'Black Widow' Is Getting A Mondo Vinyl Soundtrack Release With Killer Art

After what practically felt like an endless series of delays, Marvel's Black Widow is finally upon us. Even if the movie itself might not have been worth the long wait, Lorne Balfe's score has been singled out as a highlight and is now being recognized by Mondo. The company announced Mondo Music and Hollywood Records' vinyl soundtrack release in conjunction with Black Widow's arrival in theaters and on Premiere Access for Disney+. Take a look at the cover art below.

Mondo typically goes all-out with their soundtrack releases, and Black Widow is no exception. This art feels entirely in sync with Marvel's ongoing marketing campaign for the film, but with Mondo's distinctive flair that'll be sure to light up any fan's collection of vinyls. Packaging, features, and pre-order details at MondoShop.com are as follows:

Music by Lorne Balfe

Package designed by Mo Shafeek

Featuring Liner Notes by Director Cate Shortland and composer Lorne Balfe

Pressed on 2x 180 Gram Colored Vinyl

Also available on 2x 180 Gram Black Vinyl

Pre-Order begins 7/9 $35

Balfe, the talented Scottish composer, has seen his stock rise throughout the last decade and beyond as he simply keeps adding more and more new movies to his ever-expanding career. He reached new heights with The Lego Batman Movie, the recently-released The Tomorrow War, and especially the synth-heavy soundtrack for Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which pairs seamlessly with (and even enhances) director Christopher McQuarrie's ongoing take on the action-heavy franchise. Just listen to perhaps my favorite track from the Fallout score and try to tell me that you can't immediately picture the actual action unfolding as Tom Cruise engages in one of the most sweat-inducing stunts I've ever witnessed:

As for Balfe's latest effort, Black Widow introduces a new wrinkle as Russian choirs combine with his reliably percussive strains to add something new and unique to the soundscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On that note, the relative disinterest Marvel has shown in maintaining and curating scores for each of their films is actually something I've had a slight issue with throughout the last few phases. Specific composers tend not to return from one film to the next, and as a result we have entire mini-franchises based on specific heroes that lack a certain sense of audio continuity. Remember Ramin Djawadi's almost punk-rock approach to the Iron Man score that was progressively replaced by Brian Taylor's more straightforward score?

In any case, it remains to be seen how the Black Widow storyline will continue in the MCU and whether Balfe will be brought back for the ride. In the meantime, head over to Mondo to get your fix!