Audioslave’s ‘Out of Exile’ to Receive Liquid Vinyl Release

The Out of Exile liquid vinyl variant. Photo Credit: Universal Music

Let the superfan-geared vinyl releases continue: Universal Music’s catalog division has teed up the “first-ever” pressing of Audioslave’s Out of Exile – including a “liquid vinyl” variant inspired by the 2005 album’s cover art.

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) confirmed the high-end reissue, with an emphasis on the liquid edition, today. Collectors are undoubtedly familiar with liquid vinyl – even if there isn’t a consensus about the merits thereof – but a quick introduction is in order for everyone else.

As summed up by the UK’s Atlas Records, each liquid vinyl unit consists of two clear records, slightly thinner than their standard counterparts but pressed in the same way, bonded together at the center and edges.

Extra space between the two discs enables liquid injection before the product’s sealed off, and said liquid then makes for an attention-grabbing sight when in motion.

Apparently, it makes for desirable special edition releases as well. 21 years after its debut, Out of Exile, including “Be Yourself” and “Doesn’t Remind Me,” has been “remastered and reimagined” for the reissue, according to the Chris Cornell Instagram page.

(Think tailoring products for ultra-dedicated fans is a breeze? Think again. Responses to the relevant post appear generally positive, but some are expressing concerns about the precise meaning of “reimagined” here. The word doesn’t appear at all in UMe’s release, however)

Diehards can pre-order the 180-gram Out of Exile vinyl for $37.99. And the black-liquid variant will set one back a cool $124.98, with both items expected to begin shipping on June 12th.

(Technically, “each vinyl is unique and the colors may appear slightly different from the” official image, per the appropriate description.)

Taken on its own, the Out of Exile liquid vinyl is an attention-grabbing purchase option for superfans. And in the bigger picture, it’s the newest example of the format’s actively evolving resurgence.

To be sure, it wasn’t too long ago that data was pointing to a potential vinyl plateau. And while sales measurement questions remain, charging materially higher prices for a larger quantity of premium releases is a great way to keep the years-running growth trend alive.

Though the same approach also presents saturation concerns, Universal Music appears unworried about the possibility of overwhelming Audioslave (and Soundgarden) fans.

Later this week, Chris Cornell’s Carry On will release (with 3,000 total units available) on vinyl for the first time via the Interscope Vinyl Collective monthly subscription. Both Carry On and Out of Exile were remastered by Black Belt Mastering’s Levi Seitz.