Metal Storm's Favorite Album Artwork: The Results!
Metal Storm's Favorite Album Artwork: The Results!
An article by
Doc G. September 01, 2012
Here's what you, the Metal Storm community, chose as your favorite album artwork:
Here's what the creator, Alice Duke, had to say:
"So the band had a really clear idea of the kind of thing they wanted, a kind of Bruegel-esque Tower of Babel with sections that linked thematically to each song. They were also pretty clear that they wanted to try to stay away from clichéd "metal" imagery, which made illustrating parts like the invading forces at the bottom a challenge. My background is in videogame concept art and comics, both of which can veer towards dark and complex imagery, so I really relished the story telling opportunities in making such a big piece."
"Generally I worked to a specific brief, it involved a lot of emailing back and forth ('how about adding this to represent this' etc) with various band members chiming in. Surprisingly this wasn't as frustrating as it might sound - I've had much pickier clients and they were very open to ideas I had, the whole process felt very collaborative. I also had the music on hand, as well as the lyrics, to mine inspiration from and make sure that I stuck to the overall concept."
For those of you who want to know a little more about Alice Duke herself:
"I'm a concept artist, illustrator and comics drawer based in Liverpool, UK. I've illustrated short comics for a variety of publications, including The Graphic Canon, Nelson, Lovecraft Anthology Volume 1 and Nevermore. I also make album covers, posters, book illustrations and now as a day job I draw things for games.
You can find my sketchblog at http://alicedraws.blogspot.com and twitter updates at http://twitter.com/aliceduke."
And of course, we couldn't leave things without hearing from Cormorant themselves, here's what guitarist Nick Cohon had to say:
"That is really so cool! Thank you very much for the support and publicity. We definitely didn't think that this artwork would be in a competition with these other bad-ass bands. Some of my all time favorites are Drudkh's Autumn Aurora, Enslaved's Frost, and Ulver's Shadow Of The Sun. The Alcest artwork is pretty cool too."
"Surprisingly enough, after we finished the art design for Metazoa, we wanted to scale it back, simplify it and add more of a human element. In hindsight, I think that the anthropocentric element was achieved, but it still is quite busy visually. Alice did such a good job though that there was very little we wanted to remove although there are some funny drafts that included swords and shit which probably will never see the light of day. This art is really meant to be a poster, 4-5 ft tall and 1-2ft wide as is Metazoa and eventually when we get our stuff together, we'll print them to order and sell them. Arthur printed one himself and it is breath taking!"
For a full interview with Cormorant discussing this artwork, go here.
Cormorant are currently on tour with Primordial and While Heaven Wept. Go here to check out the tour dates.
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Posts: 1570
Good to see the whole picture, and actually it looks marvelous, but still, for me Alcest's is ultimate winner even if I don't like their music... Good point at Oaken.
---- 
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| BlueMobius
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BlueMobius
Account deleted Written by X-Ray Rod on 02.09.2012 at 17:46 I have rules about what I like in art and, when things aren't drawn to scale and look like it came out of a Where's Waldo book, I think it's crap. That's my opinion. Let's just agree to disagree about this cover.
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Posts: 2311 Written by Oaken on 02.09.2012 at 17:05 With an interview to the winner band and artwork responsible as well  There must be a really interesting story behind the cover of Manowar's Anthology....
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Posts: 3469
I guess it's too late to nominate Dio's Master Of The Moon?
---- "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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Posts: 8700 Written by M C Vice on 04.09.2012 at 07:50 a few days 
---- My rest seems now calm and deep Finally I got my dead man sleep 
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 Posts: 206 |
Posts: 206
I voted for Alcest, but I think this one should have won. It's a great album art though. Thanks to Doc who managed all this contest.
---- As tyranny becomes normality; We hang at the end of the rope.
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Posts: 384  |
Posts: 384
Nice cover art but I think album cover arts should be more minimal
---- The End Is Nigh ...
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Posts: 1567
Its ok, i guess... not best album cover of all time material...or even close for that matter. And it seems unfair that the entire piece was taken into consideration, rather than the top 1/4 thats actualy the album cover
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Posts: 1185
Deserved Winner. But I kinda gave up on this contest because it was too narrow, it woulda been better as a Top10 favorite album cover type thing, because who really has 1 favorite cover?? everyone has multiple that they like for different reasons that are hard to compare. oh and this might already be a thing but do the Metalstorm awards have best album cover of the year award??
---- pewpew.. gotcha
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Posts: 344 Written by AngelofDeth on 07.09.2012 at 21:05 Don't think it does, sounds like a good idea to me. Maybe you should pm a staffer.
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| Lit.
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Posts: 40071 Written by [user id=101272] on 09.09.2012 at 19:50 Never heard of fold outs?
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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Posts: 95  |
Posts: 95
I prefer different styles with album art but agree this is indeed impressive
---- wimps and posers leave the hall lol
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| Enemy of Reality
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Posts: 3469 Written by wmp990702 on 20.09.2012 at 11:02 What is this? An ad? Cat walked across the keypad?
---- "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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| GrayWiZZarD
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GrayWiZZarD
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Oh my fucking god! that is such an awesome artwork, i just stared at it for half and hour, just fucking beautiful, love you alice 
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| Fritillaria
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| Fredd
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Fredd
Account deleted Written by [user id=130727] on 29.01.2013 at 01:24 Oh you 
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| Fritillaria
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Fritillaria
Account deleted Written by [user id=114127] on 29.01.2013 at 17:42 yeah me, you folk freak 
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| Fredd
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Fredd
Account deleted Written by [user id=130727] on 29.01.2013 at 17:57  
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