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The Painters Of Metal


Album art is a crucial element to what makes a great album become monumental to the music fan. It gives us a vision and a feeling through visual sensations that are linked in the mind to the sounds that embody those ideas. A great album is intertwined into those concrete images and the two aspects make them whole. The following is a list of albums by some of the most influential, well known illustrators in the Arts Community. These artists are key figures in relation to how famous their art has become either by the success of the bands they worked for or the popularity of their own work.

Created by: MisfitMel | 30.10.2014



1. Electric Wizard - Electric Wizard
1995 (cover Artist Dave Patchett) Patchett has a distinct style which fuses his love of Hieronymus Bosch with bright colors and dark surrealism. Another fantastic example of his style is Cathedral - Forest Of Equilibrium
2. Darkthrone - F.O.A.D.
2007 (Cover Artist Dennis Dread) One of my favorite contemporary artists and the crust punk mascot of Darkthrone's Fuck of and Die as well as Circle The Wagons, and Darkthrones and Black Flags.."A freelance culture terrorist, Dread edits and self-publishes the long running underground art zine Destroying Angels and curates the acclaimed annual group exhibition Entartete Kunts."-http://www.dennisdread.com
3. Cradle Of Filth - Midian
2000 (Cover Artist Jeff Knight POtter) Amazing dark surrealism and fantasy art
4. Converge - Jane Doe
2001 (Cover Artist Jacob Bannon) Is both the artist and vocalist/songwriter of the band Converge. This album cover has become an icon of the hardcore/punk movement. Bannon is currently still creating art and selling prints of his work.
5. Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth
1998 (Cover Artist Andreas Marschall) One of the most influential fantasy illustrators in the metal universe. His work has been used on other killer albums for bands such as: Covenant, Dimmu Borgir, Grave Digger, HammerFall, Immolation, In Flames, King Diamond, Kreator, Obituary, Sodom, and many many more!!
6. Motörhead - Orgasmatron
1986 (Cover Artist Joe Petagno) The man behind the infamous snaggletooth logo for motor head.. and an extremely talented artist in the realm of illustration
7. Slayer - Show No Mercy
1983 (Cover Artist Larry Caroll) Caroll has been the main dude behind Slayers album art throughout the years.. and has created a very unique iconography for the band. Larry Carroll is probably the only artist on this list that has been so intrinsically linked to a band in such a distinct way.
8. Septicflesh - The Great Mass
2011 (Cover Artist Seth Siro Anton) Is both a vocalist and a painter who's work is highly sought after for metal album artwork for post 90's musicians. He uses a lot of high contrast images of obscured figures in heavily layered textures which give his style a unique look among his contemporaries. His work can be found among many other modern album covers including Nile, Moonspell and others.
9. Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind
1983 (Cover Artist Derek Riggs) Riggs is responsible for carving into our hearts the Iconic image of Britain's favorite Metal dude, "Eddie". This is also of the greatest Maiden albums ever.
10. Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
1986 (Cover Artist Ed Repka) A perhaps rival to the beloved Eddie is "Vic Rattlehead" the creation originated by Dave Mustaine himself. Repka is skilled with bright colors and comic style illustrations.. In the 90's, Megadeth had their own comic book distributed by Chaos Comics which are metal nerd treasures to be cherished.
11. Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
1993 (Cover Artist Michael R. Whelan ) I included this piece for the realization of street art and the message in the street art which is what this album is all about. I have always respected (the original early Sepultura) for their powerful anti political lyrics. I think that for Brazilians, this was especially hitting close to home and probably fused together the ideals of the band as they would later become a mega name in the metal scene.
12. Bathory - Blood On Ice
1996 (Cover Artist Kristian 'Necrolord' Wahlin) Ha, I could actually fill this entire list with Necrolord's work because it is extremely common among the archives of many well known Metal Acts. He is responsible for the following paintings/Artists : Tiamat, Dissection, Therion, Dark Tranquility, Ensiferum, Wintersun, Dark Funeral, Blut Aus Nord, Bathory, etc. His work has become such a commodity that I believe it has become over looked and under appreciated due to the large success and linage of accomplishments. What makes him still so highly coveted to musicians? It may be the fact that his work has become a major part of an art movement/illustration style that is inked to that of fantasy art and metal itself.
13. Danzig - Danzig III - How The Gods Kill
