Science of Silence Release Vinyl-Only Voyager/Monolith Split LP

With the slow, grueling death of the CD medium upon us, you might raise an eyebrow over the existence of a limited-edition, vinyl-only record label, but it's actually brilliant. Sure, vinyl died years before the CD, but like anything that goes extinct, there are people still interested in collecting it, whether it's music or dinosaur bones. Marc Schapiro and Tim Tatulli have launched Science of Silence to serve vinyl collectors, not the masses. Their debut release was a split clear LP with Voyager and Monolith.

"Besides the two of us -- me and my partner Tim Tatulli -- working at various labels and distributors over our combined 25 years of experience, we both are very avid music consumers," Schapiro told Noisecreep. "I remember when I was young, seeing amazing picture discs from Iron Maiden and Metallica, but not being able to pay the import price. Over the past five or so years, I've been buying more and more limited edition items as they've become more common on these shores, especially on the vinyl side of things."

Schapiro continued, "When Tim approached me about the idea of putting out some of our favorite young bands ourselves, we both agreed that doing a vinyl label would be the best way to do it. I know vinyl is 'in' right now, but being able to work with great bands and display their art, both musically and graphically, on a bigger 'canvas' just makes more sense in these days of most art being a two-inch square on a screen. Both Voyager and Monolith, as well as other bands we are speaking to, are about a great presentation as much as their amazing music, and it's awesome to work with bands that take that to heart."

Tatulli concurred, saying, "Vinyl has always held special place in my heart. The first pieces of vinyl I purchased as a teenager were seven-inches from punk and hardcore bands. Most of the time the artwork was hand-drawn because they were being pressed in such limited supply, which is why I am so fond of the DIY ethic. I have always wanted to give back to the music scene because it really made me the person I am today. Starting up a vinyl-only label certainly made the most sense, especially with the style of music that we are focusing on. Our goal is to put out music that we feel deserves more attention than it may be receiving, with left-of-center high quality artwork."

Voyager also weighed in on being the guinea pig, so to speak, and being the label's inaugural release. "When the Science of Silence guys offered us the chance to do a split LP, we jumped at the opportunity," PJ Mion told Noisecreep. "Vinyl still stands very much on its own, essentially existing separately from perceived advances in digital audio formats and the increasing shift away from a physical product in the music industry: it's the ultimate analog audio medium, shy of getting your hands on original master tapes. And while few artists avoid using digital technology completely these days in the studio, there is still something about an LP that seems more substantial than other formats. The artwork really has the opportunity to stand on its own, often not unlike a poster.

"I personally have a collage of framed Echo & the Bunnymen albums hung on my bedroom wall. There is something about the weight of a record, and the ability to actually see the physical form of the music it contains in the grooves pressed into the vinyl, that for me makes it a more valuable and coveted item versus a compact disc. Limited pressings and colored vinyl such as in the case of this split record only add to the incentive to own and collect vinyl releases." That sentiment is so visual and tactile, it's enough to make you want to start collecting.

Monolith said that they chose to do limited edition vinyl because of competition, which seems contrary, but it's true. "We chose to do this split LP because it is hard to sell CDs when the band at the next table has this beautifully packaged vinyl," the band told Noisecreep. "Who wants a CD when you can just hop on the Internet and find the songs for free? When you buy an LP, you get a piece of art. Not to mention the sound quality is far superior. You really lose something with digital formats. Everything just sounds so much warmer and more natural on a record. Hearing our songs on vinyl for the first time we came to the realization that this is how we should sound. It's always awesome when some wants to put out your record and put their time into supporting your band, but it is a real honor to be chosen as someone's first release."