Nope, but I used the link to view the Sagas photos. Looks fine, likely just a matrix that hasn't been added to Discogs.

Okay, thanks for your help

Hey man, based on the matrix and presence of both SID codes I'd say this is definitely a legit issue. Could be the disc print is a little faded by time/storage, but I'd say there's no reason to question this one. Generally if you find a mould SID code it's a good sign that your CD is official.

How legit could this be? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pantera-Power- ... SwjXRXaYrL

It's not, 100% fake.

But how did you come to that conclusion?

The matrix is what makes me 100% sure it's fake. Your other identifiers if you're not familiar with disc matrix identification would be this guys country, which is known for selling bootlegs. Add the fact that he has multiple copies for sale, this is a very rare disc that you're not gonna find many around let alone someone with multiple copies. You can expect to pay upward toward $100 if not more for an original of this release.

Makes sense.

I have a copy of Overkill Taking Over on CD the matrix runout is 3 81735-2 SRC#2 M1S4. I am thinking this CD may be a bootleg?

Matrix photos?

Here's another album I am worried might be a bootleg: Hel - Tristheim

Pics:

https://imageshack.com/a/aPko/1


Identifiers for my copy:

Catalog: GER 012
Barcode: 4 260037 847344
Matrix/Runout: ZIS-070308001


Reasons why I think it's not authentic:

1. Disc does not have Mould SID code or Mastering SID Code.
2. Both Metallum and Discogs list the catalog number as GER 013 (mine says GER 012). It is very hard to find information about this album, but the only site I found that lists the code as GER 012 is this one: https://musicbrainz.org/release/674ecc21-856d-4a42-99fe-b06be5cef8ce

Thanks!

I have two older Hel's but not that one so I can only take a stab at this. I can tell you I have multiple discs with a similar matrix layout that aren't bootlegs. Also, there's another disc with GER 13 (Angantyr) on Discogs, so odds are the information regarding Hel is incorrect. I've seen lots of incorrect information on Discogs in the past, Discogs doesn't want anyone uploading any information to the database unless they physically have the album in front of them but that doesn't stop people. Here's more proof the Angantyr is GER 13:

Do the discs have SID codes? Because mine doesn't.

I think you're probably right though about the numbers being incorrect.

I looked at my two Hels, GER04 and GER05. GER04 does not have codes and GER05 does. I got GER04 directly from the label and GER05 came from a trade.

Hmm, well I just ordered myself a copy of Falland Vörandi. We shall see...

Excellent, to my knowledge that album was never repressed by the label.

Hey guys, never posted here before but this seems like the best place to ask this question.

What's the consensus on CDs licensed to Soyuz in Russia? I just discovered that the Soyuz pressing of Katatonia's The Fall of Hearts has the bonus track Sistere, which otherwise was only available with the very expensive limited edition artbook. The Discogs page for it mentions that it includes a full 24-page booklet, but doesn't have any pictures to show what it looks like. Does the audio and packaging quality generally seem to be okay with releases licensed to this label?

I do have the regular Peaceville digipak edition of the album, but I was thinking of selling it if the Soyuz pressing is of similar quality.

Unrelated, I just noticed PuddleMonkey has posted here. If you're the same one from Discogs, I've bought from you a few times. You're a top-notch seller.

I appreciate the kind words. I myself have had only a few Soyuz releases, pretty standard Russian materials quality and the sound was perfectly fine. Someone else here may be able to shed light on that exact Katatonia pressing.

Thanks for responding. The only Russian pressings I have for reference are a set of CD-Maximum Catamenia CDs I bought from Possession Productions and those seem to be of acceptable quality. Definitely if anyone has any insight on that specific Katatonia CD, it would be really appreciated.

I am starting to feel like it's worth it just for the bonus tracks, though, and I can always keep my Peaceville copy if the material quality doesn't live up.

When I have more time I will be posting photos of Obscenity "Suffocated Truth" bootleg vs original. Be very careful with this one, there's multiple people on Discogs and Ebay currently trying to sell the bootleg as a $200-$400 original. I've called one person from Poland out, plan on exposing more. Of course it's possible some people don't know they are selling a boot, but when it's explained to them and they ignore the information/proof they become a scammer in my book.

well that Obscenity is really one of the best made bootlegs ever. They even managed to copy the font of the original matrix. I think one point that differs is the placement of the matrix number. The original has is placed a little towards the outer part of the ring and the bootleg has it in the middle

So, this week I've received six CDs from a Discogs seller in Singapore, and things don't quite add up. Four of them have what are supposed to be the Japanese-only bonus tracks according to all the entries for them I've seen, yet the labels and packaging (besides listing the tracks) all seem to be that of the regular European releases.

The two Skylark ones I have from this seller have much simpler matrices than the other two Skylark releases that I own, while supposedly being printed by the same label, and are more similar to these others that I bought from this seller. However, they're (nearly) all Italian bands and all on similar labels, so as far as I know, that could be a reasonable coincidence.

The materials all seem pretty solid, though the booklets all feel surprisingly similar, though not all identical (though that could also be a reasonable coincidence).

Here's some photos of the matrixes and rear covers of the four with the (supposedly Japanese) bonus tracks, if anyone can help out (and sorry for the possible poor quality, my camera and room lighting is awful lol).
https://imgur.com/a/w3iGlcI

I can supply more pictures and info if needed too, of course.

Thanks very much.

Edit: Taking a more patient look through Discogs, there's an "unofficial" entry that matches the DGM album I have at least. Given the similarity and peculiarity of all but one of the others, I feel as though they're probably also unfortunately unofficial.
Would still appreciate a second opinion of course, but if that's the case, how might one recommend approaching the seller about this, if there aren't preexisting Discogs entries to point to as unofficial for the rest of these versions? I will however make entries for these.

