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Thats good news im missing a few of their early records.

That's good. They need to be remastered. I have to turn my stereo up to 30 just so they sound halfway normal.

The first albums I can see a point in remastering, but as for Imaginations and Nightfall, I think they should be left alone the way they are, as I don't think they'd get any better with remastering. Sure, the production of those might not be perfect, but many of the songs are not far from it.

And is it just me, or does anyone else hate remastered versions with bonus-tracks? In one way bonustracks might be interesting if they're any good, but in other ways I think they ruin the flow of some albums. I want to listen to certain albums the way they are meant to be listened to. And I also hate remastered versions if I already have the original, because sometimes I'd like to hear the bonus material, but at the same time I'd much rather be buying a new album with my money, than spending them on a new version of an album I already own.

My point is, remasters, unless they make an old album easier to get hold of, if they're for example out of print, or if they provide a remarkably increased sound quality, annoy me.

I love remasters with bonus tracks, usually they are crammed in at the end so it really doesnt kill the flow at all IMO. The only downside I see to remasters is that I may already own the album and there is no way Im buying it again.

Anyways, this will be pretty awesome, I need their first 3 albums and I cant find them anywheres and I'd also like to get my hands on The Forgotten Tales.

Well, I think Imaginations could easily benefit from being remastered. You really can't hear some of the guitar work on that album; for example, the chorus lead guitar line on the title track is unhearable except for when played live. Nightfall, I'm not sure really needs it, but I'll hear the remaster before I judge.

And I agree, but more specifically about one type of album. Concept albums. I completely hate it when they add bonus tracks on them. It really ruins the flow; even if it is at the end, just look at Operation: Mindcrime. We have the perfect ending; "I Remember Now" and then instead of a fade to silence we get a bunch of people cheering and The Mission played again. Ruins the moment. As for on regular albums... As long as the song is good and in the same vein as the other songs on the album, I don't mind it.

Operation: Mindcrime was exactly the example I was going to use about the flow actually.
Surely, it doesn't kill the flow during the album, but it ruins the flow after the regular album ends. Sometimes the moment exactly after an album has ended is one of the best of the whole experience, but then we get thrown into bonus tracks instead, which sometimes are worthless either way. Especially after an album as breathtaking as Operation Mindcrime, I just want to sit back in silence for a little while to let it all sink in.

My problem with bonustracks are also that most of the time those are just demo versions or live tracks either way, if they're something new and exciting it's nice, but that's very rare. Seems like only Japanese versions get those really rare special tracks

The bonus tracks on Silence (Sonata Arctica) made the album perfect.Defenders Of Gaia on Triumph Or Agony (Rhapsody Of Fire) is a serious highlight!!!!!
Bottom Line: if you are putting bonus tracks, better be killer songs!

Not on Devin Townsend's Ocean Machine. That ending is fucking scary.

As for bonus tracks, I don't think they have to be killer. I think listeners need to lower their standards. Most of these songs weren't on the albums because they're not as good as the other tracks. Obviously sometimes this isn't the case, but we still need to take not of the word "bonus." Take it for what it is. It's like having great sex, and then getting a finger in the poo-hole—not that great, but not really bad, either.

HAHA!! Best description ever.

Holy fuck!! Hope it arrives here soon!!!

Goddamnit. I just got the American reissues of their first two albums.

oooh, ive been looking for some BG for a while. Hopefully i have money

I really have to wonder how much better they will sound remastered......these discs sound pretty good as is....sometimes the remastering adds too much high end and takes away from the music.....

The only re-issue/remastered albums I own are Judas Priest's (BS, DoTF, and Painkiller), Helloween's Master of The Rings, Savatage's (Gutter Ballet, HoTMK), and Rush (way too many to name). All of them sound great, and have really cool bonus material. So I'm basically basing my opinion on just those and I havent run into anything suffering from what you mentioned, although Im sure there are many.

Which Rush Remasters do you have? All of the Polygram (From the debut to Hold Your Fire) are excellent...much better than the originals. As for the Atlantic ones (Presto through Test For Echoe), they sound exactly the same as the originals.

I have: 2112, Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, Signals, and Grace Under Pressure. Also I own everything (Studio album wise) from Hold Your Fire to Vapor Trails except for Counterparts and Feedback but not as remasters, just the normal dealies. But yeah, The Rush Remasters series is a good one, really cheap to get your hands on em too.

what bonus tracks on Silence??
Silence has bonus tracks????

Respect The Wilderness, some people say its the best song in the album, what kind of a fanboy are you?

DAng, I always listen to that on the live album... The intro is awesome, but I don't like it as much as other songs.