Various Artists - Monsters Of Metal Vol.5 (CD)

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It's been a long time since I last was that 'dedicated' to what I was going to review. Nope, it's not the quantity of the bands featured in this 2xDVD package, nor is it the variety in music. I only saw this set at once. Apart from needing a lot of time to focus on this release, such 'products' give you the chance to remember, forget, get familiar with new or older stuff, re-establish (eventually) your relationship with Metal music and - at an extend - to your own self.
I remember Nuclear Blast's very first artists/releases e.g. Righteous Pigs, Atrocity, Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra and Benediction. In the early-to-mid 90s Death Metal - and Nuclear Blast, in parallel - lived in high reputation. Still, with Amorphis or Therion the German label eye-clicked to more atmospheric styles, too. Then it was Hammerfall to the left and Dimmu Borgir to the right. Even (once) Epic Metal legends Manowar joined the bill, as Nuclear Blast's roster was growing like an 'experienced' whore's ass hole. With Helloween and Nightwish the label was now established as a premier one worldwide. To end it somewhere here: Nightwish, Gotthard, Edguy (in no chronological order) and -lately- Blind Guardian are the remaining additions to a catalogue list fairly enough judged as the Dream Team in - European, at least - Heavy Metal (in general) music.
Enough with the 'label' review. A double DVD package containing no less than 66(!) video clips, the 5th edition of the Monsters Of Metal series deals with every single sub-genre and era related to Metal music. Many videos come from the bands' latest efforts (Gotthard, Darkthrone - would never imagine I'd write these two band names one next to the other! - Cannibal Corpse, Primal Fear, to name a few) while some other classics are gladly greeted (e.g. Immortal's Blashyrkh, Mercyful Fate's The Uninvited Guest or Armored Saint's Reign Of Fire). Every taste is in here, so everyone can find his likes or discover some new likes/dislikes (the main purpose of a compilation, anyway). Furthermore, fans that seem to know why they like/dislike some specific bands/styles will now have an added criteria, due to instant comparison (Nevermore next to Exodus, for example…huh).
In general, an attempt to preserve a normal 'cue' in each disc did not achieve high success, I must admit, but - at least - there's a rather more-than-average running order in these two DVDs. No extras are featured in this combo, but who needs 'em anyway? It's 260 minutes of storm blasting Metal music, anyway. I'd only wish for more operational chapters/titles navigation…
This DVD package cannot be rated. Still, it's worth the purchase, as long as you can find 4 1/2 hours of free time, shut your cell phone, place your ass in a convenient seat and force yourself to see the whole package at once. You won't regret it, read the intro paragraph again, please.