[goodnightcigarettes]

There's some chatter about this in the Mondo thread, but I'm really curious to see if Death Waltz is going to be pressing a version of John Carpenter's 'Halloween,' which Mondo seems to be doing October 31. So far, Spencer has been relatively quite about any Halloween plans at the label, and it would seem unlike him to not have anything up his sleeve. It also would make sense if Death Waltz did a version of this like with the 'Maniac' partnership with Mondo. It would seem very strange and actually disappointing if Death Waltz doesn't do the first Halloween, considering their incredible run of Carpenter releases.

[skeleton_unit]

I've been following this forum since the beginning and was hoping to read peoples thoughts on the MUSIC Death Waltz is releasing, the artwork too. Instead it has descended into nothing more than grown men obsessing over how limited releases are and what colour plastic they're made from. It's become beyond tedious. Death Waltz issued The Fog with a full LP of previously unreleased score cues, a big deal for any true Carpenter fan yet there has been barely any mention or discussion of the audio at all, instead folks seem more concerned with colour variant's. When did the quantities of limited editions and colour variants become more important than the music? Did I miss something?

[ghostfires]

I might have a strange opinion here - but for me, with horror scores and such, I'm not always after perfection when it comes to the sound of the soundtrack. I enjoy the imperfections.

I've said for many years and in many different places online that I enjoy a slightly warped or colored medium. This is the reason why I prefer my very heat-warped vinyl version of Brian Eno's Ambient For Airports over the CD copy I also own. It's the same reason I prefer VHS copies to blu-ray editions of old horror films.

I don't mind a nice 180 gram black vinyl edition of a soundtrack, BUT it doesn't bother me to hear imperfections or lesser quality in colored vinyl because that adds to the overall experience for me. I don't have $5,000 speakers and a $2,000 record player, so why fret so much?

I've been in love with music from a very young age, I have a very strange collection of music overall...and I really don't care about how perfect it sounds. As long as I can slap it onto my turntable and relax, it works for me.

There has to be some merit to what I'm saying - I know I'm not the only guy on here that loves albums from Pye Corner Audio, Lee Noble, Umberto, Lilacs & Champagne, Moon Wiring Club, or anything basically from Ghost Box...look at all these new music projects working hard in post-production to make their albums sound like they're being taken from damaged/vintage media like reel to reel tapes, VHS tapes, cassettes, etc.

[NathanLurker]

I back you up on Lee Noble. That "Horrorism" LP is great.

[hncreature]

"...but it doesn’t bother me to hear imperfections or lesser quality in colored vinyl..."

Wait...what...there are imperfections in my vinyls? My $300 turntable and 20 year old speaker set I got for $100 aren't giving me the real deal! Boy...now I'm pissed!

Seriously though...can I hear the difference between a 180g black vs. a 140g green? Probably not...and I'll blame Motorhead at the Variety Theater in Cleveland back in the day for ruining my perfect ear - Damn you Lemmy...damn you straight to hell!

I too can agree with ghostfires to the fact that I love dropping the needle on an Lp regardless of perfections or lack there of

[wocket]

Are people in the US receiving the Goblin subscriber copies yet? Mine shipped 9/20 and I have not received it yet. Thanks.

[bansel]

I understand what you mean @ghostfires. Having grown up only hearing most horror soundtracks on VHS tapes, I think I actually prefer the aesthetic charm of lesser quality sourcing of particular scores. I guess it's a nostalgia thing. And like @hncreature standing next to loudspeakers growing up I can't say I have the hearing skills necessary to ever qualify myself as an "audiofile". I love the interesting artwork and packaging of the stuff DW and the like are putting out, and just having the recording available to listen to keeps me happy.

[goodnightcigarettes]

Nothing yet. But I'm in Canada.

[lazyben]

Not got mine yet (LA area).

[AndreasEldritch]

RE: person who said their Goblin order shipped Sept 20 - when you get email from DW saying order completed, that isn't the date it ships. From previous experience, it is merely the date when the order is processed onto the DW system. The subscriber's Goblin vinyl seems to have been sent out to everyone on 9th October. (Indeed, i'm sure I saw a twitter post from Spencer saying that was shipping date). I got mine on 10th and am in the UK. From those overseas, post from UK to US or Canada tends to take a couple of weeks from experience.

