Return of the Vampire: The Rare and Unreleased
Return of the Vampire: The Rare and Unreleased is a compilation from the Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, issued by Roadrunner Records in May 1992. It gathers rare demo tracks recorded before the band's first official release in 1982, so it works as a glimpse of the group in its earliest days. The cover was painted by Torbjorn Jorgensen of Studio Dzyan.
In the band's story, it arrived between the landmark early albums, Melissa in 1983 and Don't Break the Oath in 1984, and the return of new studio work with In the Shadows in 1993. For anyone who loves those first two records, it is a chance to hear the material that came before them, in its rougher, unpolished form.
Return of the Vampire: The Rare and Unreleased: tracklist and credits
9 tracks · 50:48Tracklist
- 1Burning the CrossBenny Petersen and King Diamond8:49
- 2Curse of the PharaohsHank Shermann and King Diamond4:28
- 3Return of the VampireHank Shermann and King Diamond4:51
- 4On a Night of Full MoonDenner, Shermann, Diamond6:40
- 5A Corpse Without SoulHank Shermann and King Diamond8:12
- 6Death KissHank Shermann and King Diamond5:53
- 7Leave My Soul AloneMichael Denner and King Diamond3:21
- 8M.D.A.Michael Denner4:21
- 9You Asked for ItHank Shermann and King Diamond4:13
- Produced by
- Mercyful Fate
- Recorded
- 1981–1982
- Labels
- Roadrunner Records, Roadrunner
- Length
- 50:48
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 12 May
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 1992-05-12 vs 1992-06-09 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 9 June 1992 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 12 May 1992 | |
| Wikidata | 1992 | |
| US release | 9 June 1992 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 1992 | earliest UK or European date |
5 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XW | Metal Blade Records | 039841929126 | other |
| 1992 | XE | Roadrunner Records | 016861918422 | other |
| 1992 | US | Roadracer Records | 016861918422 | other |
| 9 June 1992 | US | Roadrunner Records | 016861918422 | original |
| 21 June 1992 | JP | Far East Metal Syndicate | 4988015042276 | other |
Cover art sources
fanarttv · upscaled: major: best source 1000x1000, upscaled to 1500 (x1.50)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| fanarttv ✓ | 1000×1000 | upscaled: major: best source 1000x1000, upscaled to 1500 (x1.50) |
| coverartarchive | 593×600 | upscaled |