1992 (Cover Artist H.R. Giger) Giger is the MASTER and central influence in the modern art culture known as "Bio-Mechanical" art. Giger fuses together highly sensual physical humanoid body parts with that of the machine. He is probably most well known for his design of the terrifying creature from the movie "Alien" and also has collaborated with numerous other artists and musicians throughout his career. His work can be found on other album covers such as Celtic Frost's - To Mega Therion.
14. Ahab - The Divinity Of Oceans
2009 (Cover Artist Theodore Gericault) This Painting can also be found in the Louvre in Paris, France. It is considered one of the highlights of French Romanticism. The painting depicts the remaining survivors of a naval accident that resulted in over a hundred dead and some cannibalized in order to survive the horrors at sea until they were found and rescued. A fitting topic for a doom band with a sea theme.
15. Entombed - Left Hand Path
1990 ( Cover Artist Dan Seagrave) Dan Seagrave is a Master of landscape fused with dark surrealism and dark Fantasy. His art has greatly influenced the death metal scene of the early 90's..
16. Emperor - Emperor
1993 (Cover Artist Gustave Dore) 1832-1883 Dore is an amazing French painter/Engraver who has depicted many intense scenes of angelic and demonic battles, among other such mythologies.. This piece is titled, "Death on the Pale Horse", which i'm sure he never imagined would be a symbol of the early Black Metal scene and The signature icon of Emperor. And yeah Dore Rules..
17. Graveworm - As The Angels Reach The Beauty
1999 (Cover Artist Luis Royo) The Spanish Painter/Illustrator Luis Royo first caught my eye in the pages of the illustrated Magazine, "Heavy Metal". His Fantasy pin ups of exotic women in battle armor and tattooed flesh are by far iconic in the sci-fi fantasy community. His style is remarkably easy to pick out among the countless other pin up artists out there, especially because of his signature female facial features which can be seem in many of his girls. It is my theory that Royo being influenced by the work of the Pre-Raphaelite painters of the 1800's, is interested in capturing the idealized infatuation with his "dream" woman. In a Very similar means to the red haired woman of JW Waterhouse's work.
18. Yngwie Malmsteen - War To End All Wars
2000 (cover Artist Frank Frazetta) 1928-2010. Frazetta is another heavy weight champ of the fantasy art world, and by far one of the most important in terms of major impact of the world and the influence of countless artists. His style basically defined the concept of "sword and sorcery" in fiction. Frazetta illustrated very few album covers in comparison to the legacy of his book art and fantasy paintings, but I believe the Musicians who did chose Frazetta for their covers did so because of their respect for his influence on the genre of heavy metal.
19. Orange Goblin - Coup De Grace
2002 (Cover Artist Frank Kozik) Kozik is most well known for his poster art which began to explode on the scene in the early 90's starting with his first major break though poster for the band, Sound Garden. His style is generally extremely bold, with bright popping colors and light elements of dark humor. He is a major influence on many illustrators working today. Some of his other album covers include Offpring's "Americana", and The Melvins, "Houdini".
20. Cryptopsy - None So Vile
1996 (Cover Artist Elisabetta Sirani) 1638-1665 was an Italian Baroque painter, whom in her short lifetime created over 200 paintings, drawings, and etchings. Cryptopsy used her painting, "Judith with the head of Holofernes" for the cover of None so Vile. This subject has also been depicted by the great Italian painters, Caravaggio, and Artemesia Gentileschi. In short, Judith is considered to be a legendary heroine who seduced Holofernes in order to kill him while he was drunk in order to stop his tyrannical attacks on the the Hebrews.
21. Tool - Lateralus
2001 (Cover Artist Alex Grey) One of my favorite Painters, and inspirations, Alex Grey is most notably a "visionary artist" specializing in subjects of the spiritual and psychedelic realm. He and his wife Allyson Grey (another fantastic painter) are the co-founders of The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, a.k.a. CoSM, which is a non-profit church supporting visionary culture in Wappinger, New York. His Paintings are typically of anatomical human bodies in layers exposing their inner skeleton, nervous system, and lymphatic system. Much like the concept album art for the Band Tool, which he is we known for among Tool fans. I wanted to put Alex on this list, mostly because I find that a lot of people (mainly Tool fans) know what the cover art for the band looks like, but have never heard of Alex Grey.
22. Candlemass - Nightfall
1987 (Cover Artist Thomas Cole) This epic of Doom Metal was originally going to be titled, "Gothic Stone" until the band decided to go with the final painting of the 4 panel series called the Voyage of Life by the American Romantic painter, Thomas Cole. The 4 paintings are an allegory that interprets visually the journey of man through four stages of life: infancy, youth, manhood and old age. Old age in this case being Death and the passage into Eternal Nightfall. Cole described this as, "The chains of corporeal existence are falling away; and already the mind has glimpses of Immortal Life."



Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by MisfitMel ]



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Comments: 30   Visited by: 141 users
31.10.2014 - 03:46
Mattybu

I want to give this a thumbs up based on the description but the fact that good old Seth is on here and someone like Dan Seagrave isn't makes it hard for me to... interesting description though.
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31.10.2014 - 05:05
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
No. 5 is one of my fave painters. The way he / she conceals their artwork to conjure an air of mystery is very impressive. They also did one of my albums, but I probably shouldn't tell you about it.
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31.10.2014 - 05:06
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 05:05

No. 5 is one of my fave painters. The way he / she conceals their artwork to conjure an air of mystery is very impressive. They also did one of my albums, but I probably shouldn't tell you about it.

(s)he also did the cover for a Metallica album which turned out to be very famous
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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31.10.2014 - 05:08
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Karlabos on 31.10.2014 at 05:06

(s)he also did the cover for a Metallica album which turned out to be very famous

Oh yeah, the "White" album. Kind of a rip off of The Beatles one but I see where you're coming from. Racist.
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31.10.2014 - 12:18
Ilham
Giant robot
I like the initiative, but I find 90% of that art uninteresting or unsuitable for a CD cover. Also, I really can't understand how Seth managed to keep his job. Someone should hand him a pencil and a box of crayons and see if they can redo his artistic education from scratch. A grunge brush and a couple filters is not the only thing you can do on Ps.
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31.10.2014 - 12:20
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:18

Also, I really can't understand how Seth managed to keep his job.

It honestly boggles my mind. I'm critical of a lot of things but those things often have redeeming features. Seth's artwork literally has none.

Personally the only ones of these I can say I really like is Sepultura's and Cathedral's. A few are decent but not my cup of coffee.
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31.10.2014 - 12:30
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:20

It honestly boggles my mind. I'm critical of a lot of things but those things often have redeeming features. Seth's artwork literally has none.

Personally the only ones of these I can say I really like is Sepultura's and Cathedral's. A few are decent but not my cup of coffee.

Exactly. I don't like classic metal paintings such as these, because most of the time the band name/title is splattered on it like cowpat and they choose a small uninteresting portion of the painting.
But I know that when they're spread out on big canvases it suddenly starts looking like real art rather than corny and kitsh metal covers. However, there isn't one instance in which I said to myself "oh I wish I could see the original art in its original shape and dimensions" with Seth's. The kind of over-photoshoped, outdated, without interesting concept, grungy cliché shit he does seriously gives a bad name to the profession. You can do digital art without it looking like a 16 yo did this for his overweight goth girlfriend for their two weeks anniversary.

</endrant>
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31.10.2014 - 12:33
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:30

You can do digital art without it looking like a 16 yo did this for his overweight goth girlfriend for their two weeks anniversary.

</endrant>

Pow, right in the kisser. The funny thing is I imagine the original photographs the art is based off are probably much nicer than their butchered counterparts. Nothing amazing I doubt, but nicer for sure.
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31.10.2014 - 12:44
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:33

Pow, right in the kisser. The funny thing is I imagine the original photographs the art is based off are probably much nicer than their butchered counterparts. Nothing amazing I doubt, but nicer for sure.

