Dawn of the Deadwax

I have never subscribed to any of the “record of the month” type clubs, but I have gotten a few releases from some of the bigger companies when they came up for resale. It seems like no matter what the title is, copies will always be available immediately after they land in the mailboxes of flippers around the world. The only question will be how ridiculous the prices get. Is it worth spending 500+ dollars over a one year period to get one or two records you can sell for double? I don’t think so, but I guess people do it.

The particular record I’m talking about today is one of these record club releases, and was highly anticipated for quite a while. I’m of course talking about the January 2024 release of the classic Black Sabbath album Master of Reality, put out by “Vinyl Me, Please”.

I figured this one would probably be a little expensive on the secondary market, so I decided I would sign up for the club to get it…at least for one month. By the time I got over to the site however, I was greeted with the message that the record had sold out in advance, and couldn’t be selected as a first album for new club members. I kept a watch on the re-seller platforms, and picked one up the day it finally landed. If you join VMP for only one month, the cost is about 46.00 USD. I picked up Master of Reality from a flipper for around 95.00 USD, so about double. Not quite as much as I thought it would be, but then again, the market was immediately flooded with people looking to cash in. Taking a look at some completed sales, I noticed some copies did sell for more than what I paid, so at least I wasn’t the biggest sucker.

I had high hopes for this album after hearing the VMP release of another Sabbath record, Paranoid, back in 2015. VMP put out a really nice package with that one. It came on really beautiful purple colored wax, packed together with an art print (that didn’t have anything to do with the album that I can tell, but it does look cool) and even a cocktail recipe that was supposed to pair well with the 1970 masterpiece. I figured it would be directions for drinking cheap whiskey out of a paper bag, but it was much fancier than that, as I recall.

Anyway, when I got Paranoid and took a listen, my copy had some weird warble-like effect on side A, so I bought another copy. This copy had the same issue, which was a little irritating. It didn’t make it unlistenable, but it was certainly aggravating. I was still happy though, because the mastering on the album was really great. Better than any other copy I had or have heard. I was hoping VMP could pull the same trick again (minus any defects in the vinyl) with Master of Reality, which is probably my favorite Black Sabbath Album.

When it finally came in the mail, I very impressed with the quality of the package as a whole. There was no cocktail recipe, but this time we got a booklet with a write up by Andy O’Conner, a reproduction of the original poster that came with the record, and the usual hype sticker with the VMP OBI style card. The jacket is very heavy (with reflective lettering, though not embossed), done in excellent quality, and the vinyl itself looked just as good as in the advert photos. “Orchid Splatter” they call it. This time weighing in at 180g instead of the 140g that their issue of Paranoid was pressed on.

After a thorough cleaning, I popped this beauty on and was very pleased right out of the gate that this record didn’t seem to be defective. No warps or any visible defects. That’s a good start. The whole album was quiet throughout with no real vinyl noise to speak of. So, there were no distractions to get in the way of the incredible mastering we find on here. This AAA lacquer cut from the master tapes by Ryan Smith at Sterling sound is really excellent.

When comparing different releases of Master of Reality, I usually put them up against my first press Japanese Vertigo copy, and the 1986 Castle Communications CD (CLACD-198). I have never heard the original UK pressing, but I believe that’s what the Castle CD was taken from, which would make sense. The Japanese cut is very good, but I have always thought the Castle CD was even better. The new VMP release is in my opinion, noticeably better than the Japanese, and just as good or even better than the CD. The depth and clarity here is really amazing, and for me, the most obvious place to notice the incredible soundstage is on the drums during Children of the Grave. How the mastering deals with the panning of the roto toms is always the first thing I listen for, and they really come alive on this release.

Some people will wonder how this copy stacks up against the 2021 Record Store Day offering from Europe. That version is numbered (supposedly limited, but with some controversy), pressed on solid purple vinyl, and even came packaged in a carton style box to mimic the original UK version. It’s not a bad pressing, but compared to the others I’ve named here, I found it to be dull and lifeless. Like a droopy eyed armless child. It’s not terrible, but I certainly wouldn’t place it in the running for best version. It can’t compete at all with this new VMP release, so if you are deciding between the two on the secondary market, you have my opinion.

Overall, I would say Master of Reality by Vinyl Me, Please is a solid 9.5/10. If you are still in the hunt for this record, the rumor is that they will be reprinting some soon, although this hasn’t happened as of the time of this writing. Also, I understand that VMP allows their members first crack at all the re-pressings, so there is always a chance it might sell out again before any copies get to the public. Is it worth paying the flipper prices for? Well, I did and I don’t regret it. This is something I will probably buy a second copy of if I get the chance when the re-press drops.