Vinyl Reports

The two albums being reviewed today are exciting prospects for us here at AP, because they also happen to be the first two offerings from Interscope/Capitol’s new Definitive Sound Series (a.k.a. DSS). DSS releases partake in the vaunted One-Step process, and this new series’ initial offerings — both of which were released back on October 10, 2025 — couldn’t be more different. Said inaugural DSS releases are 180g 2LP One-Steps for a) alt-rock supergroup A Perfect Circle’s smash-hit May 2000 debut Mer de Noms, and b) ex-N.W.A rapper/producer Dr. Dre’s mega-platinum debut solo release, December 1992’s The Chronic. Even better, from our POV, both of these debut DSS offerings allow us to further expand our coverage of audiophile-facing releases featuring hard-rock and hip-hop music, genres that don’t always get their respective high-end sonic due.

The underlying DNA between these two DSS releases is indeed compelling from an audiophile perspective. Both albums feature fresh vinyl cuts from original sources. The new lacquers for A Perfect Circle’s Mer de Noms were cut by Levi Seitz at Black Belt Mastering (located in the state of Washington) from 24bit/96kHz files — hi-rez transfers originally made in 2008 from analog flat masters by legendary Capitol mastering engineer Ron McMaster. Meanwhile, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic features new lacquers crafted from original analog master tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood. Dorin Sauerbier at RTI oversaw the One-Step pressings for these 2LP DSS releases, both of which appear on Neotech VR900-D2 180g vinyl.

The DSS reissues for and Chronic are limited to a one-time pressing of 3,000 numbered copies apiece. Each 2LP set includes a formal Certificate of Authenticity, and the 180g discs come in audiophile-grade, plastic-lined inner sleeves. The double-gatefold album covers are crafted from high-quality heavyweight cardboard in the classic tip-on construction style, and the whole DSS package is housed inside a custom, protective hard-shell outer slipcase, color-coordinated with each album’s core cover art.

The SRP for the and Chronic DSS LPs is an admittedly steep $124.99 each. Either or both of them can be ordered from Music Direct here, and/or via the two respective MD link graphics that appear ahead of each album’s tracklisting section below.

For those not familiar with the One-Step vinyl manufacturing process, it literally eliminates several steps in the traditional LP production line. This allows for the creation of a record directly from its first-generation metal mother that is made from the original lacquer cut that comes from an original master tape or hi-rez digital file. Reducing the number of steps limits the opportunity for signal degradation (as happens in many analog procedures), and is intended to deliver a physical vinyl disc that is technically closer to the master recording. Since I first started reviewing One-Step titles back in 2022, I have generally been impressed with the results from the process. It’s a good thing, as they say.

In preparing for this review, the good folks at Interscope/Capitol also kindly sent us (both myself, and AP editor Mike Mettler, that is) advance test pressings of both albums. This was handy on multiple levels, giving us something solid to compare with the final pressings. Overall, I am pleased to have had them in hand to do so, because the final production pressings sound very close to the test pressings, if not identical. Both DSS One-Steps were dead-quiet and well-centered, so I was able to just dive into the music without distraction — so let’s get right to it!

A PERFECT CIRCLE
MER DE NOMS
180g 2LP (Virgin)
MUSIC: 9
SOUND: 9

Reviewing the 25th anniversary DSS edition of A Perfect Circle’s Mer de Noms has been an equally exciting — but decidedly different — challenge for me, compared to Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. (That review follows directly after this one.) This is one of those scenarios where I had simply not paid attention to this group back in the day, despite the May 2000-released album being a huge hit. This does not surprise me, because I was in the midst of a very intense job as director of marketing of a music startup at the peak of the so-called dot-com era, and I was also escalating activities with my own band at the time. So, inevitably some new music I might well have enjoyed at the time fell through the cracks. Mea culpa!

Anyway, knowing what I know now, I would have liked to have seen A Perfect Circle perform live, that’s for sure. Mer de Noms is a really interesting, hard-rocking, prog/metal-leaning powerhouse. At times, it feels to be something of an homage to one of my favorite artists of the ’90s — the late, great Jeff Buckley (who, for context, sadly passed away just two years before this album was released). I don’t think it’s an accident that some of these songs have that sort of epic, ethereal, Buckleyesque quality to them — strong moments of beauty and light amidst the heavy firestorms.

As I mentioned in the intro section just ahead of this review, the DSS vinyl is quiet and well-centered, and the music sounds really good too. I don’t have an original pressing to compare this version to, but between the DSS and the test pressing, I can attest that the sound is very similar — a factor that bodes well for the entire series! (Footnote 1)

Interestingly, and as briefly noted earlier, the lacquers for the 25th anniversary DSS edition of Mer de Noms were cut from 24bit/96kHz digital files that were transferred from the flat (i.e., unEQ’ed) analog master tape sources. Before you purists turn up your noses at that, it might help to read some insightful background on the making of this release, which came from official interwebs postings from reissue producer Thomas “Grover” Biery: “Levi [Seitz of Black Belt Mastering] had noticed the pressing fans seemed to like most was a 2020 reissue from a lacquer cut by Capitol mastering engineer Ron McMaster (RM) back in 2008. We couldn’t believe our archive partner had found that vinyl master in hi-res at 96/24 for us! But that wasn’t even the end. Levi had Ron’s phone number, who is now retired, and called him to see if he recalled that session. He did, and the best he could recall was he complied cutting reels from analog tape — then did the digital transfer himself. And then returned the actual songs back onto their original place on the overall reels. That is the intention of DSS One-Steps — to create the definitive-sounding version of the recordings we release. It often takes dozens of conversations and dozens of hours to accomplish that goal . . . and sometimes — you just gotta keep digging.”

