The five-album box set centers around the Sammy Hagar era of the band
Van Halen have announced a brand new box set called The Collection II. It contains the band’s four albums that feature singer Sammy Hagar, plus an exclusive record featuring studio rarities. The set will be released on October 6 via Rhino and is available for pre-order now HERE.
“These records were recorded before (without) ProTools or digital recording,” singer Sammy Hagar said. “It was analog on real to reel tape recorders. There’s a very special sound to that type of recording. We were careful not to destroy any of that, but to re-master with more modern technical equipment to bring out that wonderful magical sound. Where do you hear this stuff!? It’s never sounded better.”
The new release is a sequel of sorts to 2015’s The Collection, which featured the band’s six albums recorded by the band’s original lineup with singer David Lee Roth. The forthcoming set includes 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), and Balance (1995). These records represent the band’s phenomenal streak of four No. 1 Billboard 200 albums in a row.
Additionally, fans will enjoy the Studio Rarities 1989-2004 LP, an exclusive compilation that assembles eight gems from the Hagar era for the first time. Among these rarities is “Crossing Over,” the B-Side to Balance’s “Can’t Stop Lovin’ You”, and the band’s only non-album B-side.
The compilation boasts other exceptional highlights, including the band’s cover of Little Feat’s “A Apolitical Blues” and the instrumental “Baluchitherium,” which were originally left off the vinyl versions of OU812 and Balance, respectively. Additionally, the set features two songs the band contributed to the Twister Soundtrack – “Humans Being” and the Grammy®- nominated “Respect The Wind.” Rounding out the set are “It’s About Time,” “Up For Breakfast,” and “Learning To See,” which were recorded during the band’s temporary reunion with Hagar in 2004. All three debuted that year on Van Halen’s second greatest hits collection, The Best of Both Worlds.
