Mercyful Fate - The Beginning (Vinyl LP | NL Pressing | 1987)

Mercyful Fate – The Beginning is a compilation of early recordings by the Danish band, released on 24 June 1987 on Roadrunner Records (cat. no. RR 9603). Side A holds the four tracks of the 1982 debut EP, side B three session recordings for the BBC "Friday Rock Show" from 19 March 1983, plus "Black Masses" from the July 1983 Melissa sessions, released here on LP for the first time. The band had split in 1985, and King Diamond was already pursuing his solo career. This copy is a 1987 Dutch pressing.

Pressing details

• Label / Cat. no.: Roadrunner Records RR 9603
• Format: Vinyl LP, compilation
• Pressing: NL pressing
• Country: Netherlands
• Year of this pressing: 1987
• Genre: Metal, Heavy Metal

Condition

• Condition: Second hand
• Media: NM-
• Cover: VG+ (shelf wear)

Graded to Goldmine standard (see Vinyl Grading). The images are our own scans of the actual copy for sale (SKU MF S3).

Tracklist

Side A

1. Doomed By The Living Dead (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)
2. A Corpse Without Soul (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)
3. Nuns Have No Fun (Hank Shermann/King Diamond/Michael Denner)
4. Devil Eyes (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)

Side B

1. Curse Of The Pharaohs (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)
2. Evil (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)
3. Satan's Fall (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)
4. Black Masses (Hank Shermann/King Diamond)

Personnel

King Diamond (vocals), Hank Shermann (guitar), Michael Denner (guitar), Timi Hansen (bass), Kim Ruzz (drums). Produced by Jac. Hustinx (side A), Tony Wilson (BBC recordings) and Henrik Lund ("Black Masses").

FAQ

Is this the original pressing?
Yes. The compilation was first released in 1987 on Roadrunner Records, and this is the Dutch pressing from that year. A later repress has a different back cover photo.

What does Media NM- / Cover VG+ mean?
Record: NM- (Near Mint minus) means close to new with at most minimal signs of use. Sleeve: VG+ (Very Good Plus) means light signs of use that barely affect playback or overall appearance. All grades are explained on our Vinyl Grading page.

Where do the recordings come from?
Side A is the 1982 debut EP, often called "Nuns Have No Fun". Side B comes from a BBC session in March 1983 and the Melissa recordings.

Do you have more Mercyful Fate records?
Yes, for example Mercyful Fate – Melissa (NL Reissue 1989), Mercyful Fate – Don't Break the Oath (FR Reissue 2014) and Mercyful Fate – 9 (DE Reissue 2016). More titles are in our Metal collection.