I agree. Provided there's good lighting to convey the right atmosphere, there's no need to travesty the photographs like that. Sometimes people forget that with very little you can say a lot.
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31.10.2014 - 12:48
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:44

I agree. Provided there's good lighting to convey the right atmosphere, there's no need to travesty the photographs like that. Sometimes people forget that with very little you can say a lot.

Man Ray was the man. That takes me back to A-level photography 8]
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31.10.2014 - 12:53
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:44

Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:33

Pow, right in the kisser. The funny thing is I imagine the original photographs the art is based off are probably much nicer than their butchered counterparts. Nothing amazing I doubt, but nicer for sure.

I agree. Provided there's good lighting to convey the right atmosphere, there's no need to travesty the photographs like that. Sometimes people forget that with very little you can say a lot.

this would make for a creepy cover
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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31.10.2014 - 12:54
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Darkside Momo on 31.10.2014 at 12:53

this would make for a creepy cover

Not far off it http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-but-the-whole
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31.10.2014 - 12:58
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:54

Written by Darkside Momo on 31.10.2014 at 12:53

this would make for a creepy cover

Not far off it http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-but-the-whole

Indeed - yet it's not as creepy
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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31.10.2014 - 13:01
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:48

Man Ray was the man. That takes me back to A-level photography 8]

Indeed. And Stieglitz. And Atget. And Cartier-Bresson. And Lange. And the Becher couple. And many more.

Oh and, about the Emptiness cover, that's exactly why I linked the Man Ray one .

Talking about photography and cover arts. I would have loved to see one of these for Botanist album covers. Karl Blossfeldt's photographs.
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31.10.2014 - 14:22
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 13:01

Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:48

Man Ray was the man. That takes me back to A-level photography 8]

Indeed. And Stieglitz. And Atget. And Cartier-Bresson. And Lange. And the Becher couple. And many more.

Oh and, about the Emptiness cover, that's exactly why I linked the Man Ray one .

Talking about photography and cover arts. I would have loved to see one of these for Botanist album covers. Karl Blossfeldt's photographs.

Well, the fourth one was used by Niklas Sundin for his very own Dark Tranquillity on the Haven cover
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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31.10.2014 - 15:26
MisfitMel

Woah, I didn't even realize You guys responded to my list.. Ha ha.. I am actually a huge Dan Seagrave Fan, I have the poster which came inside of my Morbid Angel album booklet on my wall!! I just didn't add him yet. :/ Ha.. I feel terrible that he isn't up here.. BTW Thanks for all the suggestions.. I'm going to look into anything that I wasn't aware of. I Love music and I'm a painter myself, so these artists are some of my heros and major inspirations!!
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31.10.2014 - 15:46
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Darkside Momo on 31.10.2014 at 14:22

Well, the fourth one was used by Niklas Sundin for his very own Dark Tranquillity on the Haven cover

Oh I had never nocited! To be honest, I find that cover ugly. The photograph is beautiful enough to stand alone without effets. This is what I did with it in three minutes.

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31.10.2014 - 16:26
Lit.
Account deleted
Honestly, the only ones you get points for are Jane Doe and The Divinity of Oceans, and only because the latter is an actual painting.

The rest, as said above, are sheer mediocrity.
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31.10.2014 - 18:08
V01d

Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 12:54

Written by Darkside Momo on 31.10.2014 at 12:53

this would make for a creepy cover

Not far off it http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-but-the-whole


I was thinking about snatching that album. I only heard the first song and I'm not sure what to think of it yet, though it seemed to have a very unique sound.
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31.10.2014 - 18:09
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by V01d on 31.10.2014 at 18:08

I was thinking about snatching that album. I only heard the first song and I'm not sure what to think of it yet, though it seemed to have a very unique sound.

