[ScoJo]

Oh yes, I get that.

Maybe someone could just put out that extra stuff from the CD on vinyl. That way we'd have it should we want it. :)

Why aren't you in charge, Tim? :D

[inksb]

I do agree on balance Tim - there are cues on the CD set which are essentially variations of other themes (like 'Stonehenge' which is very similar to 'The Rock') and so logically I'm with you.

But then there's the part of me which wants ALL OF THE THINGS! ;)

If you ever sequence it chronologically please post the tracklist. I would love to make myself a custom cassette of the score in true running order.

[havershaw]

Thanks for this!

The only pressing I have of this is the newest one with the crazy packaging, and I can at least say it’s super quiet, no noise or crackles at all (other than the scratch I put on it taking it out of the packaging, haha).

I’ve always wanted an OG but like other Carpenter records, prices have steadily climbed on this since I started buying vinyl. Now I really regret not picking up that copy I found in a record store a few years ago for $75.

[havershaw]

also, while I like this newest pressing a lot (at the very least, I didn’t feel the need to immediately run out and get an OG), I’m immediately skeptical of Howarth’s “mastering” after the amateur hour that is the latest Halloween II pressing.

[Hatter313]

There's an MCA one cogs for $60 that i am super skeptical of condition wise. they are getting out of hand. that and the fog are the two major carpenter I need OGs of (Christine is so rare a find i'm not even thinking about it, same with They Live), but the prices are more than i snagged a mint halloween for these days.

[havershaw]

Yeah I’d do $60 for a VG+ but not a VG.

Prince of Darkness is another one I slept on. I still have my original copy from my teen years, but it’s pretty beat up so I felt like I needed to replace it. I passed up $45 copies a few years ago (because it didn’t seem like a priority since I already had one!).

[inksb]

Yeah I’d do $60 for a VG+ but not a VG.

Prince of Darkness is another one I slept on. I still have my original copy from my teen years, but it’s pretty beat up so I felt like I needed to replace it. I passed up $45 copies a few years ago (because it didn’t seem like a priority since I already had one!).

PoD has been under 50 up until the last year. Then prices got out of hand. I ended up snagging one for around $70 I think? I can't remember I've bougth too many VS stuff to keep track of prices over the last few months lol.

[Bezulsqy]

Thanks @ScoJo for the Halloween III rundown. I also have this flexi disc of the Silver Shamrock TV jingle : https://www.discogs.com/Alan-Howarth-Ha ... se/4006777

[ScoJo]

COMPARISON CORNER #15:
by Skødjö
-------------

FROM BEYOND
Music Composed by Richard Band

A comparison between two vinyl releases of the score - ENIGMA RECORDS and WAXWORK RECORDS, with some added scattered notes on the different artwork/presentation/track listings.

1. Enigma Records (1986, SJ-73240)
33rpm

Tracklist:
The Resonator And Main Title
Back To The Pretorious House
The Lampre From Beyond
The Mutations
Escape From The Mental Hospital And Beyond The Pretorious House
The Final Battles In The Beyond
Catherine Survives...But?!
End Title

From Beyond - Enigma.jpg (1.18 MiB) Viewed 1421 times

The original release of this score from 1986 was via the label Enigma Records, consisting of nine tracks totalling around 38mins. Looking at the subsequent CD releases from LaLaLand, Intrada and Dragon's Domain, each has a different track listing and running time but the LaLaLand is close to the Enigma tracklist - the CD is expanded with a couple of tracks including 'Original Main Title'. It runs about 7 or 8mins longer than the Enigma LP.
The other two CD releases have extended tracklistings - 27 tracks inc. 3 bonus tracks for the Intrada coming in at 58mins, 22 tracks on the Dragon's Domain with four bonus cues, clocking in at around 63mins. It's hard to unpick the differences between these two CDs (on paper at least) as they have completely different track titles! So it's for someone else who actually owns those discs to tell us what we're getting extra across each of them.

All releases of the score appear to be from the same recording sessions however, credited to the Arkham Philharmonic Orchestra and orchestrated by Jack Smalley with additional electronics by Christopher L. Stone (Pumpkinhead, Phantasm II).

