HELLRAISER: Enjoy the pleasure and pain of the newly released vinyl

Enjoy the legendary sounds of Christopher Young’s remastered and remixed HELLRAISER soundtrack from Mondo and Death Waltz Recordings.

Darkness, chains, hellfire, and a touch of sensuality. That’s what I conjured up in my mind when I had the chance to listen to the newly released vinyl soundtrack from the legendary horror classic Hellraiser.

For the 30th Anniversary Edition, Mondo, along with Death Waltz Recording Company, have re-released the soundtrack remixed and remastered from the original 2 inch analog reel to reel sessions. The results are a mix of beautifully orchestrated sounds that are both terrifying and seductive.

It goes without saying that this soundtrack is heavy in its execution, which makes sense considering how intense Hellraiser is. The 80’s were a time where horror scores had a synth / electronic quality to them (ex: think of any John Carpenter movie and you’ll know what I’m talking about) so to have a departure from that sound really sets it apart from its contemporaries. Instead of following the trend that was exploding, composer Christopher Young decided to record and use a full orchestra set. The end product is truly a masterpiece as the music perfectly correlates to the unfolding horrors that befall in Clive Barker’s debut film.

via MONDO

The Hellraiser vinyl comes in three different versions, the LP Edition which includes either the Screening Edition (which was sold exclusively at The Prince Charles London screening and at Beyond Fest) or the Mondo Exclusive which has a Gold and Brown swirl and is limited to only 2000 units. Along with those releases, there is the Box Set Edition which includes 6 x 7” singles each with a unique cover housed inside a 8 x 8 wooden lament configuration box replica and is strictly limited to 1000 copies (information derived from Mondotees.com).

Along with the beautifully pressed vinyl, the cover and inside packaging has new Hellraiser artwork from artist Matt Ryan Tobin. It’s simple in nature but just as impactful as it features Pinhead prominently on the cover as well as having the other cenobites in the inside packaging. Both are surrounded by dark shadows with a deep blue hue with the cenobites being enveloped by a series chains, which is a recurring image in Hellraiser.

via MONDO

I really love the new artwork because of its simplicity as it easily evokes a feeling of savagery and cruelty. Along with my copy of the vinyl, which was the Gold and Brown swirl edition, it also came with a Lament Configuration box that I had the choice of putting together. Because, in the end, all Hellraiser fans love the idea of opening Pandora’s box!

All in all, fans of Hellraiser should not wait to pick up the newly released vinyl soundtrack, especially since composer Christopher Young went back to remaster the original score. Though the sounds can be heavy at times, with a lot of Gothic flavor, there are moments that showcase beautiful string instruments that have an air of celestial enjoyment. Along with the release of the soundtrack, Matt Ryan Tobin has also released a 36” x 24” screen print of the cover to the Hellraiser soundtrack and Arrow Films debuted a newly re-mastered Hellraiser on Blu-ray. WIth the holidays coming up, this is the perfect gift combination for any loved ones that can’t get enough pleasure or pain from the torturous glee at the hand of the hellish cenobites.

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You can purchase this soundtrack at mondotees.com. For more horror reviews from Shannon, visit her website Nightmarish Conjurings.