Arriving on the 40th anniversary of the stalwart black metallers' formation in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1979, In Nomine Satanas is a lavish box set featuring deluxe versions of their first four studio albums -- with the classic lineup of Cronos, Mantas, and Abaddon -- and 1986 concert LP Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Released in both vinyl and digital formats, the albums have been remastered from the original tapes, and arrive with all of the usual collectible accouterments (extensive booklet, artwork, etc.) -- longtime Venom devotees will find the Songs of Satan double LP, which includes a bevy of long sought-after demos and live cuts, of particular note. Welcome to Hell (1981), Black Metal (1982), At War with Satan (1984), and Possessed (1985) may not have achieved commercial success upon their initial releases, but all four -- black metal was hardly a viable subgenre before the release of the LP of the same name -- have since become canonical in the heavy metal community. 2005's career-spanning MMV covered some of the same territory, but without the laser-like focus on the band's early days. In Nomine Satanas caters to hardcore fans looking for that kind of precise time line, but also works well as an introduction, albeit a pricey one, for casual listeners looking for a more detailed dissertation on the influential group's most coveted works.
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