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Metal Mascots
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Mascots are an established and popular part of metal fan culture. In contrast to sports team mascots, they are no cute talismans, but are regarded as personification of the band and its music (or even as some kind of evil band member) that adds enormously to the identification of the fans with the band.

This alphabetical list presents well known examples by showing the album cover where the corresponding mascot first appeared, along with one or two sentences as general information.

Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal mascots or share relevant information on the presented mascots.

[Updated 17.12.2024]

Created by: Plattner | 28.09.2023


1. Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge
CAPTAIN MORGAN is an undead pirate with octopus tentacles as beard. He was named after the 17th century privateer Sir Henry Morgen – or more likely after the brand of rum of the same name. His unofficial name is JIMMY McFUCKNUGGET, while his undead rat is called BARRY SHITPEASE.
2. Annihilator - Alice In Hell
ALICE is based on Alice In Wonderland and appears on some album covers as scared little girl and on some others as seemingly possessed or undead version.
3. Anthrax - Inside Out
Most mascots start on an album cover and later become a part of merchandise. However, the grinning NO MAN was first featured on t-shirts and became a prominent mascot without ever showing up on an album cover. This picture is a rare appearance on a single cover.
4. Artillery - B.A.C.K.
The mascot is the classic GRIM REAPER.
5. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking The Fallen
DEATHBAT is a skull with bat wings on each side.
6. Battle Beast - Steel
The BEAST was inspired by the Berserk mangas from Kentaro Miura.
7. Battlerage - Steel Supremacy
The AXEMAN carries a double axe on all album covers.
8. Beast In Black - Berserker
The BEAST was inspired by the Berserk mangas from Kentaro Miura. The mascot was already established by Anton Kabanen for Battle Beast and continued after his departure with his recent band Beast In Black.
9. Black Majesty - Silent Company
The band has a nameless female warrior with a lightsaber-like sword on all of their seven albums, who is accompanied by at least one lion since the second album.
10. Black Sabbath - Never Say Die
HENRY is a flying devil (or flying angel) and first appeared in the artwork of the Never Say Die album and the corresponding single cover. Even though he was an official mascot used for merchandise, he never appeared on the cover of a regular Black Sabbath studio album. He did appear on the cover of the final Black Sabbath live album (The End) and as logo on the cover of the Heaven And Hell studio album (The Devil You Know)
11. Blitzkrieg - A Time Of Changes
MARIO, THE BIRD OF ARMAGEDDON, is a flying insect-like demon creature. The name was given in order to honor a loyal fan of Blitzkrieg, named Mario Corbello.
12. Bloodbound - Nosferatu
The mascot NOSFERATU is based in the vampire of the same name.
13. Brujeria - Brujerizmo
COCO LOCO ("crazy bogeyman" or "crazy head") is a severed head. The album Matando Güeros (1993) showed the real severed head of a drug dealer, which then returned in stylized form on the cover of Brujerizmo (2000) and subsequent albums.
14. Budgie - Budgie
The BUDGIE appears as bird or bird-man on the album covers and is one of the earliest examples for mascots in Heavy Metal/Hard Rock.
15. Children Of Bodom - Something Wild
THE REAPER (who is called ROY sometimes) appears not as the expected skeleton but looks like a human, possibly hinting at the real-life backstory of the Lake Bodom murders.
16. Cirith Ungol - Frost And Fire
ELRIC OF MELNIBONÉ is the antihero character of Michael Moorcock's novels and Michael Whelan's paintings.
17. Dangerous Toys - Dangerous Toys
BILL Z. BUBB is a killer clown that was inspired by a jack-in-the-box toy clown.
18. Danzig - Danzig
CRYSTAR is directly taken from Marvel comics. He appeared on two album covers of Glenn Danzig' s previous band Samhain, later on one album and several single covers of Danzig and is still present during concerts.
19. Demon Hunter - Demon Hunter
The mascot of the band is the hunted demon that appears as bull-head skull with a bullet-hole on all of their albums.
20. Destruction - Mad Butcher
The MAD BUTCHER started as a song on the debut EP Sentence Of Death (1984) and later was shown one some of the band`s EP and album covers.
21. Dio - Holy Diver
MURRAY, whose actual name is supposed to be MURALSEE, is a red-eyed and bull-headed demon that is present on several album covers. The dragon shown on some pictures is called Denzil.
22. Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
THE GUY is a cloaked figure that first appeared in artwork of The Sickness (2000) and made its first appearance on the cover art of Ten Thousand Fists (2005). In the song The Vengeful One, he is described as “The Vengeful One, The Dark Messiah, The Hand of God".
23. Dr. Living Dead! - Dr. Living Dead
The eponymous DR. LIVING DEAD is the result of a failed experiment that should have created a super soldier with two brains.
24. Ensiferum - Ensiferum
The Finnish folk hero VÄINÄMÖINEN is not only present on their cover art but he is also the main character of a song trilogy (on the albums Ensiferum and Thalassic).
25. Evildead - Annihilation Of Civilization
EVILFRED is a strange elderly guy that could be your creepy neighbour.
26. Exumer - Possessed By Fire
The MASKED GUY (or sometimes HALLOWED GUY) wears a hockey mask.
27. Five Finger Death Punch - The Way Of The Fist
KNUCKLEHEAD is a muscular demon with a blood-red hand print on its forehead.
28. Flotsam And Jetsam - Doomsday For The Deceiver
FLOTZILLA is a sea monster that appears on some of their album covers.
29. Gama Bomb - Sea Savage
SNOWY THE GAMABOMBINALE SNOWMAN is a yeti that first appeared for the storyline of the album Sea Savage.
30. Gamma Ray - Land Of The Free
Just like singer Kai Hansen, FANGFACE started with Helloween, where he was on the cover of their debut EP and of the album Walls Of Jericho. With Gamma Ray, Hansen stayed main singer and FANGFACE became the main mascot.
31. Gaupa - Gaupa
The mascot is the eponymous GAUPA, which means lynx in Swedish.
32. Grave Digger - Knights Of The Cross
The mascot is the classic GRIM REAPER.
33. Green Lung - Woodland Rites
The band mascot is a figure that resembles a devilish goat rearing up on its hind legs (or a person that wears a Dorset Ooser mask)
34. Green Yeti - The Yeti Has Landed
The GREEN YETI is the mascot of the eponymous stoner metal band.
35. Grim Reaper - See You In Hell
The classic GRIM REAPER appears on the album covers of this band and on the ones of its continuation, Steve Grimmet's Grim Reaper.
36. HammerFall - Glory To The Brave
HECTOR is a paladin with a large hammer.
37. Helion Prime - Helion Prime
SAIBOT is a cybernetic space dinosaur.
38. Helloween - Metal Jukebox
JACK O. LANTERN is a pumpkin-headed spirit that started as stylized “O“ in the name of the group on the Helloween EP (1985) and then developed into a full character since the album cover Metal Jukebox (1999).
39. Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes
The mummy-like SET ABOMINAE, who is the prophesied saviour of the Setian race and the Antichrist for mankind, is prominently featured on the covers of the five albums of the Something Wicked series and in the artwork of several other releases.
40. In Flames - The Jester Race
The mascot JESTER HEAD has been included in all albums since The Jester Race (1996) in different variations on the cover or in the artwork.
41. Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
The zombie-like EDDIE, THE HEAD is present on all album covers. He may be the most iconic mascot whose name is also known by people that are no metal fans.
42. Iron Monkey - Our Problem
The MONKEY was chosen as "juxtaposition between the ugliest and perhaps the goofiest imagery of both punk and metal to reflect the sound" (Jim Rushby).
43. Job For A Cowboy - Doom
The mascot GOAT SKULL is a figure that wears an animal skull with big horns as a mask.
44. Kanonenfieber - Menschenmühle
The picture on the cover of the first album is based on an anti-war (WWI) poster by then contemporary artist Mihály Biró. The skeleton in soldier uniform was used by the group on the cover art of the following EPs and album.
45. Kataklysm - In The Arms Of Devastation
The HEARTBEAST mascot appeared 15 years into their career. It represents a two-faced and winged demon with a ripped out heart.
46. Korpiklaani - Tales Along This Road
VAARI is a forest spirit depicted as an old man with antlers.
47. Kreator - Endless Pain
VIOLENT MIND started as a brutal demon warrior on the cover of Endless Pain (1985) and later became a more complex symbol for the ill and merciless society with the cover of Coma Of Souls (1990).
48. Lich King - Necromantic Maelstrom
The band has the undead wizard LICH KING on all of their album covers. The name was inspired by a character from the role-playing tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons.
49. Manowar - Kings Of Metal
The Conan-like band mascot has no official name, but is often referred to as MANOWARRIOR, FACELESS WARRIOR or KING OF METAL.
50. Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