And thus, that is why a digital transfer was used for making the Mer de Noms DSS release. Not only were these tracks physically cut and assembled into a master reel, as culled from analog production master takes across multiple reels — which would be no doubt challenging to reassemble/recreate — it is also a proven fan favorite! The mastering engineers, McMaster and Seitz, clearly did a good job, so this album doesn’t have a particularly digital feel to it, even though it is rocking hard. You can turn up the Mer de Noms DSS discs loudly, and the music doesn’t fall apart.

As far as my favorite tracks go, some stand-outs for me initially include “Magdalena” (LP1, Side A, Track 2), which reminds me of no less than ex-Japan vocalist/songwriter David Sylvian’s efforts, as well as some mellower King Crimson moments. The following track, “Rose” (LP1, Side A, Track 3), is just lovely in that sort of aforementioned Jeff Buckley manner, blending rich acoustic guitar textures (which sound full and natural) with driving, densely layered, overdriven electric guitars, complemented by sensitive drum technique — loud when it needs to be, and quiet and subdued in dramatic moments of hush and wonder.

“Thinking of You” (LP2, Side D, Track 1) also opens up with a moment of quiet before the storm descends. “Orestes” (LP1, Side B, Track 2) sounds like what might have happened had Pearl Jam collaborated with Cocteau Twins’ guitarist Robin Guthrie. I could go on, but I think you get the idea that there are some quite excellent musical aesthetics at play here.

As for my ratings, I give the Music a 9, and the Sound a 9 as well. If you are a fan of A Perfect Circle and are seeking a definitive pressing of Mer de Noms — or are looking to go all-in on an entry point into their music — then this 25th anniversary 180g 2LP DSS edition is the one for you.

A PERFECT CIRCLE
MER DE NOMS
180g 2LP (Virgin)

Original album produced by Billy Howerdel
Original album mixed by Alan Moulder and Billy Howerdel at Extasy Studios, North Hollywood
Original album engineered by Billy Howerdel at Perfect Circle Studios, North Hollywood
Reissue mastering by Levi Seitz at Black Belt Mastering, Washington
One-Step process by Dorin Sauerbier at RTI
One-Step reissue producer: Tom “Grover” Biery, for Virgin Records
Album pressed at RTI

LP1, Side A
1. The Hollow
2. Magdalena
3. Rose

LP1, Side B
1. Judith
2. Orestes
3. 3 Libras

LP2, Side C
1. Sleeping Beauty (Extended Intro)
2. Thomas
3. Renholdër

LP2, Side D
1. Thinking Of You
2. Breña
3. Over

DR. DRE
THE CHRONIC
180g 2LP (Aftermath/Death Row/Interscope/Capitol)
MUSIC: 10
SOUND: 10

Being upfront, I have to admit that historically, while I do appreciate hip-hop and some rap music, it is generally not my main jam. I lean more to vintage soul and R&B, as well as more “hybrid” modern day artists. Accordingly, I’ve developed some favorites along the way such as Tank & The Bangas, Black Pumas, and Meshell Ndegeocello.

So, I was thus a little daunted approaching doing a review of such a deep rap classic like Dr. Dre’s massive and influential hit 1992 release, The Chronic, an album I’d not listened to end-to-end previously. Interestingly, this relative distance from the heart of the artform and the album itself has offered me some objectivity, and perhaps even a different perspective. That said, I very much appreciate The Chronic for its fluid, free-flowing expression felt across its four sides of vinyl.

It’s worth noting at this point that The Chronic wasn’t always a 2LP set. According to Interscope’s official site, “When originally released back in 1992, The Chronic was a single LP with long sides. It was a gift that vinyl even existed for the original release — CDs ruled the day. By 2001, this landmark recording was split across four sides, which allowed for a more authentic audio listening experience to what Dr. Dre had created. Now we have The Chronic One-Step release, which takes Dr. Dre’s production to a whole new listening level.”

As far as the music itself goes, I can totally hear why The Chronic caught fire back in the day and became such a big hit. It’s a fine production — and, of course, the messaging is compelling.

Reading the album’s credits, I was pleased to learn there are many live musicians performing on The Chronic, which no doubt gives the music that extra bit of swing I find missing from so much present-day music (not just rap and hip-hop). That live spirit, a timeless swagger, and overall vibe within The Chronic is undeniable.