First off, the Enigma sounds really terrific. It kicks off with the 'Resonator and Main Title' cue that is heard so evocatively at the start of the film. What a fantastic science fiction/horror score this is. The pressing is excellent, my own NM copy playing flawlessly with deep booming strings and tinkling harps and xylophones etc. The main theme takes us into that specific Lovecraft/Gordon/Band world that feels so familiar after Reanimator. I've had this LP since it's release and I love it - the sleeve artwork and design is spot on with bright luminescent pink and green and psychedelic spiro-design perfectly evoking the film.


2. Waxwork Records (2016, WW017)
33rpm

Pink/blue splatter

Tracklist:
From Beyond*
The Resonator And Main Title
We Saw Creatures*
Back To The Pretorious House
Crawford's Anxiety*
Pretorious' Madness*
She's So Pretty*
The Lampre From Beyond, Part 1
The Lampre From Beyond, Part 2
Mutation
Escape From The Mental Hospital & Beyond The Pretorious House
The Final Battle In The Beyond
Catherine Survives... But?
End Title

*Bonus cues on this pressing

From Beyond - Waxwork.jpg (768.99 KiB) Viewed 1421 times

A relatively early release from WW, and the only vinyl repress of the score since the original - immediately you can see from the 14 cue tracklisting that this isn't a straight repress of the Enigma. It is expanded in the same way as the LaLaLand CD release, though it separates the long Enigma/La-La Land track 'The Lampre From Beyond' into Part One and Part Two, which accounts for it having 14 tracks rather than the LalaLand 13. The other five tracks missing from the Enigma LP are 'From Beyond - Original Main Title', 'We Saw Creatures', 'Crawford's Anxiety', 'Pretorius' Madness' and 'She's So Pretty'. The art duties on this are by Marc Schoenbach of Sadistic Art Designs who I'm not super familiar with, but it's pretty good - a little bit too 'basic horror' style maybe (and the centre gatefold is the usual WW waste of space imo) but it's fine. The Gordon sleeve notes are welcome. (Tbh the best recent art treatment for this title is Graham Humphreys' which
adorns the Arrow bluray/Dragon's Domain CD.)

So outside of the bonus cues which hint that the Waxwork is a straight vinyl press of the LaLaLand CD master (remember: in their early days WW seemed to have a thing going with
LLL), let's have a compare of two tracks which appear on both vinyl pressings (btw I have the 'blue/pink' splatter version of the WW, but there is also a luminous solid pink version.)

1. The Resonator and Main Title

The mastering of the Enigma is punchier and more upfront, it's a generally louder pressing and consequently whatever surface noise there is does not interfere much with the music. By contrast the WW is a bit more reserved, and on my splatter copy at least, there is more surface noise and fairly consistent crackle even after a good clean.

2. Back to the Pretorius House

This cue sounds beautifully detailed and eerie on the Enigma pressing, with emphatic use of reverb and stereo space to immerse you in the music. The WW again is a little less forthright but it still sounds good. The surface noise has calmed down a bit by this point. I'd say that it's a decent pressing overall that I just wish was on black wax! The Enigma beats it out by virtue of being a mid-80s vinyl cut, and as we know the mastering and pressing of wax back then often has that extra oomph that can be lacking in more timid modern pressings - especially when the latter are often sourced from digital masters.

---------------------------------------

In conclusion, I would bat for the Enigma pressing if you're only looking for one version of From Beyond for your racks - it sounds great, it looks great, and has the key cues from the unexpanded score. But you may want to have a listen to those additional five tracks from the LalaLand CD/WW release and decide if you also need to add that to your collection. For me, that's a 'yes' as I'll take as much of this Band score as I can get, it being one of my favourites of his for a film that I genuinely love and think is a dark sci-fi horror masterpiece.

[static14]

God bless you @Scojo. :) I have to agree with you on the SQ. I almost always wind up pulling the Enigma album over the WW when I give it a listen.

[ChrisMcQueen007]

Cheers ScoJo - apreciated. A lot. Like always when you do the comparison deep dives.

[havershaw]

ScoJo!!!

I was literally *just* listening to this Waxwork version a few days ago because my son has become obsessed with Richard Band, and I was really wondering if the Enigma has worth grabbing!

