Folder 172
Europe
The matrix 2-1-15-NL together with ifpi 1523 - the actual discriminator. 3039697 records this exact pair as variant 8 (835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 2-1-15-NL, ifpi 1523); neither string turned up on any other candidate checked. Its other Swindon -NL variants carry different run numbers and different SIDs, and 14144812's four carry 1-1-5, 2-1-18, 1-1-13 and 1-1-1.
What the record says
Every line below was read off a native-resolution crop of the photograph named beside it.
Inner mirror ring photographed under raking light in three separate close-ups, with the mould code in two more. The first close-up (IMG_3761) reads EMI SWINDON and then a small solid square. The second (IMG_3763) begins at the same square and reads 835819 2 .1, with a dot before the final 1. The third (IMG_3762) shows 2-1-15-NL on another stretch of the ring. The square is a symbol and is left out of the string below. Because the three were framed apart, where 2-1-15-NL sits relative to the other two was not established from the photographs; it is listed last. The mould SID in IMG_3764 and IMG_3765 reads ifpi 1523, which is not part of the matrix and is not in ring=. The owner's note listed the same strings; the readings here come from the photographs.
EMI SWINDON 835819 2 .1 2-1-15-NL — not among the 11 matrix entries Discogs records: an undocumented stamper.
Barcode and Other Identifiers: Matrix / Runout
As Discogs records them for release 3039697. Green: in my collection (0 of 11). Red: missing.
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 1) | 835819 2 1 EMI SWINDON 2-1-14 |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 2) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-1-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 3) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-7-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 4) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-5-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 5) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-19-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 6) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-6-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 7) | 83519 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 2-1-18-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 8) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 2-1-15-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 9) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-20-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 10) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 1-1-10-NL |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Variant 11) | 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 2-1-17-NL |
Every line of small print, and the photograph it came from — 9 of them
Rear inlay catalogue block: barcode text 7243 8 35819 2 4 over 7 24383 58192 4, price-code boxes I: 070 and F: PM 520, UK:CDEMD 1087, Printed in Holland., and the sideways line Place of manufacture as stated on label Marketed and Distributed by EMI with the EMI mark
IMG_3754.jpeg, IMG_3755.jpeg
Disc face: EMI UNITED KINGDOM, bel BIEM, © 1995 IRON MAIDEN HOLDINGS LTD ... UNDER EXCLUSIVE LICENCE TO EMI RECORDS LTD, MADE IN HOLLAND. and 7243 8 35819 2 4, with a label code that reads as LC0542 (the digits are not crisp at this size)
IMG_3756.jpeg
Inner mirror ring, first segment under raking light, native crop: EMI SWINDON followed by a small solid square
IMG_3761.jpeg
Inner mirror ring, second segment: 835819 2 .1, starting right after the same solid square, with a dot before the final 1
IMG_3763.jpeg
Inner mirror ring, third segment: 2-1-15-NL
IMG_3762.jpeg
Hub area, mould SID: ifpi 1523
IMG_3764.jpeg, IMG_3765.jpeg
Booklet back cover, cropped at its foot: 7243 8 35819 2 4 printed small in the artwork
IMG_3759.jpeg
Tray card in the open case with the IRON MAIDEN plate and the case spine reading IRON MAIDEN
IMG_3757.jpeg
Front of the jewel case with the IRON MAIDEN plate and THE X FACTOR along the foot
IMG_3753.jpeg
The photographs
IMG_3753.jpg1 of 12READ FROM
The object, and what marks it out
Sleeve, labels and inserts
- Standard jewel case with a clear tray, the booklet and the disc all present.
- A scrap of white paper or tape is stuck on the rear cover, low down beside the electric chair; it does not cover any print.
- The disc face is the printed blue-toned electric-chair picture, and the tray beneath it is clear.
