Review by Acecool

The Packaging is near identical to the original LP covers, however, the discs are silver sided and no artwork. At least I wasn't disappointed in the mastering. Rumor has it, these new 2013 remasters were done using 24-Bit/96kHz and not just a 16 bit EQ boost (Not sure about the original source, but sure would be nice to know). The Peak Levels for volume boost does not disappoint and seems just right, the way it should be done and not bricked as many new releases are done these days. The Dynamic Audio Rating Value is DR11 on both this CD and "In Your Face". The BIG Question though is this! When will Japan decide on making the rest of "KINGDOM COME'S" Discography? As I am sure, there is a huge following that would be most interested and would love to know! A word to the Japan CD Manufacturer's, Don't worry whether or not if the album made the charts or not, as KINGDOM COME is a Highly Under-Rated Band as many of us true Rock Heads will attest! For those of us who know this band, the later releases just get better! Please Give Us More!!!

The "Cardboard Sleeve" / "Album Replica", is merely a scaled down version of the Original Album Cover which includes a HIGH GLOSS finish on most of the covers. Matt finish only if the original album release was done that way. If the Covers were as thick as the original LP packaging, it would be TOO THICK and bulky looking. For there scaled down size, they're nearly PERFECT! The same resembling factors of the original inner protective LP sleeves.

This is not a pro remaster, just Over Amped, Loudness Wars mastering where volume EQ has been pushed to distortion overload. Harldy any headroom, peaks and clips into the red zone on graph meter. Sounds horrible on AKG headphones. . HDCD sound is the way to go! or just buy the original mastered version and use your volume knob to make it louder. Very Sad the music industry no longer shows any interest in sound quality, only to cater to lossy mp3 iPod/cheap headphone units. Got duped on this one!

I also have the Rhino "Black Box" Remasters! I am also surprised by Bob's comments, as Jeff mentioned on Vol 4, "the Black Box is pure earbleed, squashed with compression and jacked up with too much EQ.". In comparison, The Rhino's are almost bricked leaving very little headroom with bass cut off notes and little room for sustain/natural veverberation. The Japan remasters have no peak cut offs what so ever where you get EVERYTHING as originaly recorded but with more punch, width and clarity. This was Japan Mastering at it's best before they also joined in on the "Loudness Wars". Read my Top 5 Star Review! and believe it!

The 2001 Remastering truly sucks! Way too "BRIGHT" and "TINNY" sounding, with the warmth and depth of the mids and lows traded off for "LOUDNESS". Very little headroom left and almost bricked on the graph sound meter chart, pushing it's limits to "0.0" on both Left & Right channels. The sound is too congested due to pushed beyond normal range EQ, and whom ever is responsible should be "FIRED" (probably some record exec on Cocaine = Numbness of the eardrum). After a few seconds of listening becomes somewhat irritating. Evidence that good music can be destroyed at the expense of the buyer thinking their getting something better. KEEP YOUR OLD 1st Press Original mastered CD's. In other words, save your money, You can't fix what isn't broken! Japan Record Execs, Please put more time into your CD's and know that by raising the volume is not truly remastering. Get back to the old Japan standard PLEASE! U.S. Collector/Buyer

From a little research, I am beginning to believe these are the Bill Inglot Remasters (also done for the 2002-2007 YES "Rhino Remasters), but possibly digitally eq'd and attenuated in 09' by ISAO KIKUCHI whereby allowing the process to be called "Japan Remaster" Just not as extensive in process as what DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT had gone through. These "So Called" remasters seem a bit Heavy Handed in EQing. Boomy and Peak Limited shows on "Waveforms". Stick with the original Atlantic pressings and you can't go wrong.

AWESOME ALBUM by TESLA (Tesla's MASTERPEICE IMO and under rated) and definitely gets 5 stars (for the album alone)....But! My only disappointment in this Japan issue is I wish they wouldn't have bricked this bad boy. Sounds and looks like this particular mastering is over amped too loud, then cleaned it up by dropping the high hertz level below clip level by cutting it off straight across the board at 98.8%. Still pushes the limits on the Peak Meter to "0.0" (very top). Something an amateur or a "to cheap to hire a pro" record company exec would do. Cause even by dropping the peak level to 98.8% doesn't get rid of the high end distortion and cymbals/snares sustain cut off. Right Metallic? (as in Death Magnetic). With so much emphasis on Japan's audio quality, I have to ask, What Were They Thinking? Still a nice listen, very clear and balanced on low's and mids...but what should be beautiful highs, sound brittle and distorted. Absolutely "No Head Room". If you find an original 1st pressing or a rare copy of Japan's MVCG-161, you won't have this problem.

1st Choice! From the 96' (04' reissues) Remastered UK Castle/Sanctuary Label, but with slightly better defined sound mastering (better Japan engineering on this one). Sound is identical to the non SHM-CD, unless your hearing things (placebo) or an out dated CD player that needs the clarity for laser pick up - Great on longevity (time will tell). I find this "ENTIRE SET" deeper/warmer than the Rhino's (more resonance and peak head room). Second Choice? No Human Audible Detection between the two unless you count "VOLUME" = UK CASTLE REMASTERS/"The Complete 70's Replica CD Collection (also in Box set now OOP), 3rd Choice finely mastered in your face louder (brighter) Rhino's, 4th Original Warner Bros Pressings/Castle Non-Rems. Collectible OBI's and LP Replicas are the bonus!