VIC RATTLEHEAD is a skeletal figure that personifies the phrase "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil". The preliminary version was shown as photography of a decorated skull on the cover of Megadeth's debut (1985), while the full figure is shown on nearly all of the following releases.
51. Metallica - Live At Wembley Stadium
SCARY GUY was created by James Hetfield. The mascot first appeared on the 1992 'Live at Wembley' single but never on the cover of a studio album.
52. Misfits - American Psycho
The CRIMSON GHOST wears a red cloak and has a skull face with eyes. He is based on a film serial from 1946.
53. Monster Magnet - Spine Of God
The powerful BULL GOD was inspired by the Marvel comics universe.
54. Motörhead - Motörhead
SNAGGLETOOTH is an unmistakable fang-toothed hybrid skull that has traits of several animals.
55. Mushroomhead - Call The Devil
The X -FACE logo has evolved to a ghost-like mascot. It was commonly worn on the masks of most members, as well as on clothing and merchandise. The best appearance on an album cover is on "Call The Devil", where the logo can be seen on the back of the phone.
56. Nekrogoblikon - Goblin Island
JOHN GOBLIKON is a goblin mascot that is also present in person during live shows.
57. Orden Ogan - Vale
ALISTER VALE wears a top hat, scarf and a longcoat. He is a cursed immortal.
58. Overkill - Under The Influence
CHALY resembles a demon skull-like creature with bat wings. The appearance and its deadly green eye beams might associate it with industrial pollution and nuclear hazard.
59. Powerwolf - Lupus Dei
VÂRCOLAC is a humanoid wolf, possibly a werewolf.
60. Praying Mantis - Time Tells No Lies
The band has a giant MANTIS as mascot.
61. Queensrÿche - Rage For Order
TRI-RYCHE is actual more a logo or symbol than a traditional mascot. However, it is omnipresent in the artwork of the group and appears in different, sometimes three dimensional variations. It is based on the superimposed silhouettes of peregrin falcons.
62. Quiet Riot - Metal Health
IRON MASK`s hidden face, wide open eyes and straitjacket point to issues of mental illness. However, this could also be understood as a situation that the figure was forced in against its own will by the views of the majority.
63. Rage - Perfect Man
SOUNDCHASER is a biomechanoid creature that appears on several album covers since 1988. The corresponding backstory is told on the concept album of the same name (2003).
64. Riot - Rock City
JOHNNY, THE MIGHTY TIOR is a baby seal faced figure that is presented in different anthropomorphic bodies on several album covers. In a mascot world of scary demons and undead, this seal remains one of the most infamous examples.
65. Running Wild - Port Royal
CAPTAIN ADRIAN started as a logo, but became a regular mascot with his mixture of satanic and pirate symbols.
66. Rush - Hemispheres
The STARMAN first appeared in the booklet artwork for the album 2112 (1976) and made it's first appearance on an album cover with Hemispheres (1978).
67. Sacred Reich - Surf Nicaragua
The mascot has a gas mask on his skull and is officially named OD, which stands for OUR DUDE (probably in the context of fans calling the previously unnamed mascot SACRED REICH DUDE).
68. Satan - Court In The Act
THE JUDGE is a skeleton with a judge wig.
69. Skeletonwitch - At One With The Shadows
SKELETON MITCH is a skeletal demon with horns.
70. Sodom - Persecution Mania
KNARRENHEINZ (“Rifle Heinz”) is a gasmask-wearing soldier that started as simple human on the cover of Persecution Mania (1987) and has developed to a literal war machine like on the cover of Code Red (1999).
71. Spirit Adrift - Chained To Oblivion
The female mascot BRENDA was named after Nate Garrett's mother, who died when he was four months old. The second mascot is the dog LIZZY, named after the comic character Tin Lizzy.
72. Stormtroopers Of Death - Speak English Or Die
SARGENT D is an undead soldier. Moreover, he is supposed to be the founder of PETZ (People For The Ethical Treatment of Zombies)...
73. The Accüsed - The Return Of... Martha Splatterhead
MARTHA SPLATTERHEAD is the zombie queen of splatter rock.
74. Trivium - Silence In The Snow
IBARAKI is shown as a horned skull. Ibaraki-dōji is a japanese demon. Moreover, Matt Heafy named his side-project after Trivium`s mascot.
75. Uncle Slam - Say Uncle
UNCLE SLAM is a comic-like version of the famous US personification Uncle Sam.
76. Voivod - War And Pain
The mascot KORGULL, THE EXTERMINATOR is a cyborg that fits well to the often futuristic themes of the band.
77. Voorhees - Chapter One
JASON VOORHEES is the main antagonist of the Friday The 13th movies.
78. Wisdom - Words Of Wisdom
WISEMAN appears on all of their releases.
79. Yoth Iria - As The Flame Withers
ASTAROTH is the archdemon that is shown on all of their releases.