Beyond the inherent storytelling of the songs, the music samples within also contribute to a great deal of The Chronic’s underlying appeal. For example, fans of vintage funk ’n’ soul (like me!) can’t help but smile ear-to-ear over those Parliament/Funkadelic grooves beneath tracks like “The Roach (The Chronic Outro)” (LP2, Side D, Track 3). This effectively pays homage to P-Funk’s 1975 classic “P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)” hook: “Make my funk the P-Funk / I wants to get funked up.” Of course, we can’t really post the more explicit lyrics for Dr. Dre’s twist on the theme here, but rest assured, if you’ve been around young party people at some point in the past 60 years or so, you’ll probably understand and appreciate the sentiment of this, er, joint.

Online, I’ve read some comparisons of The Chronic to Stevie Wonder’s September 1976 2LP masterwork on Tamla, Songs in the Key of Life, but personally, I feel it harkens back more towards his earlier, August 1973 masterpiece Tamla LP, Innervisions. Particularly, I’m talking about Stevie’s stunning, street-wise Innervisions track “Living for the City” (Side 1, Track 3). As a little suburban kid growing up just a few miles away from riot-torn Newark, New Jersey, hearing that song was a mind-blowing wake-up of cultural awareness for me — a tune I played over and over as I began to better understand and appreciate the social crises happening around me. Likewise, listening to The Chronic as an adult has been both ear- and mind-expanding in its own special way.

Sonics-wise, I was happy to learn that The Chronic was originally recorded on analog tape. This makes sense, given that the era’s so-called DAWs — digital audio workstations like Pro Tools, which allowed for production and mixing “in the box” (i.e., within the computer) — were still part of a newly emergent technology. So, I suspect most folks were probably working with and programming so-called sampling keyboards like the Emu, and perhaps earlier Fairlight CMI systems. Despite the likelihood of early sampling keyboards and drum machines being put to use (which, if so, were probably of 16bit resolution at that time), there is a warmth and fullness across The Chronic that I didn’t expect to experience. There is no doubt lots of low end, but there is also midrange and high-end clarity that is very appealing.

I do have to say that the production values across both of these new DSS One-Step reissues bode well for future releases in this series (and we’ll review as many of them as we can). Accordingly, I have no problem giving the Music on the DSS The Chronic a 10 for its spirit of innovation, and the Sound gets a 10 as well. (Footnote 2)

If you are a fan of The Chronic, or are interested in fueling your budding interest in the world of top-tier hip-hop on vinyl, this new 180g 2LP DSS One-Step release is the definitive version to get.

Author bio: Mark Smotroff is an avid vinyl collector who has also worked in marketing communications for decades. He has reviewed music for eCoustics, among others, and you can see more of his impressive C.V. at LinkedIn.

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Footnote 1: AP editor Mike Mettler adds: I actually have Capitol’s 2008 and 2022 LP pressings of Mer de Noms, and the DSS blows both of them away. For me, I’ll also give the Music a 9, but I’ll tick the Sound up a half-step to 9.5. As but one example, the seething underbelly of “Judith” (LP1, Side B, Track 1) is as palpable as APC intended — and yet another example of why one cannot discount just how good modern-era hard alt-rock can sound on vinyl, especially when it’s DSS vinyl.

Footnote 2: Mettler again. I had only heard The Chronic via its initial 1992 CD release prior to getting this new 2LP DSS version, and I readily concur with Mark’s ratings here. The Chronic is a genre-defining — and, frankly, genre-defying — benchmark. For me, the production depth of well-known tracks like “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (LP1, Side B, Track 1) — the one that essentially announced the arrival of one Snoop Doggy Dogg — breathe that much fuller on DSS wax.

BTW, Mark also told me he was looking forward to getting and reviewing the just-released DSS version of Beck’s heartfelt February 2014 Morning Phase LP — and so am I! You’ll see our review of it here on AP as soon as we get our respective copies in hand, and can absorb it properly. Stay tuned!

DR. DRE
THE CHRONIC
180g 2LP (Aftermath/Death Row/Interscope)

Original album produced by Dr. Dre
Original album executive producer: Suge Knight
Original album mixed by Dr. Dre, Greg Royal, and Chris Taylor at Larrabee Sound Studios
Original album recorded at Death Row Studios
Original album vinyl mastered by Bernie Grundman of Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood
Reissue mastering by Chris Bellman of Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood
One-Step process by Dorin Sauerbier at RTI
One-Step Reissue Producer Tom “Grover” Biery, for Interscope Records
Album pressed at RTI

LP1, Side A
1. The Chronic (Intro)
2. F-- Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)
3. Let Me Ride
4. The Day N----z Took Over

LP1, Side B
1. Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang
2. Deeez Nuuuts
3. Lil’ Ghetto Boy

LP2, Side C
1. A N---- Witta Gun
2. Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat
3. The $20 Sack Pyramid
4. Lyrical Gangbang
5. High Powered

LP2, Side D
1. The Doctor’s Office
2. Stranded On Death Row
3. The Roach (The Chronic Outro)
4. Bitches Ain’t Sh--