Black Box – Wax Trax! Records: The First 13 Years

Black Box – Wax Trax! Records: The First 13 Years is a box set album compiling songs released on Wax Trax! Records between 1980 and 1993. Black Box commemorates Wax Trax!'s output as an independent record label prior to its purchase by TVT Records. In particular, Black Box celebrates Wax Trax!'s place as the seminal American industrial label, featuring acts such as Ministry (and its numerous side projects), KMFDM, Meat Beat Manifesto, Coil, Laibach, and many others.

Contents

• Disc one
• Disc two
• Disc three
• Songs
• References

Black Box is notable for containing the Trent Reznor Vocal Version of 1000 Homo DJs' "Supernaut." Reznor's vocal recording was not used on the original Wax Trax! release because of pressure from his then-current record label—conspicuously, TVT Records. Absent from Black Box is the work of Front 242, whose releases on Wax Trax! (originally licensed from Play It Again Sam) are not represented because of disputes with Epic Records, which had recently obtained the rights to Front 242's catalogue.

A numbered limited edition run of 10,000 of this box set was also released. The packaging was an electroplated galvanized steel box, enclosed in a black nylon mesh that was tied off at each end by heavy gauge metal wire. A card that had information about the release, including the limited edition numbering, was attached to the packaging via a wire tie. The top lid was stamped with the "Black Box" logo. Inside the packaging were the following items (stacked from top to bottom in this order): a single sided poster, the information booklet (the same that was included in the regular release), Disc 1, a coaster with the "Black Box" logo on it, Disc 2, a "Black Box" patch, Disc 3, and a postcard you could mail in for a free catalogue from Wax Trax! / TVT. All of this sat on a bedding of "69 feet of audio tape outtakes." Each of the three CDs came in their own opaque black jewel case that had no printing on it.

A pair of companion VHS tapes were released in conjunction with the CD release.