This year’s release in Roadrunner’s regular DVD series could have been hampered by the lack of new releases from their major artists – with Slipknot, Machine Head and Fear Factory only contributing live videos rather than new songs. (How about putting some of their classic videos on DVD?) Even more disappointing is the absence of several of their most promising newer acts, such as Within Temptation and Dragonforce, but, while the bands who’ve stepped into the breach aren’t all to my tastes, most have done well to come up with interesting videos given very limited budgets.

Other than the videos billed as live, only a few are guilty of over-reliance on concert footage (DevilDriver, Wednesday 13), or simply the band playing the song on a studio stage (Ill Nino). Most realise it only takes a small amount of imagination to alternate these shots with a few more developing some story or theme to produce a much more interesting video without the need for Hollywood-style effects.

Special praise should go to Opeth, whose dark and brooding video to ‘The Grand Conjuration’ fits the song perfectly, and Khoma for what’s certainly one of the most unusual videos present. Also worthy of note is the chance to see the collaboration between current and former members of Trivium, Fear Factory, Coal Chamber, Machine Head and Soulfly as Roadrunner United for ‘The End’.

As always, however, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Nickelback won’t appeal to many of the target audience (hence being shoved near the bottom despite no doubt selling more albums than most of the other artists combined). While Hatebreed redeem themselves with a commentary on domestic violence, Terror are guilty of nothing more than ludicrous ‘tough guy’ posturing that comes across like Biohazard of ten years ago (and without the music to match).

Nonetheless, for a budget release DVD there are plenty of high points, and with judicious use of the ‘skip’ button one can’t complain too much.
(3½/5)