Merzbox

Merzbox
Box set by
ReleasedJune 16, 2000 (2000-06-16)
RecordedDecember 27, 1979 – March 30, 1997
GenreNoise, free improvisation, industrial
Length49:54:47
LabelExtreme
ProducerMasami Akita
Merzbow chronology
Collapse 12 Floors
(2000)
Merzbox
(2000)
Live at Radio 100
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Chunkletambivalent[2]
Epicharmusfavorable[3]
Stylusneutral[4]

Merzbox is a box set compilation by the Japanese noise musician Merzbow. It consists of 50 CDs spanning Merzbow's career from 1979 to 1997. 30 discs are taken from long out of print releases, while 20 are composed mainly of unreleased material. The box also contains two CD-ROMs, six CD-sized round cards, six round stickers, a poster, a black long-sleeve T-shirt, a medallion, and the Merzbook, all packaged together in a "fetish" black rubber box. It is limited to 1000 numbered copies.[5][6] A Merzbox Sampler was released in 1997.

The Merzbook, subtitled The Pleasuredome of Noise, is a 132-page hardcover book written by Brett Woodward with over 100 images. It contains an extensive biography, culled from previous interviews and articles, a new interview, and essays by Achim Wollscheid, Jim O'Rourke, Damion Romero, Eugene Thacker, and Jonathan Walker. Masami Akita provides extensive liner notes for each disc. The book was also released separately with the Merzrom included.

The Merzrom is an interactive multimedia CD-ROM, designed by Troy Innocent. A second CD-ROM contains various Extreme press and a catalog. The "Merzdallion" medallion was designed by Marcus Davidson. Art direction and design were by Doriana Corda. Audio mastering was by François Tétaz.

  1. ^ McCarthy, Kieran. Merzbow: Merzbox > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  2. ^ Haynes, Jim (2001). "The Merzbox". Chunklet. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  3. ^ Daddino, Michael (2002). "Writing through the Merzbox". Land of a Thousand Dances. Archived from the original on December 10, 2002. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  4. ^ Burns, Todd (August 8, 2002). "Deconstructing the Merzbox". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on September 9, 2006. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  5. ^ "Merzbow - Merzbox". Extreme Records. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  6. ^ Woodward, Brett (1999). Merzbook: The Pleasuredome of Noise. Melbourne, Australia: Extreme Records. ISBN 0646383264.