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



Comments

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Comments: 22   Visited by: 63 users
28.09.2023 - 00:43
Plattner
Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal mascots or share relevant information on the presented mascots.
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03.10.2023 - 21:22
Redel
Moderator
Another great Plattner list worth checking out here.
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03.10.2023 - 22:41
Plattner
Written by Redel on 03.10.2023 at 21:22

Another great Plattner list worth checking out here.

Thank you very much for your nice comment, Redel.
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03.10.2023 - 23:28
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Staff
Written by Plattner on 28.09.2023 at 00:43

Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal mascots or share relevant information on the presented mascots.

How about...

Anthrax's Not Man,
Destruction's Mad Butcher,
Dethklok's Facebones,
In Flames’ Jesterhead,
Kataklysm's Heartbeast,
Stormtroopers Of Death's Sargent D and
Voivod's Korgüll The Exterminator ?
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signatures = SPAM
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04.10.2023 - 08:25
Plattner
Written by Starvynth on 03.10.2023 at 23:28

Written by Plattner on 28.09.2023 at 00:43

Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal mascots or share relevant information on the presented mascots.

How about...

Anthrax's Not Man,
Destruction's Mad Butcher,
Dethklok's Facebones,
In Flames’ Jesterhead,
Kataklysm's Heartbeast,
Stormtroopers Of Death's Sargent D and
Voivod's Korgüll The Exterminator ?

Thank you very much for your suggestions, Starvynth. I will try to include them in the list.
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04.10.2023 - 12:17
Ball Fondlers
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04.10.2023 - 21:25
Plattner
Cool picture, Ball Fondlers.
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07.10.2023 - 23:49
Plattner
Written by Starvynth on 03.10.2023 at 23:28

Written by Plattner on 28.09.2023 at 00:43

Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal mascots or share relevant information on the presented mascots.

How about...

Anthrax's Not Man,
Destruction's Mad Butcher,
Dethklok's Facebones,
In Flames’ Jesterhead,
Kataklysm's Heartbeast,
Stormtroopers Of Death's Sargent D and
Voivod's Korgüll The Exterminator ?

Thank you again, Starvynth. I have added the examples that appear on album covers, along with the NO MAN, who is at least on a single cover. Therefore, I could not add FACEBONES, as he does not seem to be on the covers of their releases (or did I overlook something?)
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08.10.2023 - 00:16
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Staff
Written by Plattner on 07.10.2023 at 23:49

I have added the examples that appear on album covers, along with the NO MAN, who is at least on a single cover. Therefore, I could not add FACEBONES, as he does not seem to be on the covers of their releases (or did I overlook something?)

Nah, you haven't overlooked anything. Although Facebones is undoubtedly some kind of mascot of the band and although he's a quite well known figure within the Metalocalypse universe, he has never made it onto any album cover.
That's just bad luck, I guess.
----
signatures = SPAM
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08.10.2023 - 02:27
Nejde
Riot's seal should be number one because that's by far the weirdest metal mascot out there.
----
Liebe ist für alle da.
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08.10.2023 - 08:28
Plattner
Written by Nejde on 08.10.2023 at 02:27

Riot's seal should be number one because that's by far the weirdest metal mascot out there.

You are right, Nejde. Riot's seal is definitively one of the most disturbing mascots. If this was not an alphabetical list, I would put him in one of the top spots.
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08.10.2023 - 10:03
Nejde
Written by Plattner on 08.10.2023 at 08:28

You are right, Nejde. Riot's seal is definitively one of the most disturbing mascots. If this was not an alphabetical list, I would put him in one of the top spots.

I totally missed that it was in alphabetical order but now that you mention I see it. Fun list.
----
Liebe ist für alle da.
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08.10.2023 - 15:09
tintinb
What about 1914's grim reaper? Appears in both the album covers.
----
Leeches everywhere.
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08.10.2023 - 15:42
Plattner
Written by tintinb on 08.10.2023 at 15:09

What about 1914's grim reaper? Appears in both the album covers.