THANK YOU

[inksb]

Thanks ScoJo for doing this one. I think for now I'll stay put with the Enigma (my copy sounds quite good), grab the digital of the CD at some point too. If I come across a cheap WW copy I'll buy it.

[reddye6]

Has anyone compared Waxwork's "Night of the Living Dead" release with the 2010 "They Won't Stay Dead!" CD release in terms of musical overlap?

[texasvinyl]

The og from beyond cover is awesome, I have the enigma still but sold ww a while back. Nice writeup!

[deafmetal]

COMPARISON CORNER #16
by deaf
-------------

THE BEYOND
Music composed by Fabio Frizzi

Comparing four vinyl releases of the score; Beat Records, Dagored, Mondo, and Death Waltz, along with notes on overall package and presentation.



…E tu vivrai nel terrore! L'aldilà (…And you will live in terror! The afterlife), aka The Beyond aka 7 Doors of Death. Love it or hate it, Fulci’s film is unlikely to leave the viewer unmoved in some way. Found at #20 on Roger Ebert’s list of Most Hated Films, for me, personally, this film evokes emotions and feelings very far beyond Fulci’s feverish tapestry of nightmare gore. Despair, hopelessness and the inability to escape from ghoulish swamp phantoms, I find myself sharing a sense of isolation and loss of solid reality. Accept fate and blast some zombies, then try to run away only to get transported back into the flooded and haunted basement. Is it even worth running anymore? Just give in and let your soul slip away into the nothingness… or would that be worse than continuing to run on forever?



Film criticism aside (was there really no shooting script?), the manic swings of Maestro Frizzi’s accompanying score are nearly as feverish as Fulci’s film. From the ninth level of Mellotron hell to piping angelic chorus with the accompanying and magnificent Orchestra Dell’Orso (conducted by Giacoma Dell’Orso), Frizzi crafts an eclectic mix of moods for the film score. Somber keys, electric bass and hypnotic flute lull one into relative peace before the hooks of horror sink ever deeper and that chorus is back for more of your soul. The groaning Mellotron on this album sounds like the voice of the undead clamoring to be heard by the living. The sound is even more decayed and decrepit than what was previously conceived in 1979 for his infamous Zombi 2 theme. Many fans have discovered the Maestro and his other works through this ear-catching sound. The themes from The Beyond represent a high point of his early horror career, and are among the best of 1980’s Italian horror scores for the unique mix of percussion, synthesizer, electric bass/guitar, strings, and chorus.



Finding a copy of the soundtrack in the US to listen to back in the day was a difficult task before P2P sharing services gained in popularity. Even finding a copy of the unedited film to watch in the US with Frizzi’s original score was difficult due to the 7 Doors of Death theatrical edit/re-score.



The bootleg/tape trading scene existed but was not easily accessible or well-known, especially in remote parts of the country. These issues were resolved by the late 1990’s thanks to a couple efforts; Bob Murawski/Grindhouse for the unedited film transfer/remaster and Stephen Romano for CD/digital releases (supposedly licensed from Flipper Music/Sugar). I will indulge my own personal history a bit and share that the first “OST” presentation of The Beyond I could find back in this era was the Blackest Heart Media digital album that was included with their 1998 graphic novel release. Even with all the dialogue/fx interludes, it was a revelation to hear the isolated score fully presented in a sequence that went along quite well with the film/novel.



Moving from this release to the original 1981 Beat Records album and subsequent reissues was a bit odd for me as it felt like the music was out-of-order and with pieces missing. I also had a different experience with the 2011 Beat Records expanded CD album which has an entirely different track order and includes ten (10) unreleased tracks that have not been included on any vinyl LP release. If interested, I recommend checking out both expanded digital albums. This comparison corner will only focus on the vinyl LP releases which all feature the same exact tracklist and runtime as the original 1981 Beat Records release:

1. Verso L'Ignoto (Towards the Unknown) 3:57
2. Voci Dal Nulla (Voices from the Void) 2:56
3. Suono Aperto (Open Sound) 1:23
4. Sequenza Coro E Orchestra (Chorus and Orchestra Sequence) 4:32
5. Oltre La Soglia (Beyond the Threshold) 4:02
6. Voci Dal Nulla (Voices from the Void) 4:26
7. Suono Aperto (Open Sound) 3:58
8. Voci Dal Nulla (Voices from the Void) 4:17
9. Giro Di Blues (Tour of Blues) 2:19
10. Verso L'Ignoto (Towards the Unknown) 3:22
11. Sequenza Ritmica E Tema (Rhythmic Sequence and Theme) 4:22

All of these tracks were used (and abused) by Fulci like a DJ cutting it up throughout the film, with most repeating in modified sequences. Some even have tiny snips used like stingers. In classic Italian fashion, many tracks share thematic titles, so it’s important to note the sequence of run times to know exactly which mix your mind may be melting along with. There is a mix of Voci Dal Nulla toward the end of the film where the hotel is becoming fully haunted with ghouls and the theme is high in the mix with a great piano lead but is suddenly cut off mid-solo. This is not found on the album and just leaves one wanting more… Thankfully, the Maestro felt the same and blessed all of us with his Composer’s Cut where that mix with the full solo was restored along with many other excellent additions.

The Releases

Disclaimer: not an audiophile, using headphones, not an investment advisor, entertainment only, YMMV, etc.



The Beyond - Dagored RED 133-1 - Italy (2001)




Sleeve:

Printed on a thick cardstock gatefold sleeve. While not original poster art, the image of zombie Schweick in the water works well and is evocative of DVD horror covers. Original Italian film title and composer credit on the reverse along with track titles. A nice fan bonus on the inner gatefold with a reprint of a vintage Italian lobby card/print.



Insert:

An excellent treat for fans here with a reduced size recreation Italian film poster with original Enzo Sciotti artwork.



Liner Notes:

none

Vinyl:

Pressed by Abraxas Srl

I have the Dagored pressing that was distributed in North America by Runt. There was another GZ Digital Media pressing that was distributed outside of NA. The pressing sounds very clear with good stereo separation. The strings and bass immediately sound quite loud, but possibly a bit high and tinny without much warmth to the bass. The sound is enjoyable though and instruments are readily discernible in the mix. It is a decent pressing but nothing is getting me really excited about the listening, possibly due to low end sounding a bit flat. Unfortunately, my copy has some audible surface noise in spots from many small dimples on the vinyl. This production defect is found on other Dagored pressings of the early 2000’s era which is a pity. Likely not worth seeking out due to the rarity and cost along with the risk of the production defect. Recommended for obsessive Frizzi and Sciotti collectors only.


Mondo MOND-002 - US (2012)




Sleeve:

Another nice gatefold sleeve, but thinner cardstock than the Dagored. The artwork by Rob Jones is rare for a Mondo release to feature a still shot from the film. The untitled front sleeve image with Cinzia Monreale (Emily) and her dog, Dicky, immediately attracts attention. The image itself is somewhat grainy and appears to be a low resolution capture, but that has its own grimy appeal. Credit should also be given to Fulci for composing this shot on the highway in New Orleans. He is featured on the reverse in b&w with film title and composer credit along with track titles and runtimes. Excellent image on the inner gatefold with the final landscape shot from the film.



Insert:

none

Liner Notes:

None

Vinyl:

Remastered by James Plotkin
Lacquer cut at Masterdisk
Pressed by Rainbo Records

Pressing sounds a bit quiet in parts and not as clear compared to the Dagored. My ears struggle to discern some of the finer instruments from the overall mix as things just seem to mash together into a mid-range “soundball”. Overall, my ears felt fatigued after listening to this pressing and it did not sound good to me. There is also light surface noise throughout but not enough to be distracting. Quite a disappointment after the Dagored listen. Also, not a very impressive overall package without any additional artwork, insert or notes about the film or composer. Avoid.


Death Waltz/Mondo DW031 - US (2015)

** This reissue coincided with a special MondoCon 2015 live concert by the Maestro himself to help celebrate the festivities. Did you know there are three versions of this release with two different sleeves, but they all have the same catalog number? Does your OCD burn as well?