1st Choice! From the 96' (04' reissues) Remastered UK Castle/Sanctuary Label, but with slightly better defined sound mastering (better Japan engineering on this one). Sound is identical to the non SHM-CD, unless your hearing things (placebo) or an out dated CD player that needs the clarity for laser pick up - Great on longevity (time will tell). I find this "ENTIRE SET" deeper/warmer than the Rhino's (Japan/Castles have more resonance and peak head room). Second Choice? No Human Audible Detection between the two unless you count "VOLUME" = UK CASTLE REMASTERS/"The Complete 70's Replica CD Collection (also in Box set now OOP), 3rd Choice finely mastered in your face louder (brighter) Rhino's, 4th Original Warner Bros Pressings/Castle Non-Rems. Collectible OBI's and LP Replicas are the bonus!

1st Choice! From the 96' (04' reissues) Remastered UK Castle/Sanctuary Label, but with slightly better defined sound mastering (better Japan engineering on this one). Sound is identical to the non SHM-CD, unless your hearing things (placebo) or an out dated CD player that needs the clarity for laser pick up - Great on longevity (time will tell). I find this "ENTIRE SET" deeper/warmer than the Rhino's (more resonance and peak head room). Second Choice? No Human Audible Detection between the two unless you count "VOLUME" = UK CASTLE REMASTERS/"The Complete 70's Replica CD Collection (also in Box set now OOP), 3rd Choice finely mastered in your face louder (brighter) Rhino's, 4th Original Warner Bros Pressings/Castle Non-Rems. Collectible OBI's and LP Replicas are the bonus! BUY THE ENTIRE SET! SHM or Buy The Re-issues, 1st Press only came with a cheap book marker! Blah!

First Off, I agree with Jeff, A bit harsh on the Rhinos, but he get's his point across for those that need a bit of emphasis. As far as the Japan Hi Def On the Remastering, well, I just find it purely the best! MY 1st Choice! From the 96' (04' reissues) Remastered UK Castle/Sanctuary Label, but with slightly better defined sound mastering (better Japan engineering on this one). Sound is identical to the non SHM-CD, unless your hearing things (placebo) or an out dated CD player that needs the clarity for laser pick up - Great on longevity (time will tell). I find this "ENTIRE SET" deeper/warmer than the Rhino's (more resonance and peak head room). Second Choice? No Human Audible Detection between the two unless you count "VOLUME" = UK CASTLE REMASTERS/"The Complete 70's Replica CD Collection (also in Box set now OOP), 3rd Choice finely mastered in your face louder (brighter) Rhino's, 4th Original Warner Bros Pressings/Castle Non-Rems. (and yes! I own them all!) Collectible OBI's and LP Replicas are the bonus!

From the 96' (04' reissues) Remastered UK Castle/Sanctuary Label, but with slightly better defined sound mastering (better Japan engineering on this one). Sound is identical to the non SHM-CD, unless your hearing things (placebo) or an out dated CD player that needs the clarity for laser pick up - Great on longevity (time will tell), But still better than the Rhino Rems imo, (a bit brite with minimal clipping). Second Choice? UK CASTLE REMASTERS "The Complete 70's Replica CD Collection (OOP), 3rd Choice Rhino's, 4th Original Warner Bros Pressings/Castle Non-Rems. Collectible OBI's and LP Replicas are the bonus!

As far as the Japan Hi Def On the Remastering, well, I just find it purely the best! MY 1st Choice! From the 96' (04' reissues) Remastered UK Castle/Sanctuary Label, but with slightly better defined sound mastering (better Japan engineering on this one). Sound is identical to the non SHM-CD, unless your hearing things (placebo) or an out dated CD player that needs the clarity for laser pick up - Great on longevity (time will tell). I find this "ENTIRE SET" deeper/warmer than the Rhino's (more resonance and peak head room). Somewhat over amped at times (original recording bass distortion we are used to), but nice trade off for OZZY's Voice is in your LAP! as with the rest of the band. Second Choice? The UK CASTLE REMASTERS/"The Complete 70's Replica CD Collection (also in Black Box set now OOP). No Human Audible Detection between the two unless you count a hint of "VOLUME" 3.5% gain. 3rd Choice! The Finely Mastered in your face louder (somewhat brighter) Rhino's, 4th Original Warner Bros Pressings/Castle Non-Rems. (and yes! I own them all!) If you can find the "DISC UNION 3 BOX SET" that houses both Volumes (Part 1 & 2), GRAB IT! Very Rare! (Main Box houses the other two ;) ) Collectible OBI's and LP Replicas are the bonus!

I give it a "5 STAR" Rating for using the 94'Atlantic remasters (Best Version) and the 1st "Official" Led Zeppelin "FACTORY BOX" (no home made Disc Union crap). Not to mention the Extra "In Through The Out Door" sleeves and bonus "Coda" tracks. Definitely worth the money spent. If you truly want the best Zep Sound, you'll have to find the OOP and HARD TO FIND! "Classic Records Re-issue" 200g QUIEX SV-P Vinyl Remasters. Which when (including Analog to Digital 16-bit & 24/96 bit flat Transfers) compared to these 16 bit CD versions, you'll hear very much the same but with a tad more low end. In other words, Unless Led Zeppelin comes out with 24-bit DVD-Audio to house the full sound dynamics, this is the best your going to get (what do you expect on 16-bit?). For Collectability reasons alone, I bought 3 personal copies never to be opened. I can always play my 2003 mini's ; )