Netherlands
1987- Label and catalog number
- Roadrunner Records RR 9603
- Format
- LP, Compilation
- Runout / matrix
RR 9603 ASide A, hand-etched
RR 9603 BSide B, hand-etched
Vinyl pressings
The Beginning
by Mercyful Fate · 1987
21 pressings8 countriesHeavy MetalRock
The Beginning was first pressed on vinyl in 1987. 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 The Beginning
5 pressings came out in 1987, the album's first year, in 4 countries. 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.
Netherlands
1987- Label and catalog number
- Roadrunner Records RR9603
- Format
- LP, Compilation
- Runout / matrix
RR 9603- A HCB870320
RR9603-B HCB870320
Brazil
1987- Label and catalog number
- Estúdio Eldorado 3111Roadrunner Records
- Format
- LP, Compilation
- Runout / matrix
3111-A MSide A
3111-B MSide B
Canada
1987- Label and catalog number
- Banzai Records BRC 2001Banzai Records BRC-2001
- Format
- LP, Compilation
- Runout / matrix
BRC-2001A SNB EL DM-3Side A runout
BRC-2001B SNB EL DM-3Side B runout
Europe
1987- Label and catalog number
- Roadrunner Records RR 9603
- Format
- LP, Compilation
- Runout / matrix
RR 9603 ASide A, Etched
RR 9603 BSide B, Etched
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 21 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1980s10 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Brazil | Estúdio Eldorado 3111 / Roadrunner RecordsFirst yearLP, Compilation | LP, Compilation |
| 1987 | Canada | Banzai Records BRC 2001 / Banzai Records BRC-2001First yearLP, Compilation | LP, Compilation |
| 1987 | Europe | Roadrunner Records RR 9603First yearLP, Compilation | LP, Compilation |
| 1987 | Netherlands | Roadrunner Records RR 9603First yearLP, Compilation | LP, Compilation |
| 1987 | Netherlands | Roadrunner Records RR9603LP, Compilation, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Compilation, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 1987 | Netherlands | Roadrunner Records RR9603First yearLP, Compilation | LP, Compilation |
| 1987 | US | Roadracer Records RR 9603LP, Compilation, Remastered | LP, Compilation, Remastered |
| 1987 | Netherlands | Roadrunner Records RR 9603LP, Compilation, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing | LP, Compilation, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing |
| 1989 | Europe | Roadrunner Records RR 9603LP, Compilation, Misprint, Repress | LP, Compilation, Misprint, Repress |
| 1989 | Europe | Roadrunner Records RR 9603LP, Compilation, Repress, White Label | LP, Compilation, Repress, White Label |
2010s2 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | US | Metal Blade Records 3984-15315-1LP, Compilation, Reissue · Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Reissue · Colored vinyl |
| 2018 | USA & Europe | Metal Blade Records 3984-25075-1LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Picture Disc, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited, Picture disc | LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Picture Disc, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited, Picture disc |
2020s8 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | US | Metal Blade Records 3984-25157-1 / Metal Blade Records 039842515717LP, Compilation, Reissue | LP, Compilation, Reissue |
| 2020 | US | Metal Blade Records 3984-25157-1 / Metal Blade Records 039842515762LP, Compilation, Reissue · Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Reissue · Colored vinyl |
| 2020 | Europe | Metal Blade Records 3984-15701-1LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl |
| 2020 | Europe | Metal Blade Records 3984-15701-1LP, Compilation, Reissue | LP, Compilation, Reissue |
| 2020 | Europe | Metal Blade Records 3984-15701-1LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl |
| 2020 | Europe | Metal Blade Records 3984-15701-1LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl |
| 2020 | Germany | Metal Blade Records 3984-15701-1LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue · Limited, Numbered, Colored vinyl |
| 2026 | UK | Metal Blade Records 3984-15701-1LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl | LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl |
Year unknown1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | US | Roadrunner Records RR 9603LP, Compilation, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Compilation, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
Tracklist
- A1Doomed By The Living Dead5:07
- A2A Corpse Without Soul6:52
- A3Nuns Have No Fun4:17
- A4Devil Eyes5:48
- B1Curse Of The Pharaohs3:50
- B2Evil4:01
- B3Satan's Fall10:28
- B4Black Masses4:30
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of The Beginning are there?
21 vinyl pressings of The Beginning are listed here, from 8 countries, released between 1987 and 2026.
When was The Beginning first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1987, in Netherlands, Brazil, Canada, Europe. One of them is Roadrunner Records RR 9603.
How do I tell if my copy of The Beginning is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use RR 9603, RR9603, 3111, BRC 2001) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, RR 9603 A and RR 9603 B. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is The Beginning 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.