I would definitely recommend it. Could be my AotY right now. I know what you mean though, it's a hard album to get a grasp of. I think that's why I like it though.
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31.10.2014 - 18:10
V01d

Also, where is Xasthur's Nocturnal Poisoning? That moving piece is an unparalleled milestone >_>
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31.10.2014 - 18:11
V01d

Written by Guest on 31.10.2014 at 18:09

Written by V01d on 31.10.2014 at 18:08

I was thinking about snatching that album. I only heard the first song and I'm not sure what to think of it yet, though it seemed to have a very unique sound.

I would definitely recommend it. Could be my AotY right now. I know what you mean though, it's a hard album to get a grasp of. I think that's why I like it though.


Right on, thanks. I'll give it a few spins then.
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04.11.2014 - 00:38
TrollandDie

Nice list!

I always appreciate the extra info people supply with the lists.
----
Hello, my name is Mr......Snrub and I think it would be a capital idea to invest the money back in the nuclear plant.
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04.11.2014 - 13:35
Pandore

Great list. I'm not familiar with all the artists (I know most of the cover arts but cannot link all covers of some artists), so I'm definitely gonna check out some of them.

And I have to say I find the lack of John Baizley very disturbing (Baroness, Skeletonwitch, Kvelertak, etc.).
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04.11.2014 - 14:18
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Pandore on 04.11.2014 at 13:35

And I have to say I find the lack of John Baizley very disturbing (Baroness, Skeletonwitch, Kvelertak, etc.).

Baizley shamelessly re-ashes posters and ads from the Art Nouveau era, and only does variations around naked nymphs with a symbolic creature next to it. I'd rather use an original Mucha poster than pay him to have the exact same cover as half the stoner albums being released.
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06.11.2014 - 17:21
MisfitMel

Written by deadone on 05.11.2014 at 00:34

Written by Ilham on 04.11.2014 at 14:18

Written by Pandore on 04.11.2014 at 13:35

And I have to say I find the lack of John Baizley very disturbing (Baroness, Skeletonwitch, Kvelertak, etc.).

Baizley shamelessly re-ashes posters and ads from the Art Nouveau era, and only does variations around naked nymphs with a symbolic creature next to it. I'd rather use an original Mucha poster than pay him to have the exact same cover as half the stoner albums being released.



I don't mind Baizley as a tribute to Art Nouveau. But I'd rather the original thing too. Baizley's work lacks the richness of original Art Nouveau posters.

This year I didn't get an Art Nouveau calendar for the first time in years. I got Salvador Dali instead.


Yeah, I have to agree with the fact that Baizley didn't seem appropriate to put here, though his work is definitely well known now because of bands like, Baroness, so technically it should make the cut. However, in terms of where he gets his influence would definitely be Alphonse Mucha. I am a big fan of Art Nouveau also, It's amazing. An artist that I really enjoy is the vocalist/guitarist of the band Dark Castle (btw the only woman artist mentioned so far) Stevie makes her own album art for the band and sells prints/merch of her work. I'd say her art is heavily inspired by Mucha, but achieves success by making it her own thing.
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06.11.2014 - 22:31
Lit.
Account deleted
Quote:

Cryptopsy used her painting, "Judith with the head of Holofernes" for the cover of None so Vile. This subject has also been depicted by the great Italian painters, Caravaggio, and Artemesia Gentileschi. In short, Judith is considered to be a legendary heroine who seduced Holofernes in order to kill him while he was drunk in order to stop his tyrannical attacks on the the Hebrews.


This is actually incorrect. The variant of the painting used for Cryptopsy's cover art on None So Vile is a different version of a different scene depicted called Herodias with the Head of John the Baptist, not the version from the Book of Judith of Judith with the head of Holofernes. A common mistake, but there are key differences:

Judith = Respected widow of Bethulia; manipulated her way into enemy camp with her maid, has dinner with Holofernes (a general who seeks to destroy her town), goes to his tent when he is drunk, uses his own sword to decapitate him herself, takes the head back to Bethulia in a bag and saves the town. She's usually depicted with an elderly maid at her shoulder and the head is put in a bag instead of on a platter, like so:


(By Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio)

Salome = Step-daughter of Herod, wants to please her mother who was insulted by John the Baptist, dances at dinner for Herod, asks for head of John the Baptist, has an executioner decapitate him, she takes the head to her mother on a platter and thus fulfills her mother's revenge. Usually depicted without a maid and sword as she orders the execution instead of actually doing it, and with John The Baptist's head on a silver platter:



You were correct on the artist of the original piece, though.
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08.11.2014 - 06:58
scrambles

Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:18

I like the initiative, but I find 90% of that art uninteresting or unsuitable for a CD cover.


yeah, i agree. how many of these albums are on this list because the artwork/artists are amazing, and how many of them are on this list because the music made the album covers famous?
----
Trying to touch the Brilliant Darkness
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06.12.2014 - 23:43
MisfitMel

Written by Guest on 06.11.2014 at 22:31

Quote:

Cryptopsy used her painting, "Judith with the head of Holofernes" for the cover of None so Vile. This subject has also been depicted by the great Italian painters, Caravaggio, and Artemesia Gentileschi. In short, Judith is considered to be a legendary heroine who seduced Holofernes in order to kill him while he was drunk in order to stop his tyrannical attacks on the the Hebrews.


This is actually incorrect. The variant of the painting used for Cryptopsy's cover art on None So Vile is a different version of a different scene depicted called Herodias with the Head of John the Baptist, not the version from the Book of Judith of Judith with the head of Holofernes. A common mistake, but there are key differences:

Judith = Respected widow of Bethulia; manipulated her way into enemy camp with her maid, has dinner with Holofernes (a general who seeks to destroy her town), goes to his tent when he is drunk, uses his own sword to decapitate him herself, takes the head back to Bethulia in a bag and saves the town. She's usually depicted with an elderly maid at her shoulder and the head is put in a bag instead of on a platter, like so:


(By Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio)

Salome = Step-daughter of Herod, wants to please her mother who was insulted by John the Baptist, dances at dinner for Herod, asks for head of John the Baptist, has an executioner decapitate him, she takes the head to her mother on a platter and thus fulfills her mother's revenge. Usually depicted without a maid and sword as she orders the execution instead of actually doing it, and with John The Baptist's head on a silver platter:



You were correct on the artist of the original piece, though.



Thanks for the info/ image comment which is awesome.. I didn't realize this painting mix up , i vaguely remember studying Gentileschi in an art history class, and I thought the story was cool for gore factor and also it left an impression especially since there are so few female painters that received recognition during that time period too.
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07.12.2014 - 00:13
MisfitMel

Written by scrambles on 08.11.2014 at 06:58

Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:18

I like the initiative, but I find 90% of that art uninteresting or unsuitable for a CD cover.


yeah, i agree. how many of these albums are on this list because the artwork/artists are amazing, and how many of them are on this list because the music made the album covers famous?


I wanted to spot light some of the more influential illustrators who have also done album covers in their career, which have made recognition. Personally, I don't listen to music based on how pretty an album cover is. I listen to music for the sake of music. As for the art, if it's cool, is just a bonus factor. However, I think it's interesting when an image gains such recognition that it becomes a symbol of that idea. It evolves into something more than it's original intention. That's why I included Iron maiden as an example. It may seem like redundant news to the veteran Metal head, but there are still people out there who have seen Eddie, and don't know what it is, but they are aware that it is a "thing". For example, the Misfits logo of the fiend skull has become so freaking iconic that people who don't even listen to the misfits will sport a misfits shirt because they associate that image with an idea of something punky or edgy.. I'm completely against this notion, btw, it's just an observation.

In the case of styles, entire genres of music, for example Death Metal, have similarities that have become the "norm" to be expected. Artists like Dan Seagraves were pivotal in evolution of the typical ingredients of death metal album art, which are bright colors, high contrast, organic forms, hand drawn/ hand paintedness.. Bands start copying each other, not only in production or riffage, but in art styles too.

Bands like, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, and Motorhead really could be grouped into one camp as far as art style goes. The style reveals what it is that the musicians are going for and what to expect in sound.

Then some musicians choose art that is already famous to be their album cover, because the theme of the art suits their needs,like Graveworm, or Candlemass... I think both options are a direct message about what to expect from the music within and what the artists behind the album want their listeners to associate them to..:metal:
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