Image: Slipknot [Official press photo]
It’s actually not that long ago that vinyl records dominated the music market. Then came CDs, and later streaming services. Yet the classic record is far from disappearing today — quite the opposite. Vinyl has long been back in trend and is collected by music lovers and dedicated fans alike.
And who knows, maybe there’s even a real treasure hidden somewhere in your own collection or up in your parents’ attic. Today we’re introducing some of the rarest records from the heavy music scene, from metal to hardcore punk.
Slipknot – Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.
This record is legendary among Slipknot fans. The first demo album Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. by the masked nu metal band from Iowa was originally released in 1996 and even distributed independently by the band themselves. Only 1,000 copies of the vinyl exist, and due to Slipknot’s massive success over the years, it has naturally become a true collector’s item.
Judge – Chung King Can Suck It
Judge should be a core name for any hardcore fan with a passion for the straight edge scene. The New York hardcore punk band released the album Chung King Can Suck It in 1989, and only 110 vinyl copies were pressed. This small run happened because the band was unhappy with the original recordings and planned to re-record the album with a different studio. However, since there were already pre-orders through their indie label at the time, an extremely limited pressing was still produced and shipped.
Chung King Can Suck It was later re-released under the album title Bringin’ It Down. In 2024, a remastered edition of the original album was released as well.
Converge – Halo In A Haystack
The debut album by Converge remains extremely limited to this day, with only 1,000 vinyl pressings released in 1994. There have been no reissues so far. Anyone hoping to get their hands on a copy should be prepared for a hefty price tag, as it's currently listed at €573 on Discogs.
Hatebreed – Satisfaction Is the Death Of Desire (Pink Vinyl)
Hatebreed’s debut album Satisfaction Is the Death Of Desire is also highly valued among collectors. Released in 1997 and pressed in several vinyl editions, even the blue, red, white, clear, purple, and green versions are limited to roughly 500–600 copies each. The rarest version, however, is the pink vinyl, limited to just 210 pressings.
Mastodon – Lifesblood (EP, Clear)
Lifesblood is Mastodon’s second EP, first released on CD in 2001 and later on vinyl in 2004. Several colored vinyl versions exist, including black, red, and a second pressing in black and blue. However, the rarest edition is the clear vinyl from the first pressing, limited to only 100 copies.
Eighteen Visions – Vanity (Re-Issues)
The popular album Vanity by the American metalcore band Eighteen Visions was originally released in 2002, but numerous reissues and re-recorded versions have followed since then. Even the 7’’ single featuring the title track and the song “I Don’t Mind” was limited to 1,000 copies each on red and white vinyl, while only 200 copies were pressed on pink vinyl.
Another 1,000 copies were released as a 12’’ picture disc. Later versions of the album also included extremely limited pressings, such as the Hot Pink/Baby Pink vinyl, which was limited to just 100 copies for the second reissue in 2020.
For all active collectors: brand-new exclusive releases and limited vinyl editions are available directly through us.
For proper vinyl care: check out our guide on how to easily clean your vinyl records.
