So many comments about the lack of the swastika. Let's think about this. This is the first officially approved vinyl reissue of the album, correct? You know they had to go through Sakevi for this release to happen too? I think Sakevi, for as controversial of a figure he happened to be, isn't too much into the idea of using that certain symbol anymore. Whether he calmed down, or came down to realize that in these modern times, the swastika isn't just a symbol amongst others, it holds way more power with the current climate. The OBI-strip, in my opinion, is a smart solution to what could otherwise been bastardized, for example with a typical censored, or god forbid, a brand-new artwork with no regard to the original. I think Sakevi came up with the idea himself. For those in the know, we'll know. For those just picking up this LP, they won't get those mixed messages that symbol would have brought up. It's been 42 years, 37 when this album was reissued. Times have changed, and guess what I'm trying to say is:

if you're disapproving of this entire reissue just because of the cover, you're setting yourself up for some loaded follow-up questions.

Waah! I want my swastika!!! Waah Waah! Fake OBI hurt my feelings!!! Waah! Waah!

Despite what everyone else is saying, the sound quality is not that great in my opinion. It sounds slightly muddy. You don’t hear the definition in things like the snare drum, high hats, etc. I only paid $10 so I can’t complain too much. I think better mastering could’ve made a difference.

I peeled off the sticker OBI and this repress have no symbol on where the Swastika is.

Not gonna lie, I dig the bootleg version of Detestation I've had for years much more lol

Relapse is cashing in on nostalgia just like so many corporations are these days, unfortunately the important meaning/message of the album artwork has not been properly ed down to the younger generations that so desperately need it. Sakevi Yokoyama was/is a controversial artist who did prison time for using a flamethrower on a salaryman so I wouldn’t think he cares much for political correctness. If your feelings are hurt by some music/artwork than maybe you need to find a different hobby?

I have this on CD, where they didn't even bother to make the fake OBI an optional sticker, it's just a straight-up print on the artwork. All the discussion is on the VYNILS as per discogs base of course so I'm commenting here.

Anyway anyone who think this censorship is a cool and good thing probably also think the cover of The Residents' 'Third Reich 'n Roll' is deeply offensive too (to sum up if you don't know it and don't feel like looking it up, it's a farcical cover with a scan of Dick Clark in a Nazi uniform complete with swastika armband holding a carrot; that cover was actually banned in at one point, wouldn't surprise me if it still is).

Some people here really act like bots. Cover has bad thing = cover is bad and bad thing covered means cover is now good. They and the corporate minds at Relapse don't care or are able to understand how or why "bad thing" is used in the context of the overall picture, much like Thomas Bowlder didn't give a shit about the works he actively ruined.

As others stated, it sounds great, so no complaints about this.

The cover art however is a miss. I do have a bootleg looking better than the repro here which is heavy on the contrast, the original doesn't look that "negative", it's not just full black & white, there's a few shadows missings here & there on the reissue, especially on the back cover. Weirdly enough I'm actually wondering if this was scanned from the original artwork or just a bootleg (yes).

Anyone who owns the original knows there's a quite easy way to spot bootlegs from original copies: the piece of text on the bottom of the record. No bootlegs ever showed the piece of paper in its entirety, where the original is shown in it's entirery, no borders cropped by the bottom cover. The reissue is cropped, reason why I'm wondering about the sources for the scan.

Note that I didn't even mention the pussyfied artwork: that's not the only problem with this reproduction when it comes to visuals, especially when, according to relapse themselves:

"*This product is designed to be a replica of the original LP released in 1983. Any spelling or design errors are consistent with how the record was originally presented*".

Talk what you want about censorship, but even beyond that, this is simply not true and false advertising.

Sounds absolutely terrific. Stupid decision in doctoring out the Swastika and ruins what is otherwise a worthy reissue by doing such things.

Record is nice, but the obi sticker on the cover is infuriating. The censorship isn’t appreciated.