Here are the essential metal releases for Record Store Day 2023

Record Store Day is coming up once again, and there are plenty of metal offerings included to get your mitts on. Taking place on April 22 at independent record stores up and down the UK, there's a selection of first-time pressings, special reissues and beautiful creations that you won't be able to find anywhere else.

So, shall we get stuck in?

Black Sabbath's 1978 album Never Say Die! is being pressed onto transparent and light blue splatter vinyl for the very first time. It will also include a reproduction of the original Ten Year War brochure, taken from the original production of the record.

The Best Of Death is receiving a repress, previously being out of print since 1992. It collects songs from their first four albums, Scream Bloody Gore, Leprosy, Spiritual Healing and Human, all remixed and remastered. It will be on Royal Blue vinyl with splatter.

Lacuna Coil's Shallow Life is being reissued for the first time since a limited run back in 2009. This run is limited to 1500 copies and pressed onto clear vinyl in a gatefold jacket. Dark Adrenaline will also be repressed following an initial 2012 run, also limited to 1500 copies but this time pressed onto red vinyl.

The Mars Volta have put together a special single, rounding out the full reissue of their back catalogue, featuring the single version of Frances The Mute and a live version of The Widow.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Shout At The Devil, there's a new Mötley Crüe 12' EP featuring two tracks from Shout At The Devil and two from Too Fast For Love, all housed on a picture disc featuring new images from their Blood photo session.

The fourth volume of Motörhead's Lost Tapes is being pressed onto 2 LP vinyl, featuring an uncovered live set recorded at Sporthalle, Heilbronn, Germany, on 29th December 1984.

Keith Morris' OFF! are putting out four unused tracks from their recent album FREE LSD and a whole side of industrial free jazz on 12" grape colour vinyl.

Altar, the collaborative epic between SUNN O))) and Boris from 2006, is being repressed for the first time in 15 years and will be presented on lava red vinyl.

Taproot’s second album, 2002’s Welcome, is getting pressed onto vinyl for the first time. It will be limited to 1600 and appear on light blue.

And While She Sleep’s 2019 album So What? is getting a 2LP repress, this time on half-red, half-white.

You can check out the full listings for Record Store Day, and find participating stores near you, right here.