[AndreasEldritch]

sorry - looking at today's date!
think goblin shipped 3rd oct. UK folks all seem to have got on 4th oct.

[chandler75]

skeleton_unit: I’ve been following this forum since the beginning and was hoping to read peoples thoughts on the MUSIC Death Waltz is releasing, the artwork too.

What is there to discuss? It goes without saying that the music is superb Seriously though, most of these soundtracks have been around for years if not decades, so I think much has already been said before - although I always enjoy reading the liner notes from people in the know.

Regarding the quality of the vinyl, I don't mind a few pops and cracks, but I must admit I prefer a clean sound over "the charms of lesser quality". I don't think it always has anything to do with colored vinyl vs. black vinyl, though. As I've mentioned before, I think the Gold edition of "The Fog" has a superior quality (less pops etc.) compared to the other colored versions AND the black version (I don't know why). Other people have said the same.

I got the Goblin Sub editions two days ago (I'm in Denmark).

[karswell]

@hncreature..that is funny - I always blame Lemmy for my hearing problems also, but I'm prob older than you & did stick my head in his bass bin at a Hawkwind gig: it was a rite of passage back then..prob still is??
Plus my mate was round here messing with my £100 deck, £50 amp & £70 speakers, telling me how bad it was set up. Sounded fine to me!
Love da vinyl..crackle, pops n all!

[Jesse Hooker]

For those of you that like coloured vinyl this site's pretty good. http://piratespress.com/rotw/
Personally I like the sound quality 1st, then the colour mix,and I think the coloured vinyls that Death Waltz and a - like are pretty good.
But to get these releases like Ms.45 and New York Ripper any condition is fine by me.

[Re-animated Cat]

Man, all this talk about forgiving imperfections etc - that's just playing into the hands of lazy record labels if you ask me. If I'm paying £20.00+ for a record, I want the pressing to be damn good. Forget all the fancy packaging until you've got the sound right. You don't need an expensive setup to tell a good pressing from a bad one. It just seems like there's a lot of new labels out there doing cheap pressings, then slapping a "super limited buy-it-now exclusive colourway" sticker on it, waiting for it to sell out, before doing the inevitable repress.

[dumaisaudio]

I'm very interested to hear if DW is going to release the original Halloween in the rest of the world. I believe Spencer mentioned a long time ago that he was working on trying to get the rights. Since he's basically the John Carpenter vinyl release label now, it would be a shame not to have that one.

I'd really like to see him release the original score for Christine seeing that it's pretty rare and hard to find. It would be even cooler for him to do a limited 12" of the Escape From New York disco mixes from Italy!

Just wanted to say how much I'm looking forward to Assault on Precinct 13, I love that DW is doing all these Carpenter releases, as they're probably some of my favorite soundtracks of all time.

[fac179]

I hear you on this. The whole colored vinyl thing drives me nutty, to be honest. There was the article that the Número Group dudes published in The Wire about the parallels of baseball cards to vinyl (although it did piss some people off). Even though the low-end on my copy of the gold "Fog" is nothing short of impressive, it's pretty noisy. Lots of people would be excited to get a colored "Prince of Darkness," but I'd trade it in for a 180gm black vinyl copy any day. I hope Spencer continues with the poly-lined innersleeves because those heavy printed innersleeves destroy the vinyl (event though it sounds fine, my "House by the Cemetery" looked TORE UP when held up to the light last night).

As for the 180gm vs. 140gm argument, I haven't noticed a huge different, it all just matters on where it's pressed. The heavier vinyl seems to help somewhat, but I have noticed that it simply matters where it was pressed. United in the U.S. is always lousy, no matter the color or weight.

As far as music, the Carpenter and Carpenter/Howarth things are easily the best. I'd comment on the extra musical cues provided in "The Fog," and although it's cool to have, it's nothing revelatory, just a continuation of sorts (at least my opinion-- I have a feeling this comment will rile some folks up). "Halloween III" is hands-down the most enjoyable stand-alone soundtrack; it really holds its own (and the fidelity is very nice!). As much as I love the "Halloween II" soundtrack, I find the sound quality to be a tad muddy; folks who have the original, did it always sound like this? I have a feeling it's definitely have a DW thing.

