Vinyloscopy with Into The Storm

Into The Storm

Into the Storm has put out some great music. For me, Where The Merfalo Roam is a modern sludge classic.

They were cool enough to put that disc on teh vinylz. The packaging was superb and even included a book about the goodness contained therein.

After Merfalo, they've not been resting on their laurels and there have been two splits with Twingiant and Smooth Sailing.

They're also vinyl guys, so let's get them in here and find out how they do.

Listening to Black Sabbath's eponymous debut the night I got it blew me away. What's the album that sounds the best on vinyl compared to digital sources?

[James] Gospel - The Moon Is a Dead World is by far the starkest contrast of digital and vinyl sources. I figured they went with that 70's aesthetic on purpose listening to the digital first, but when I spun the record for the first time my ears were overwhelmed by the richness, the clarity and just how epic the vocals actually are (rather than compressed under the weight of the digital medium hur hur)

I was laying in bed one night and couldn't sleep and I figured, it was time to start buying records. How did you come to the idea that it was time to start buying vinyl instead? 

[James] After a lifetime of digital/tapes, someone spun a record for me one day and that was it. I was in love. Almost near immediate devolution into elitism.

For my old stuff, it's vinyl worth, for new stuff, it's all vinyl if available. Do you buy everything on wax or do you have a vinyl worthy category? 

[James] Definitely tend to buy only the choice shit on vinyl. Sometimes I will gather vinyl for collector's reasons, because why not right? That shit is cool even if the music is not.

My second living room is where I keep it all. Upstairs, my late 90's receiver, vinyl pream, with a 70's turntable and 70's 5 way speakers. Tell us all about your vinyl set up. 

[James] Panasonic Technics SL-1900 turntable through a variety of speakers from several different eras powered by Onkyo HT-R340 in my living room.

Do you read the lyrics and go over the inserts when you're spinning? 

[James] Duh? That's the best part!

When someone says, I'm stupid for buying records, I tell them, thanks, more limited edition colored vinyl for me, what's your answer?

[James] ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My first album ever was Live Evil by Black Sabbath, so I'm stuck on live albums. What's the best live album on vinyl? 

[James] I will be honest I was never a big fan of live albums. Definitely prefer seeing them in video at minimum just to get that visual/audial overload.

Do you vape while you spin vinyl? 

[James] Only the finest of weeds for me dear future person!

What do you think heavyweight vinyl adds over standard weight? 

[James] Dat sweet sweet heft. Just geek out over records......and go.

[Matt] It’s all about being able to have a physical experience with music at home.

I listen to music digitally all day long just to get through the day. When I put on a vinyl record it is a ceremonial experience. Tentatively taking the polyurethane slip off.

Gently caressing the cardboard jacket as I soak in the art and weight of the medium. Giving the jacket that slight squeeze to make it easier to pull the actual vinyl out without tugging on it.

Carefully removing the vinyl from the sleeve and finally seeing the familiar look of the grooves as the light reflects off of them. Knowing that those grooves contain the sonic mysteries of the journey I am embarking on.

Softly setting the record down on the record player before hitting play and hearing the faint crackle and hiss before the music kicks in and takes me away.

I fumble briefly overtaken by the experience as I recover and stare into the physical medium in-front of me while mentally being taken into another plane of existence. You know nothing else is quite like that.