Opiate Re-release a hint towards future packaging?

joeypants · Post by **joeypants** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:38 pm

I brought this up on the poll thread (whoops!) when I wasn't supposed to and Hellboy suggested I make a thread. So here goes...

Looking at this re-release and the pricing, I can't help but wonder if an ulterior bonus-laden motive to this is to gauge what fans might pay for more "special" packaging. Packaging (and signatures) were the only reason one could really have for buying this thing after all. We've all heard the album countless times and as far as we know, there's no bonus audio material to be had.

The new album will fall under the label so I kind of doubt they might go too far out of their way, as NIN and Radiohead both did their versions of this when they were out from under a label and thus, could probably reap more of the financial benefits.

But I for one would like to see Tool do something of a more tiered release with their next one (or something else down the line), where you have a download option and then progressively fancier physical packaging options. I would pay upwards of $100 for some sort of really cool packaging with a new album. Thoughts? Arguments? Go fuck myself*?

*Spoiler alert: I'll be doing this later anyway.

MOG · Post by **MOG** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:50 pm

Responded to this yesterday.Â Damn good idea.Â I would love to be able to purchase a digital copy day of release and then purchase some sort of collector piece with the physical copy.Â If they were smart, they would offer bundles where you could buy a collector piece which would include an immediate digital download of the album.

Post by **budsyralli** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:56 pm

i had mentioned before that maybe this packaging would lead to a bigger boxset that would include their other albums and such..Â im down with all of this..

nudges710 · Post by **nudges710** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:39 pm

i like all those ideas! i still have a feeling there is something special with this release that they arent telling anyone. i think the usb contains what would be special about it. maybe this is me just bein naive but my fingers are crossed for its arrival!Â

BlindnCynical · Post by **BlindnCynical** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:01 pm

This is the best way to combat people downloading it before they pay for it. They can release it to the web before anyone, while the production of a higher quality physical copy is happening.Â Â I for one think this is a great idea.Â Â We all know there will be no new album tho, so it's not worth our finger movements.

Post by **hellboy** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:31 pm

I don't care too much how Tool launch the net album, so long as there is vinyl.

Post by **bigboy55693** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:59 pm

I like the tiered idea.

Lamb of God has done it with their anthology release a while back. $500 got you a ton of stuff including a guitar, a guitar case, all vinyl releases and a signed photo!

On top of a tiered release I would really like to see the band release "stems" (individually tracked recordings) of the instruments.Â Again LoG did it and I love listening to the isolated drums.Â Helpful for practice and to hear those parts of a song that get drowned out due to so many inputs at once.

Post by **badkittygothgirl** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:04 pm

hellboy1975 said
I don't care too much how Tool launch the net album, so long as there is vinyl.

YES!!! Â And I don't want to have to wait 7+ years for it either.

Post by **snazzlefrass** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:47 pm

Fuck yeah, I think it would be an awesome idea. I'd pay a good chunk of money given it is a new album with a bunch of bonus items.

However, I don't think this would fly with the label if the price was inflated. They might think that they could get more money out of a traditional priced package that just contained the CD and album art. I say fuck the label. Take my money!

I also love the idea of releasing the individual tracks. I don't feel Tool would do this because they might feel it would defeat the aspect of the "magic" that happens when all of them get together in their circle jerk.

joeypants · Post by **joeypants** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:21 pm

You can do digital and still force people to buy the entire thing, not individual tracks.Â

It would be really, really cool if they had a package initially that had Vinyl AND everything else (CD packaging, etc.). I mean, it's not necessarily groundbreaking at this point either. Lots of bands have done similar (NIN, Baroness, etc.). But I also know Tool could really school every other band on how to do this. And I'd love to see it.

Ravenpig · Post by **Ravenpig** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:33 pm

^The recent How to Destroy Angels vinyl comes with a cd.

Post by **badkittygothgirl** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:27 am

Most new vinyls these days come with a digital download. Â I love that vinyl is making a come back. Â Picking up my Clutch vinyl this weekend. Â I don't understand why TooL waits so long for their vinyl releases.

joeypants · Post by **joeypants** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:36 am

badkittygothgirl said
Most new vinyls these days come with a digital download. Â I love that vinyl is making a come back. Â Picking up my Clutch vinyl this weekend. Â I don't understand why TooL waits so long for their vinyl releases.

The same reasons everything else takes so long... indecision/laziness/relaxed pace/howeveryouwanttoputit

Ravenpig · Post by **Ravenpig** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:38 am

Well they didn't release the Lateralus vinyl til right before 10,000 Days came out so I'd guess they'll do the same this time.Â

And it's not a vinyl, but Salival was released just before Lateralus was, maybe it's a pattern?

So when the 10,000 Days vinyl gets released I'd guess the new album will follow soon.

limeygringo · Post by **limeygringo** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:54 am

if there's a download option, i think the record company would be all for it since it just means more money for them. you'd think they've been pushing them to go digital since itunes came out. and it would give them the option to charge whatever they want/need to for optional extravagant packaging.