Sleeve (limited/color vinyl edition):
Nice cardstock gatefold sleeve with fantastic Graham Humphreys cover artwork. Film title and composer credits on the reverse along with track titles, still frame photos and liner notes from Frizzi himself. A nice image of Cinzia Monreale’s (Emily) creepy eyes on the inner gatefold.



Insert:

Outstanding high-quality four-page full color insert with extensive liner notes from Stephen Thrower and Larry Ray along with additional personal production photos from the set by Ray.





Liner Notes:

Frizzi (back sleeve), Thrower, Ray (insert).

Vinyl:

Remastered by Enrico De Gemini
Pressed by GZ Media

Note that there are six tracks on side A and five on side B whereas all previous versions of this album had five on A and six on B. Nothing major, just something of interest. Sound is quite clear on the Death Waltz with great stereo separation. Instruments are easy to discern and there is a noticeable warmth to the bass that was lacking on both the Dagored and Mondo pressings. The keys sound vibrant and lively. String plucks and resonance on synths sound crystal clear. Quite an engaging and enjoyable listen with many dynamics for the ear to follow. Little to no detectable surface noise on my copy which is a delight. Quality job, GZ Media. Both color/splatter and black vinyl play with the same quality and without issue for me. Highly recommended.


Death Waltz/Mondo DW031 - US (2015)

Sleeve (retail/black vinyl edition):
Cardstock sleeve with fantastic Graham Humphreys cover artwork. Film title and composer credits on the reverse along with track titles, still frames and liner notes from Frizzi himself.




Insert:

Outstanding high-quality four-page full color insert with extensive liner notes from Stephen Thrower and Larry Ray along with additional personal set production photos from Ray.

Liner Notes:

Frizzi (back sleeve), Thrower, Ray (insert).

Vinyl:

Remastered by Enrico De Gemini
Pressed by GZ Media


L'Aldilà (Colonna Sonora Originale Del Film) - Beat Records - LPF 052 - Italy (1981)

Sleeve:




Vintage Italian cardstock sleeve with Enzo Sciotti poster artwork. The quality of the printing is quite stunning and the colors remain beautiful and vibrant. With respect to other artists, there is really nothing comparable to Maestro Sciotti’s original poster artwork for this film. Although not even resembling a scene in the film, the horror and terror expressed in the painting evokes strong feelings and truly “gets the job done”. One of his more famous horror works and an absolute stunner of an album cover. Almost worth the price of admission and we have not even got to the vinyl yet. Film title and composer credits on the cover (the only one with this!) and the reverse along with track titles and runtimes.

Insert:

None

Sleeve Notes:

None

Vinyl:

This is a difficult and rare album to acquire. It is chased for good reason as it sounds just... amazing. What is immediately noticeable is how very clear and loud it sounds. The keys ring in my ears and the electric bass is bright and warm with a deep tone. Both the Mellotron and human chorus thunder, and quite clearly without distortion. There is a dynamic quality to the sound that I have not heard in the other pressings. Excellent stereo separation and the sound seems to bounce between my ears giving it a lot of “space” to breathe. The instruments sound so clear and discernible that the individual plucking and keys almost sound live. I am catching some electric guitar strumming that has not been heard previously. It is an amazing listen and without any whispers of surface noise. The Death Waltz is a very nice consolation prize, and I am all for reissues of expensive and rare albums, but I don’t know what it takes, get another job, sell your possessions, commit crime, find the Book of Eibon, and get a copy of this album before you pass into the shadow realm.

[inksb]

Thanks for doing this one! I've kind of given up on this one, even the DW & Mondo pressings are usually $50+ for a decent copy.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on the Composers Cut? That's actually the one I listen to the most these days. I keep hoping I'll stumble into a copy of the Beat pressing and have stopped looking for the other pressings regularly.

[ChrisMcQueen007]

Molto grazie @Deaf. This is a fantastic writeup, very much appreciated.

[ScoJo]

Dear Mr Metal -

Fuck you.

Love,

A fan of good pressings, who has only ever owned the ‘disgusting’ (as it turns out) Mongo offering.



I feel queasy, disorientated and overwhelmed. Hopefully this will pass, though I strongly suspect there will be lingering effects of this writeup until I come ‘fully righteous and correct’ and drop absurd Liras for the unbeatable Beat.