I find Carpenter's stuff to be the creepiest, and I'm a sucker for those old analog synths. I spin them repeatedly at night for a bizarre mix of meditation and desired isolation. I love, love, love the score for "Zombi 2," and regardless of pressing/color, it really does scream on vinyl (thanks 45 RPM!). The main theme on that is incredible.

"Manchester Morgue" sounds incredible as well, and had that been re-released in 1997 or so, it would've been massive (along with the whole lounge-y rare groove/soundtrack/Stereolab/Broadcast thing). I dig the rare groove thing occasionally, but I prefer the stark, apocalyptic Carpenter thing more.

The one that I'm not totally sold on is "House by the Cemetery." I don't think it sucks by any means, it's just the least intriguing of what I've heard. The main theme is great, but it's not a total banger as a whole. What do you think?

Haven't heard "Let the Right One In." Thoughts?

So, soundtrack enthusiasts, guide me! Is "Day of the Dead" creepy, or is it a souvenir? Didn't care for the "Re-animator" score.

And can I stress, once again, in talks of Boards of Canada and horror soundtracks, the absolute importance of these current Nate Young "Regression" trilogy of albums? And who is going to do the original "Texas Chain Saw"?

Forgive my ignorance and crap stream of consciousness, I'm at work, and not well-versed in horror soundtracks. It's all pretty new to me!

[Whip Wilson]

I asked Mondo if they had worldwide distribution rights for their "Halloween" releases and they said they did as far as they knew. Now that answer is pretty qualified, but, if accurate, is a pretty good indicator that this release is theirs alone. That said, fingers crossed we get one from DW sometime in future.

[Mr de Ville]

I think I stand in-between camps here really.

I first noticed DW's releases and as a lover of film, thought - yep, they look great. Only thing is, I don't have a record player. Now, that didn't stop me buying a couple of discs, the Field In England one from Rook Films and subscribing. I'm fully intending to purchase a small player for my office so I can play while I edit.

The thing here is that I was initially attracted by the artwork and vinyl colours/variations etc - but here's a guy who has a cabinet full of movie memorabilia, toys, movie cards etc etc. I also collect comics - so the visual media is really important to me. That said, I can't wait to hear these bad boys so I guess I get the best of both worlds in that respect.

The thing is, yep people collect limited editions of things obsessively, and it may seem odd for vinyl to be purchased and left unwrapped. But then how many of us want to collect that last little piece of a collection or pay through the nose on ebay for something 'rare' that'll remind us of our childhood or even help towards another purchase once sold. All different types - I think there's room for all.

[bansel]

@re-animatedcat. Curious, what's an example of a current new label cheap pressing you've heard?

[Re-animated Cat]

@bansel: Was talking more in general, not specifically about soundtracks (but off the top of my head, Watertowermusic pressings are pretty awful!). There are tons of bad non-soundtrack labels out there! In general, it's more a case of larger labels reissuing their catalogues with cheap pressings, a 'highly limited' sticker and an inflated price tag. Seems to be happening a lot at the moment.

I think DW have got the right mix between sound and visual.

[bansel]

@re-animated Cat: I hear what you're saying. I was just curious if you knew of soundtrack offenders. As I also collect metal vinyl, I can attest that Back on Black has been a huge offender in putting out really inferior quality reissues with horrendous sound and low res cover art (and ridiculous "limited edition" prices)

Note: Not my intention to shit all over Back on Black, as they have gotten much better over time, and I assume all newer labels have growing pains starting out. But I wanted to share in your frustration about lazy reissues

[brainacherecords]

The tapes for Beyond Fest look pretty awesome don't know if anyone is going or has just had a peek on the Death Waltz Instagram?

[ghostfires]

Yes, those tapes look very awesome! I really hope there are extras of them all, and they make it online for sale...I would love to get a copy of each...

[deathwaltz]

We made extras for web sale. do not fear !