the time!

“I personally have a collection of hundreds of Moonsorrow-related DV-tapes from the years 2003-2011, and while going through them, I realised the tour material for V: Hävitetty captured an incredibly special spirit. We edited those clips together into an ‘on-the-road’ documentary of the events that happened that year, and we are more than pleased with how the general and insane atmosphere of touring was captured.

“Another very interesting aspect is the inclusion of the early Moonsorrow demos. There is some material that not even all band members had heard before this project! Ville [Sorvali, drums/keyboards] found half of the long-lost demo Thorns Of Ice [1996], and it feels crazy to have it published for the first time – not on a C-cassette or internet stream – but on deluxe LP!

“All in all, this box set is our legacy – the biggest and the most beautiful thing we have ever released – and we can’t wait to hold it in our hands. We didn’t do this for the numbers, but to be able to give our music the best possible physical form that will last on as a piece of art!

“I’m sure everyone who acquires the box set will see, feel and hear the amount of love, work and time we have dedicated towards making this happen.”

Preorder Heritage 1995-2008 here!

Having freelanced regularly for the Melody Maker and Kerrang!, and edited the extreme metal monthly, Terrorizer, for seven years, Jonathan is now the overseer of all the album and live reviews in Metal Hammer. Bemoans his obsolete superpower of being invisible to Routemaster bus conductors, finds men without sideburns slightly circumspect, and thinks songs that aren’t about Satan, swords or witches are a bit silly.