What distinguishes this pressing
- The matrix
2-1-15-NLtogether withifpi 1523- the actual discriminator. 3039697 records this exact pair as variant 8 (835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON 2-1-15-NL,ifpi 1523); neither string turned up on any other candidate checked. Its other Swindon-NLvariants carry different run numbers and different SIDs, and 14144812's four carry1-1-5,2-1-18,1-1-13and1-1-1. I: 070andF: PM 520- the price codes 3039697 lists, matching the rear inlay. Corroboration only, since other pressings of the same commercial release will carry them too.bel BIEM,LC 0542andMADE IN HOLLAND- 3039697 records the same rights society, label code andMade in Holland on CD.BIEMis not a country marker, so these support the family rather than pin the copy.UK:CDEMD 1087- listed on 3039697, but also on 6884825, 8931761 and several others, so it does not separate them.- Not the Uden-pressed 6884825, whose matrix rows read
835819 2 @ 2 <run pair>-NLwith different SIDs, and not 8931761, whose rows are835819 2 .1:1:<n>. EMI SWINDONwith no-NL.
Eleven tracks, and the recording credits
Tracks 1-6
- 1Sign Of The Cross
- 2Lord Of The Flies
- 3Man On The Edge
- 4Fortunes Of War
- 5Look For The Truth
- 6The Aftermath
Tracks 7-11
- 7Judgement Of Heaven
- 8Blood On The World's Hands
- 9The Edge Of Darkness
- 102 A.M.
- 11The Unbeliever
Blaze Bayley - vocals · Dave Murray - guitar · Janick Gers - guitar · Steve Harris - bass · Nicko McBrain - drums · Michael Kenney - keyboards. The Expresion Choir sings the Gregorian chants on Sign Of The Cross.
Produced by Nigel Green and Steve Harris; engineered by Nigel Green, assisted by Les Lambert and Mick McKenna; mixed by Nigel Green and Steve Harris. Mastered by Ronal Whelan at Chop 'Em Out. Recorded and mixed at Barnyard Studios. Art direction, design and digital illustration by Hugh Syme. Photography by Tony Frederick; band photographs by Ross Halfin and Simon Fowler. Published by Zomba Music Publishers Ltd.
Personnel and studio credits are sourced from Discogs release 388789, the UK original, and apply to the recording rather than to this pressing. Where this copy's own packaging carries the producer, publisher or copyright lines, they are quoted in the evidence above.
Condition, from the photographs
A photograph cannot grade a record - this is a description of what is visible, not a grade.
- Case/inlay: general handling wear with some edge and corner softening; no cracks or splits visible in these shots.
- Disc: light surface marks and handling sheen catch the light. No visible deep scratches or disc-face damage in these photographs.
Nothing on this page comes from playing the record. No Goldmine grade is claimed for it, or any other. I have no record of where this copy came from.
What is settled, and what is not
Confirmed by the inner mirror ring and its mould code, read under raking light. The catalogue number 7243 8 35819 2 4 and the UK:CDEMD 1087 line on the rear inlay, Printed in Holland and MADE IN HOLLAND on the disc, and bel BIEM all fit 3039697, but they fit several sibling European rows just as well. What separates it is the ring: EMI SWINDON with 835819 2 .1 and 2-1-15-NL, and the mould code ifpi 1523. 3039697 lists exactly this combination as variant 8 of its eleven, and across the 43 other CD releases of this master with a 7243 catalogue number, no other carries 2-1-15-NL or ifpi 1523.
The nearest rivals fall away on the matrix. 8931761 has EMI SWINDON rings too, but in a .1:1:<n>. layout with no -NL. 14144812 shares the 835819 2 .1 EMI SWINDON <pair>-NL layout but records different run pairs and SIDs. 6884825 is Uden-pressed with @ 2 rings.
Standing caveat: the version list is incomplete by construction, so an uncatalogued pressing carrying this same ring cannot be excluded. Also note that the ring here is written in the order photographed, which differs from Discogs' word order for variant 8, so a strict string comparison against it may not match even though every part does.