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Welcome to 2019 and we're back into more vinyl, bringing you the best new releases, re-issues and coloured variants in the world of wax. "Vinyl looks better, sounds better and gives the listener a completely immersive experience". I love that quote, I pinched that from Rach Clemens in our Wall of Sound Community group on Facebook this week, an avid vinyl fan and it sums up the vinyl life very succinctly. So immerse yourself in this month’s article and maybe you’ll be on top of that much-needed vinyl to add to your collection and soothe that itch for a few weeks.
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Now we’ve done some brainstorming at Wall of Sound headquarters and decided that the Vinyl Odyssey from here on in will reel back a little on the number of vinyl issues we showcase each month. From now on, we’ll be highlighting the Top 5 Upcoming Releases in the world of vinyl each and every month. For this month, we’re talking February as well as highlighting a ‘Bargain of the Month’. Of course, if you had been following The Vinyl Odyssey closely on twitter you would already be well aware of #bargainalert, where we’ve highlighted a bucket load of vinyl bargains at crazy deflated prices. So, if you’re into saving coin… that little snippet of info is not to be missed! So, let’s start with the (in no particular order) Top 5 Vinyl releases not to be missed for February;
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Dream Theater – Distance Over Time
Out - 22/02/2019
The fourteenth studio album from progressive metal legends Dream Theater drops on the 22nd February. Having sold over 15 million records worldwide, the band wanted to return to their roots and produce a more organic record, yet were still able to uphold their unique signature of combining metallic aggression and progressive scope. The vinyl comes pressed on a double 180 gram pressing housed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve and comes in a few different coloured variants depending on where you order it from. For instance, JB HiFi even has its own exclusive yellow vinyl for this album release. For the Dream Theater enthusiast with some cash to spend, the album also comes in a deluxe collectors box set featuring a lenticular cover on lid of box, hand-numbered edition, 2x CD, Blu-ray, DVD, Artbook, 180g 2 x LP Gatefold with exclusive artwork on white vinyl, exclusive picture disc 7”, poster, 10 art cards, slip mat, patch and pin. Of course, you’ll be paying for that booty though, upwards of $250-$300.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFxH4kky6z4&w=640&h=360]
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Millencolin – SOS
Out - 15/02/2019
Swedish skate-punk legends Millencolin have an upcoming Australian tour set for March with Goldfinger in support but prior to that will be dropping their ninth studio album SOS, out February 15 via Epitaph Records. SOS will be their first album in four years, and a follow up to 2015's (was it really that long ago!), True Brew. The album comes in a sweet transparent blue vinyl variant of which only 500 copies are available, although if you pre-order this album overseas you may find a yellow variant also available. JB HiFi currently has a pre-order with a signed CD booklet by the band if you’re quick, however if you want a pre-order with all the goodies, from CD’s, to hoodies, to tees, head over to Artist First.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n64VxxFfCgo&w=640&h=360]
[gallery ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Queen-–-Bohemian-Rhapsody-vinyl-1.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Queen-–-Bohemian-Rhapsody-vinyl-2.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Queen-–-Bohemian-Rhapsody-vinyl-3.jpg|O_163_wem_1360_comp_v003_01,1159 2 – L-R: Gwilym Lee (Brian May), Ben Hardy (Roger Taylor), Rami Malek (Freddie Mercury), and Joe Mazzello (John Deacon) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox." type="square"]
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Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Out - 08/02/2019
The quite brilliant movie, Bohemian Rhapsody is released shortly on vinyl showcasing their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury and the band, Queen, who defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved rock bands on the planet. The soundtrack contains original Queen recordings as featured in the movie. The 22-song soundtrack album, produced by Brian May and Roger Taylor, features the first-ever release of audio tracks from Queen’s legendary performance at Live Aid as well as other rare live tracks and their biggest hits. Rolling Stone hailed it as “more than just a greatest hits,” praising it as, “a fun imaginative way to relive the band’s genius.” The Bohemian Rhapsody film soundtrack will come as a vinyl double album specially cut at Abbey Road Studios. Continuing the celebration of Queen’s iconic music, a special picture disc edition of the album, as well as a 7” single featuring the original ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’/‘I’m In Love With My Car’ pairing, will also be released on Record Store Day, 13 April 2019. While not featured in the film, ‘I’m In Love With My Car’ is joke-referenced several times in the film. Now the track gets its moment.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oozJH6jSr2U&w=640&h=360]
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Unwritten Law – Unwritten Law
Out - 15/02/2019
Unwritten Law's self-titled album Unwritten Law; will be pressed on vinyl for the first time ever via SRCVinyl in celebration of the albums 20th anniversary. The album has been mastered for vinyl and lacquers created by Kevin Gray, Cohearent Audio and pressed at RTI. Constant touring and the support of fans have enabled Unwritten Law to rise above the glut of rock and punk bands that have saturated the scene since Green Day exploded in the mid-'90s. Songs like ‘Harmonic’; and ‘Teenage Suicide’ show a depth …of songwriting and arrangement that few other bands of the genre obtain. Scott Russo sings tight vocals over an extremely impressive killer rhythm section. ‘Cailin’ became a staple on modern rock radio stations. The comes pressed on a limited run (1000 copies) of white vinyl and will come beautifully presented with lyrics sheet and all the bells and whistles like all other SCRvinyl re-issues.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaRW0EKqCuA&w=640&h=360]
Death Angel – Killing Season
OUT – 01/02/2019
Nuclear Blast are reissuing Killing Season as a CD and Gatefold Vinyl bundle. It will be pressed on a limited silver variant and also regulation black. Nuclear Blast has all the pre-orders. Originally released in February 2008, Death Angel returned to their early-style roots with Killing Season. It features different moments, but a strong return to their thrash metal days of the early ‘90s. The catchy songs ‘God Vs. God’, ‘Steal the Crown’ and ‘Lord of Hate’, this album is close to be as good as their third studio album Act III from 1990, and this vinyl re-issue is an exciting moment for Death Angel fans as the original vinyl version is no longer within reach of your average person with copies in excess of $250. This looks to be a great addition to the thrash party and a great way to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of a much underrated and loved thrash album within that genre. Take a look here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWy1kFe2oCs&w=640&h=360]
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So, that’s a taster for what’s coming in February. Of course some other great vinyl options out there for next month, including new Within Temptation, a first pressing (finally) of Frenzal Rhomb’s Meet the Family album, even a Metallica acoustic album, Helping Hands… Live & Acoustic At The Masonic. Good luck diggin’!
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Back to that #bargainalert we were talking about and we have a killer bargain for any Tom Petty fans out there but you have to make haste before Amazon Australia cut off their mistake. It seems the pre-order for the new 4 x LP Tom Petty collection has been highly underrated by those hard workers at Amazon. So much so that they have the collection out for just $16.33 with free delivery for Amazon Prime members. Either way, this little box set retails for $175 on pre-order by JB HiFi, so you can see why we would love you call to jump on this. This collection of personal favourites and important milestones is the first anthology to span Petty’s entire career, from the first album to Mudcrutch 2. The album contains 38 tracks on 4 LP’s including the hits ‘Free Fallin’, ‘American Girl’, ‘You Don’t Know How It Feels’, ‘You Wreck Me’ and many more. The album also includes two unreleased tracks, ‘The Best of Everything (Alternate Version)’ and the previously unreleased and unheard ‘For Real’. Link here, thank me later.
Yours truly
The Vinyl Odyssey
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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lWJXDG2i0A&w=853&h=480]
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