Badlands' long lost, third and final album, Dusk isn't really an album at all, but a batch of demos recorded between 1991 and 1992 for the group's then label, Atlantic, which first rejected them, then dropped the band, already mired in personal strife since the troubled sessions for their commercially disappointing second album, Voodoo Highway. Accordingly, the tracks that would eventually surface as Dusk were circulated as bootlegs and would have likely been mostly forgotten if not for the AIDS-related death of singer Ray Gillen, in December 1993, and the subsequent rise of the worldwide web -- both of which undoubtedly helped stimulate interest in the recordings. This led, in time, to their "official" release in 1998 by the Pony Canyon label, but it hardly altered the fact that Dusk's ten tracks were mostly one-take jobs, reportedly cut by Gillen, guitarist Jake E. Lee, bassist Greg Chaisson, and drummer Jeff Martin in just six-to-eight hours. So although the musicianship was impressively solid and the sound acceptable enough, Dusk's songs lacked the usual refinements of a final album mix, and some lyrics were even ad-libbed, resulting in a rather uniform set, devoid of the characteristic variety and bombast heard on Badlands' first two albums. Instead, most cuts might accurately be described as competent blues metal (not unlike previous efforts, just duller), with rare standouts like foreboding opener "Healin'," the distinctively brash "Walking Attitude," and the notably funky "Ride the Jack," still draped under a mantle of weary resignation, reflective of the band's dispirited frame of mind at the time. Also worth mention, though are "The River" and "Lord Knows" -- two promising sketches that may, with additional studio seasoning, have been transformed into powerful, slow-burning blues rockers; as well as the Eastern-flavored "Sun Red Sun," which contained intriguing traces of Alice in Chains, then on the rise along with the entire grunge nation. But, as mentioned earlier, all of the material collected on Dusk was far too raw and undeveloped for proper mainstream consumption, making its commercial existence justifiable only as a parting treasure for avowed Badlands aficionados. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia

Live performance from the German gothic metal band celebrating their 20th anniversary. For the show, played at the Crystal Ballroom at Karlsruhes in Germany, the band played both an acoustic and electric set. Both sets are included in full and feature appearances from guest musicians including Matthias Ambre and Eric Burton.

Live performance from the German gothic metal band celebrating their 20th anniversary. For the show, played at the Crystal Ballroom at Karlsruhes in Germany, the band played both an acoustic and electric set. Both sets are included in full and feature appearances from guest musicians including Matthias Ambre and Eric Burton.

BLOOD & DIRT offers a career retrospective of the defunct San Francisco thrash metal band Vio-Lence. Directed by TALES FROM THE PIT filmmaker Jerry Allen, the documentary traces Vio-Lence's history through behind-the-scenes home-video footage; live concert clips culled from performances at Slim's and the Thrash of the Titans festival; and interviews with band members, fans, rock journalists, and thrash cohorts Exodus, Testament, Forbidden, and Death Angel.

Aussie rockers AC/DC, led by the enduring twin guitar attack of the Young brothers, perform a greatest hits show at The Monster of Rock Festival, Castle Donington, August 17, 1991. 19 tracks in all, ranging from the debut album title track 'High Voltage' to their 1991 hit 'Thunderstruck', all accompanied by the usual sock-blow-offingly spectacular light show.

Re-issue of 1994 compilation (now out-of-print) featuring 14 of the theatrical metal act's best tracks including, 'Fighting the World', 'Kings of Metal', 'The Demon's Whip ' and 'Blow Your Speakers'. Standard jewelcase.

On 180 gram vinyl, triple Lp.

Mechanical Animals is Marilyn Manson's third full-length album, released on September 15, 1998. It was the #1 selling album on its first week of release, the first of Marilyn Manson's career. The album is a concept album, similar to its predecessor, Antichrist Superstar. Four singles were released off the album: "The Dope Show," "Rock is Dead," "I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)," and, only released promotionally and with a video, "Coma White." This album virtually rebuilt the band and gave it more of a Glam Rock persona.

Includes: 70 minute Audio CD, a 2-hour DVD, 25 Collector postcards, 1 Sevendust guitar pick, 24-page booklet with tour.