The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story

The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story comprises over six hours of film and more than two hours of audio across three CDs and three DVDs. The music and film are packaged within an eighty page spiral-bound notebook containing facsimiles from Springsteen's own notebooks from the original recording sessions, which include alternate lyrics, song ideas, recording details, and personal notes, in addition to a new essay by Springsteen and never-before-seen photographs. Containing a wealth of previously unreleased material, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story offers an unprecedented look into Springsteen's creative process during a defining moment in his career. "Darkness was my 'samurai' record," Springsteen writes, "stripped to the frame and ready to rumble. But the music that got left behind was substantial." For the first time, fans will have access to The Promise - previously-unreleased songs from the Darkness on the Edge of Town recording sessions - songs that, as Springsteen writes, "perhaps could have/should have been released after Born to Run and before the collection of songs that Darkness on the Edge of Town became."

The package collects Darkness on the Edge of Town on the first CD (digitally re-mastered for the first time), and the newly released The Promise over CDs two and three. DVD One is The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town. Directed by award winning filmmaker Thom Zimny, this 88 minute documentary film combines never-before-seen footage of Springsteen and the E Street Band shot between 1976 and 1978, including home rehearsals, studio sessions, and new interviews with Springsteen, E Street Band members, manager Jon Landau, former-manager Mike Appel, and others closely involved in the making of the record. DVD Two contains a 2009 performance of Darkness on the Edge of Town in its entirety from Asbury Park, NJ. This special performance was shot in HD without an audience and successfully recreates the stark atmosphere of the original album. Also included is never-before-seen archival footage (Thrill Hill Vault: 1976-1978), including complete song performances taken from private band rehearsals, studio sessions, and live concerts during the Darkness era. Finally, DVD Three is a complete, twenty-six song previously unreleased concert performance from the historic Darkness on the Edge of Town Tour in Houston, TX 1978.