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.

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.

Written by [user id=4365] 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

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.

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.

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.

Written by [user id=4365] 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>

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.

Written by [user id=4365] 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.

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]

Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 12:44

Written by [user id=4365] 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

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

Written by [user id=4365] 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

Written by [user id=4365] 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.

Written by Ilham on 31.10.2014 at 13:01

Written by [user id=4365] 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

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!!

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.

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.

Written by [user id=4365] 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.

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.

Also, where is Xasthur's Nocturnal Poisoning? That moving piece is an unparalleled milestone >_>

Written by [user id=4365] 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.

Nice list!

I always appreciate the extra info people supply with the lists.

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.).

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.

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.

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.

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?

Written by [user id=101272] 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.

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: