WINNER Making Vinyl Awards: Best Vinyl Gatefold

 

Concept albums aren’t anything new, but this one certainly follows a new flavor. Battletoads: Smash Hits is a 2xLP retro recharge split between two toadally rad discs. First is a trip through an NES time warp, featuring legendary tunes by David Wise (Donkey Kong Country, Diddy Kong Racing) — the OG soundtrack that sent the ’Toads on their epic collision course. Turning the dial from 1991 to 2020, we’re introduced to the metal-drenched score of David Housden (Thomas Was Alone), a fitting modern melody of mayhem for Rash, Zitz and Pimple to bust jaws to. Before Professor T. Bird ends this transmission, we must warn you: This vinyl fights back. The limited edition jacket design by acclaimed artist Alex Pardee includes an iam8bit.com exclusive punch — a “Kiss My Fist” 3D Pop-Up gatefold.