I voted 9. I know Michael Hunter isn't exactly a threat to the likes of Legends such as Bob Clearmountain, Steven Wilson and Stephen W Tayler, but he has improved on the most recent Marillion releases and I think this could be best mix yet. Yes, you do have to 'up the rears' a bit but when you do you can hear this is a solid surround mix.
Content wise this is an embarrassment of riches for any Marillion fan. 4 CDs - CD1 is a new mix of the album - the best it's ever sounded. CDs 2 & 3 are a 1997 Grand Rapids live concert. Excellent performances and sound quality. CD 4 contains b sides and bonus tracks.
The blu ray is Fantastic but I knocked 1 point off for bad authoring. There is a noticeable delay between pressing a button on the remote and it highlighting the option on screen. It's not my remote or player because I've tried it on another player - same problem. This issue is on another Marillion live BR and it's similar in it's 'Pain in the Arseness' to the Pineapple Thief Dissolution BR.
The disc itself contains LOADS, including the album in 5.1, a live bootleg video from the Netherlands in 1997 (filmed by an audience member but sound is from the mixing desk....I think). There's also some great audio only jams and demos, an excellent retrospective documentary on the making of the album and a couple of promo videos, one of which is still haunting me 2 weeks later (yes, I'm looking at you 'Man of a Thousand Faces' and your Gabrielesque Kiss that Frog CGI
)
Overall an excellent package, superb value for money and that's why I gave it a 9 !
But remember....when you think of Michael Hunter, think "UP THE REARS"