I don't think I have any of those to compare, I don't do a lot of power metal. They do look suspect though. Maybe someone who owns them can take a look of the photos.

It's a good copy for sure, but there's an easier way to spot an original. I'd have photos taken already if I wasn't so busy filing claims and making returns. I have purchased three Morbid Saint "Spectrum..." cds the last two weeks on Discogs. First one shows up, bootleg. I show the seller how and why it's a boot and make a return, they don't fight it and they re-list as original upon receiving the return. Second one shows up from Japan, alleged to be a factory sealed original I paid a premium for. I asked questions regarding bootlegs, he tells me (sounding offended I'd ask), "bootlegs aren't a part of Japans culture". So of course, item arrives today, it's a re-seal job not a factory seal and inside is a bootleg. Discogs is plagued with liars and cheats, it's sad. We'll see what #3 turns out to be, should be here next week.

Edit: I'd like to add, I'm not spending $7-$12 on the blatantly obvious boots being sold on Discogs and complaining about it. I'm putting down $70-$100+ for what's said to be proper press originals and I keep getting bootlegs from these clowns.

Sorry I suck at mspaint guys. Your Obscenity original can be identified by the stacking ring. The original disc on the right has a substantial stacking ring in the middle, the bootleg on the left does not. There's other differences in the disc, booklet and tray card but those are tough to tell unless you have both versions in front of you.




Didn't realize editing text in on one side of the photo would screw the quality up so bad.

Another shot, bootleg on the left, original right.

I've added these suspicious CDs to Discogs now, if anyone knows enough to take a look, or just for the record:

https://www.discogs.com/Arwen-Illusions ... e/12448220
https://www.discogs.com/Highlord-Medusa ... e/12447996
https://www.discogs.com/Skylark-Divine- ... e/12447457
https://www.discogs.com/Skylark-Dragons ... e/12448264
Plus I've added a photo of the inner CD ring to the DGM release for easier reference and comparison:
https://www.discogs.com/DGM-Different-S ... e/10774389

Thanks!

There’s a fellow on Discogs selling Die Festung from Paysage d’Hiver on cassette, but claims it didn’t come with the sticker on the cassette like all the other albums released on cassette did. I have talked to two other people and have heard from one of them that they didn’t come stickered and he owns a copy like that, and another saying they did come with stickers but he doesn’t own a copy.

Could anyone help me establish why there’s a dichotomy here? Possibly some came with stickers on the tape and others didn’t? Or maybe a large influx of bootlegs in the market?

Thanks

Guys is this the legit issue of Coven "Blessed Is The Black"? I am thinking that it is - the matrix seems fine and I know only of one bootleg of that release and it has the album title as the matrix.

Pictures:

Yeah, you're good. There was two pressings of that Coven release, one with SID codes and one without.

Great to hear because I hunted that album down for the longest time. Great record and not so cheap to get.

I think these are all legitimate?

Cain's Offering - Stormcrow:
https://i.imgur.com/78JSRJf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PcahLOi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wfTReZl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RJEPSrV.jpg

Shaman - Ritual:
https://i.imgur.com/JMsBemj.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kyxFLXF.jpg

Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King:
https://i.imgur.com/4dz12MM.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XYqkD0Z.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kBNgyeG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BDtq763.jpg

Yes they are.

Thanks.

I have Ensiferum's 'Hero in a Dream' CD demo.

It has a printed cover with artwork and credits. The back cover has a band photo and song titles with lengths. The other side is clear. The cover is black and white, not with brown tint as on Discogs.

CD reads CD-r and some numbers on matrix, reversed. Otherwise it is clear.

https://www.discogs.com/Ensiferum-Hero-In-A-Dream/release/2374415

Could it be original copy or a copy? I bought it second hand, or who knows how many there was before me!

As a rule of thumb: no sticker, no deal. So far, the 5 PDH tapes I managed to get my hands on came with a label on them. The only unlabeled release I have so far is the "Steineiche" CD-R version, but since everything else is included (envelope, booklet, lyrics sheet etc) and the production/mix sounding much different from the A5 re-release version (not to mention the inclusion of "Déjà Vu", absent from the re-release), I don't see why the seller would have bothered replacing a labeled CD with an unlabeled one.

A sort-of collection/CD rarity related question. I am hunting for a copy of Celtic Frost's "To Mega Therion" - I want it non-remastered and I heard different things about two versions:

1. The original 1986 Combat/Noise CD pressing - I heard both good and bad things about this one regarding the sonics. Some people said it sounded excellent - like the original vinyl. Other people said this is one of the worst versions of this album - noisy, no clarity, no mid-range.

2. The 1993 Futurist re-release - this was almost universally praised as far as sonics go.

I would love to hear some opinions on the 1996 Combat/Noise pressing if somebody has one/heard it and can give me his/hers opinion on the audio quality of that particular release.

Can anyone please help me out to be 100% sure about the difference between the original copy of I.N.C. (Indestructible Noise Command) - The Visitor and the bootleg?
I can easily spot the 2015 version, but there’s a bootleg version that looks a lot like the original CD.
I just wanted to make sure I don’t end up paying $80 or more for the bootleg.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Easy, your matrix will look identical to the one on Discogs. But don't pay $80 for it, I'd sell you mine for $60 shipped. It's in near mint condition, I just don't listen to it anymore. I'll post a couple photos below.







The bootleg will look like the one uploaded to Discogs.
https://www.discogs.com/INC-The-Visitor/release/3887799

I don't think they started messing with the sound of that album until the late 90's. The 1987 issue and the 1993 re-issue shouldn't be different. I have an original 1987 cd pressing but not a 1993 to compare to.