Thank you very much for your suggestion, tintinb. You are right, they have the grim reaper prominently on the cover of their last two albums. However, they have the skeleton soldier with the pickelhaube helmet (who would also be an interesting mascot) on their first album and on the EP, so it's a draw. Do you know any more or less official statements concerning 1914's mascot?
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08.10.2023 - 18:49
tintinb
Written by Plattner on 08.10.2023 at 15:42

Written by tintinb on 08.10.2023 at 15:09

What about 1914's grim reaper? Appears in both the album covers.

Thank you very much for your suggestion, tintinb. You are right, they have the grim reaper prominently on the cover of their last two albums. However, they have the skeleton soldier with the pickelhaube helmet (who would also be an interesting mascot) on their first album and on the EP, so it's a draw. Do you know any more or less official statements concerning 1914's mascot?

Could not find any official statements, guess we will have to wait for the next album.
----
Leeches everywhere.
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08.10.2023 - 19:01
Plattner
Written by tintinb on 08.10.2023 at 18:49

Written by Plattner on 08.10.2023 at 15:42

Written by tintinb on 08.10.2023 at 15:09

What about 1914's grim reaper? Appears in both the album covers.

Thank you very much for your suggestion, tintinb. You are right, they have the grim reaper prominently on the cover of their last two albums. However, they have the skeleton soldier with the pickelhaube helmet (who would also be an interesting mascot) on their first album and on the EP, so it's a draw. Do you know any more or less official statements concerning 1914's mascot?

Could not find any official statements, guess we will have to wait for the next album.

I agree. Let's keep this in mind and see what they will do next. In any case, they are an interesting death/doom metal band.
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09.10.2023 - 23:24
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Not sure if they're officially mascots, but Black Majesty has had a lion on every album cover, and what looks like lightsaber wielding ninja on all but one cover.
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"I'm here to nunchuck and not wear helmets. And I'm all out of helmets."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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10.10.2023 - 07:00
Plattner
Written by M C Vice on 09.10.2023 at 23:24

Not sure if they're officially mascots, but Black Majesty has had a lion on every album cover, and what looks like lightsaber wielding ninja on all but one cover.

Thank you very much for your suggestion, M C Vice. Indeed, the cover art is very coherent across their albums. I have seen that the famous Dirk Illing designed the first five album covers (until his death in 2014). It seems that the band has a recurring theme in its cover art that strongly points to these figures having the role of recognizable mascots. I also could not find more information or names right now. I will have another look and try to add your suggestion.
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11.10.2023 - 18:48
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Definitely not the best pic for a Megadeth album cover for an example of Vic. He looks better on the remastered version of KIMB, or on Peace Sells. My favorite Vic is probably the one from the single version cover for Holy Wars
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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11.10.2023 - 20:06
Plattner
Written by Auntie Sahar on 11.10.2023 at 18:48

Definitely not the best pic for a Megadeth album cover for an example of Vic. He looks better on the remastered version of KIMB, or on Peace Sells. My favorite Vic is probably the one from the single version cover for Holy Wars

Thank you for your comment, Apothecary. I also like the cover art of PSBWB or RIP better. I just decided to use the first cover that the corresponding mascot appeared on as picture for this list in general. Maybe I think about this point once more.
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14.10.2023 - 20:23
Plattner
Written by Auntie Sahar on 11.10.2023 at 18:48

Definitely not the best pic for a Megadeth album cover for an example of Vic. He looks better on the remastered version of KIMB, or on Peace Sells. My favorite Vic is probably the one from the single version cover for Holy Wars

Thank you again for you suggestion, Apothecary. I have included the Peace Sells... album cover now, which basically shows the first "full version" of Vic. The 1985 cover art of KIMB... seems to be preliminary anyhow, because it was drastically changed for the remastered album version. Thank you for pointing this context out.
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14.10.2023 - 20:26
Plattner
Written by M C Vice on 09.10.2023 at 23:24

Not sure if they're officially mascots, but Black Majesty has had a lion on every album cover, and what looks like lightsaber wielding ninja on all but one cover.

In addition to several other updates, I have also included your suggestion, M C Vice. I agree that this figure serves as mascot, even though we do not know a name. Thank you again, M C Vice.
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