Hi all - pretty epic newsletter this week. Lots to dig into including a new release by our Alan Howarth (Halloween II & III),our Monster Squad 7-inch single, plus a bunch of new distributed titles! As always, our new releases happen on Wednesdays at NOON (12PM CST).
DEATH WALTZ
The Lost Empire Original Motion Picture Soundtrack LP. Music by Alan Howarth. Pressed on 180 Gram Translucent Yellow Vinyl. Artwork by Rockin' Jelly Bean. Limited to 500 Copies. $30
Death Waltz Recording Company is proud to present one of the coolest electronic scores of the 80s: Alan Howarth’s music for the 1983 Jim Wynorski classic, The Lost Empire, available on vinyl for the first time ever. A thrilling adventure that spans multiple countries and pits a trio of ass-kicking ladies against a mysterious villain who plans to create an army of female terrorists from his remote island. The film stars cult actress Raven De La Croix (Russ Meyer’s Up!) and the late, great Angus Scrimm (Phantasm).
Howarth’s score is what you’d expect from his revered work with John Carpenter on movies like Big Trouble in Little China and Prince of Darkness. It's full of expansive colors and incessantly memorable synth hooks; the main theme juxtaposing ghostly effects against a thumping beat, which leads into an amazing high keyboard melody featured throughout the score. Howarth mixes different elements: the effortlessly cool tune for LAPD hero Angel Wolfe, the mysterious and dangerous theme for awesome Native American Whitestar, and the Eastern flavors representing the evil of Dr Sin Do and his island of terror. There’s no “in association with” here – The Lost Empire is pure Alan Howarth, and it’s badass to the 9th degree.
Amazing Original Artwork by Rockin Jelly Bean.
MONDO
The Monster Squad 7-Inch Single (Dracula Version). Music by Michael Sembello / The Monster Squad. White vinyl with Red Splatter. Artwork by Phantom City Creative. $15.
MONDO
The Monster Squad 7-Inch Single (Wolfman Version). Music by Michael Sembello / The Monster Squad. Bronze vinyl with Brown Splatter. Artwork by Gary Pullin. $15.
‘Rock until you drop, dance until your heart stops.'
Mondo is delighted to bring you - for the first time ever on vinyl - two completely iconic songs from The Monster Squad, Fred Dekker's much loved 80s monster mashup featuring Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, The Mummy, The Wolfman and The Creature (err...The Gillman) battling a bunch kids from their treehouse. Written by Shane Black featuring dialogue that is whip smart and a story that is so much fun it’s hard to find anyone thats doesn’t outright love The Monster Squad.
This 7-inch is a precursor of the forthcoming full length soundtrack album to be released this Halloween - also marking the first time the soundtrack has had a vinyl release. Side A is Michael Sembello’s complete earworm of a theme tune, which is so 80s we are not held responsible for any uncontrolled dancing during school detention that takes place during listening. Side B is the all time classic Monster Squad Rap with rhymes so fierce it had Run DMC running for the back door. Both tracks meticulously assembled by master soundtrack producers Michael Mattesino (who produced our Back To The Future Trilogy releases) and Dan Goldwasser.
The Monster Squad 7-inch is available in a total 4 versions, each featuring cover artwork by a different artist. Dracula and Wolfman variants will be available online on Wednesday, and Frankenstein and Creature variants will be sold exclusively in records stores. Find out more here.
DISTRIBUTED TITLES
The Witch - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Released by Milan Records. Pressed on 180 gram Black & Silver Starburst vinyl. Album artwork by Midnight Marauder. $23
Released by our friends Milan Records, The Witch features an amazing and terrifying score by composer Mark Korven. This vinyl release features the whole score mastered for vinyl with original artwork designed by Midnight Marauder. Pressed on 180 gram Black & Silver Starburst vinyl, housed in a 24pts jacket. Download card included.
DISTRIBUTED TITLES
Deadpool - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Released by Milan Records. Music by Tom Holkenborg AKA Junkie XL. Pressed on 180 Gram Red & Black Splattered Vinyl. $30
The score by Junkie XL (Mad Mad: Fury Road) delivers a robust, pulsing score that is as energetic and relentless as Deadpool himself. It ties in seamlessly with the eclectic mix of songs featured prominently in the film, including tracks by DMX, Wham!, and Salt-N-Pepa. This double LP is pressed on a pair of red and black splattered 180 gram vinyl discs and packaged in a handsome gatefold jacket.
DISTRIBUTED TITLES
Ittiologia LP. Released by Intervallo Records. Limited to 400 copies worldwide. $35
This killer library record from Alessandro Alessandroni & Amedeo Tommasi is a rare and delicate experiment in the art of balancing experimental music and classic Italian library music of the Seventies. Really beautiful, totally essential and limited to 400 copies worldwide.
DISTRIBUTED TITLES
Biologia Marina. Released by Intervallo Records. Limited to 400 copies worldwide. $35
Biologia Marina (originally released in 1973) features 12 tracks inspired by marine life – with a mood suspended between electronic music, avant-garde touches and underwater melodies. Incredible Italian library find limited to 400 copies worldwide.
DISTRIBUTED TITLES
Voyage3r - Are You Synthetic? Released by Bellyache Records. $25
Voyag3r has returned bringing their synth-space-prog sound to new heights with the stunningly ambitious concept album, Are You Synthetic? The new full-length album instrumentally explores themes such as metaphysics and the origin and destiny of humanity, with the occasional theme fit for a horrifically vengeful space battle. I got say this record sounds HUGE, proper analogue synth and live drums make for something totally ear shattering.
