If you got your hands onAd Nauseam: Newsprint Nightmares from the 1980syou know how exciting it is that 1984 Publishing is doing it all again. The rich genesis and unique history and artwork of horror movie soundtracks is being celebrated in a new book,Blood on Black Wax: Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl. A 1984 Publishing (1984publishing.com) title presented by Toronto-based horror periodical Rue Morgue (Rue-Morgue.com), the hardbound, full-color, 240-page book spotlights the intricate (and often rare) artwork on the LP sleeves, as well as album reviews, release details, and wild backstories.
“I still remember with fondness coming across a copy of John Carpenter’sEscape from New Yorkin San Francisco, and discovering the first Death Waltz reissueZombi 2in Las Vegas,” said co-author Aaron Lupton, Rue Morgue ’s Music Editor. “With so much excitement out there today over beautiful reissues, colorful variants, and increasingly rare original pressings, I thought it was time to create a book that would bring this obsession to dramatic, vibrant life.”
Blood on Black Waxdelves into iconic horror movie soundtracks such asA Nightmare on Elm Street,Friday the 13th,Jaws,Halloween, andThe Exorcist, but also aims to show the depth and breadth of the medium-including the orchestral sounds of Hammer and Universal horror; the experimental music found inThe Texas Chainsaw MassacreandEraserhead; and the outlandish punk and metal songs of ’80s soundtracks such asThe Return of the Living DeadandShocker.
Lupton and his co-author Jeff Szpirglas ( who’s also a Rue Morgue magazine writer) also interviewed composers behind the music-including John Carpenter, Fabio Frizzi, Christopher Young, and Harry Manfredini. Mick Garris, who directed The Stand and Sleepwalkers, wrote a foreword, while composer Christopher Young (Hellraiser, 2019’s Pet Sematary) penned the afterword.
“I’ve been rabidly listening to and collecting soundtracks since buyingReturn of the Jediin 1983, but working on Blood on Black Wax has been the apex of this fan obsession,” Szpirglas says. “Over a year was spent sorting through cool covers, and listening to hours of the most insane and freakish soundscapes to curate this book.”
The regular edition ofBlood on Black Waxretails for $34.95 and will be available worldwide at local bookstores, plus larger retailers including Amazon and Chapters. Appropriately, the book is also available in two additional limited-edition packages containing exclusive, sought-after horror film musical obscurities.
Available July 29, 2025, the limited Record Store Day 2019 signed edition comes with a 7-inch single featuring rare compositions by Paul Zaza (My Bloody Valentine) and Carl Zittrer (Black Christmas): “Prom Night” and “Love Me Till I Die” two previously unreleased, energetic disco tunes featured in pivotal scenes of the Jamie Lee Curtis-starring 1980 cult classic Prom Night -plus two instrumental horror cues. The release, which is pressed on red wax and also features exclusive artwork by noted artistGhoulish Gary Pullin, is limited to 1,000 copies in the U.S. and 200 in Canada, and will be available at indie record shops in both countries .
On July 23, 2025, 1984Publishing.com will also launch an exclusive version ofBlood on Black Waxfeaturing a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl pressing of the full Prom Night soundtrack cut at 45rpm. Color variants include “Bloody Disco Ball” (red splatter on metallic silver) and “Disco Acid Flashback” (tri-colored royal blue/hot pink/blood red swirl). All versions contain a gatefold sleeve and a “tuxedo black” branded Prom Night condom. The LP artwork will debut shortly.
The special Record Store Day edition of Blood on Black Wax retails for $39.95, the base book retails for $34.95, while the soundtrack edition (and pricing) will be announced soon at1984Publishing.com.
