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Mercenary by Bolt Thrower, album cover

Vinyl pressings

Mercenary

by Bolt Thrower · 1998

23 pressings6 countriesDeath MetalRock

Mercenary was first pressed on vinyl in 1998. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.

How to spot a first pressing of Mercenary

1 pressing came out in 1998, the album's first year. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.

Germany

1998
Label and catalog number
Metal Blade Records 3984-14147-1
Format
LP, Album · Gatefold
Runout / matrix

MB 14147-1 A SSTSide A, hand-etched

MB 14147-1 B SSTSide B, hand-etched

Full details of this pressing

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 23 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1990s2 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1998GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1998GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressingLP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing
2000s1 pressing
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2007GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1PDLP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Picture Disc, Reissue, Special Edition · Limited, Numbered, Picture discLP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Picture Disc, Reissue, Special Edition · Limited, Numbered, Picture disc
2010s10 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2011EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, ReissueLP, Reissue
2011GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2011GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Reissue, Limited Edition · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Reissue, Limited Edition · Limited, Colored vinyl
2011GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2011UKMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2011USA & CanadaMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2011GermanyMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2012USMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited
2014EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited
2016USMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinylLP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl
2020s10 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2021EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl
2021EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl
2021EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2021EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, NumberedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered
2021EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
2021UK, Europe & USMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl
2023EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-25225-1LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
2023USMetal Blade Records 3984-25225-1LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinylLP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl
2023USMetal Blade Records 3984-25225-1 / Metal Blade Records 039842522562LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinylLP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl
2026EuropeMetal Blade Records 3984-14147-1LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl

Tracklist

  1. A1Zeroed5:45
  2. A2Laid To Waste4:41
  3. A3Return From Chaos5:04
  4. A4Mercenary5:54
  5. B1To The Last...5:26
  6. B2Powder Burns4:45
  7. B3Behind Enemy Lines5:19
  8. B4No Guts, No Glory4:08
  9. B5Sixth Chapter5:42

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of Mercenary are there?

23 vinyl pressings of Mercenary are listed here, from 6 countries, released between 1998 and 2026.

When was Mercenary first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1998, in Germany. One of them is Metal Blade Records 3984-14147-1.

How do I tell if my copy of Mercenary is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use 3984-14147-1) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, MB 14147-1 A SST and MB 14147-1 B SST. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is Mercenary on vinyl worth?

It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.

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