Curse you sir!! (but also, genuinely, thank you from the bottom of my blackened heart for this superb info)

[static14]

Great write up @Deaf. One of these days I'll snag an OG. For now the Mondo and DW pressings will have to suffice sadly.

[Bub]

Good stuff, Deaf! OG aside, I wouldn't mind the Dagored either.

[Bezulsqy]

@Deaf: tremendous work and beautifully written! Thank you very much. I still cannot believe I actually was able to snag an OG.
As a lot of us know by now there is magic in OG releases... I don't know why but maybe a lot of knowledge about mastering, cutting laquers, pressing in general got lost after the eighties. The re-issues from the last decade rarely hold up to the Beat, CAM, Cinevox and Varese from the day.
Are there records from VS they themselves re-issued recently? I would love to hear if there is a lot of difference.
I should check how different the Suspiria versions sound. I have a Japanese OG but not the Cinevox one. But I do have the Cinevox re-issue on black wax and the DWRC version.

I know my comparison won't come close to what you have written though. Really in awe!

[inksb]

@Deaf: tremendous work and beautifully written! Thank you very much. I still cannot believe I actually was able to snag an OG.
As a lot of us know by now there is magic in OG releases... I don't know why but maybe a lot of knowledge about mastering, cutting laquers, pressing in general got lost after the eighties. The re-issues from the last decade rarely hold up to the Beat, CAM, Cinevox and Varese from the day.
Are there records from VS they themselves re-issued recently? I would love to hear if there is a lot of difference.
I should check how different the Suspiria versions sound. I have a Japanese OG but not the Cinevox one. But I do have the Cinevox re-issue on black wax and the DWRC version.

I know my comparison won't come close to what you have written though. Really in awe!

VS does have some resissues like The Fly & Three O Clock High. But from my understanding VS doesn't really do the vinyl portion of their company any more, they farm it out to a third party that handles all their vinyl reissues. This is info from a person who works in that industry so I have no reason not to believe them but it is second hand info and not direct from VS so take that with what ever grains of salt you would like.

I am kind of curious how a modern VS reissue stacks up against an original. I would assume they just are not as good.

I think what you cited is likely the reason, people who don't know how to properly master for vinyl (or not caring enough to master properly for vinyl), people running the plants not being as experienced, the people doing the TP listening are not experienced enough to know that it sounds off. And the overall bloat of the industry.

[deafmetal]

Thanks for doing this one! I've kind of given up on this one, even the DW & Mondo pressings are usually $50+ for a decent copy.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on the Composers Cut? That's actually the one I listen to the most these days. I keep hoping I'll stumble into a copy of the Beat pressing and have stopped looking for the other pressings regularly.

I took in a fresh listen to the Composer's Cut today and will share some thoughts. I am reminded a bit of the experience I had listening to the Blackest Heart Media CD album back in the day. Mostly due to hearing the music in the same order as the film (and now with some great additional/revised material). It may be due to having caught a live performance/screening twice now, but I find myself more easily placed into the flow of the film when listening to this. The Composer's Cut is superior to the old BHM CD for many reasons: no dialogue/fx and the current band has really perfected the material and performance (the choir on the recording is much improved over the live show). I really enjoy some of the additional depth with more electric guitar and flute in parts and trap set percussion higher in the mix. They also sneak in some clever solos. The additional cues really give some of the themes more time to develop and stew. If you have caught a live screening or the Grindhouse remaster with this new score, I feel it works quite well. All that said, when comparing to the original Beat Records 11-track OST, it is just too different of an experience to compare it fairly. I appreciate them both for their own reasons: nothing sounds like those old analogue Mellotron recordings -- even as much as I enjoy hearing Frizzi play digital samples of one live on stage or with this band/chamber orchestra. Additionally, it puts a huge smile on my face to finally hear fully-realized compositions such as "Zombie Infested House"/"Towards Despair" that always caught my ear toward the end of the film but felt cut-off.

[EvanCampbell]

deaf thanks for taking the time to post this excellent breakdown comparison. Really enjoyed reading this and opinions you shared. This is truly helpful.