2025 — Similar to Autopsy's "Macabre Eternal," except with an almighty beetle instead of a damned soul. Seriously, male horned dung beetles can roll up to ~1,100x their body weight. Since they weigh around one gram, this means they can roll just over one kilogram, i.e., two bottles of Coca-Cola, or an empty human skull! (Artist: Marald van Haasteren)

2025 — When the Old World landed on the shores of the New World, they brought death, disease, and, yes, environmental destruction, which has since ballooned into a much bigger problem. The harpy on the mast seems to symbolize how "half-human" it is to destroy the bosom from which we live. I'm also a fan of the butterfly, the tribesmen, and the purple. Co-selected with their previous album, "Hope Is Heavy," which looks like Moses parting the sea over a lost Empire then walking through the ruins. (Artist: Tyrone Le Roux-Atterbury)

2025 (Artist: Redregenmann)

2025 — Years ago, bassist Jesse Massant wrote a poem that later inspired a trilogy of albums: "Beyond the whispers of common men / Where the flowers grant you wishes / There lingers one who's long forgotten / Her name is Black Narcissus." The eponymous character is seen here, gorgeously portrayed as a kind of wood nymph that's resistant to leave her sanctuary of flowery beauty—similar to Auri in the "Underthing" in the Kingkiller Chronicles. It's an impressive overarching concept for instrumental music and goes to show that words aren't always necessary to tell a story. (Artist: Vincent Christiaens)

2025 — Hmm, let’s see... Vivid, mostly monochromatic scheme. Lush flora and fauna. Half-naked woman... Will the real John Dyer Baizley, please stand up? Impressive how this band has adapted a niche style into their own, improving upon their first effort, "Impulse to Soar," in almost every way. Plus, we could all use more butterfly tits in our lives. (Artists: Maria and Manthos Stergiou)

2025 — Call it a guilty pleasure, perhaps, but the idea that a piano and drum set ate the band is pretty damn funny. There's no guitars on the album either, so maybe the piano ate them, too. Playfulness is definitely appreciated when the art is this gory. (Artist: Charred Vulture)

2025 — Looks like someone is about to step between worlds in Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, with their dæmon in tow! I’d expect a crease in the multiverse to look just like this: crinkly and elaborately beautiful. I also think hair salons should start offering "Mandelbrot Set" as one of their style options. (Artist: Arie Fasant)

2025 — Were you ever served an empty plate as a child? Seems like it would be chilling, by the Grim Reaper, no less, as if to say emptiness is all there is in this world. The cold and isolated cabin is ideal for this scene, and I give bonus points for the child being modeled after the vocalist Grànt in his youth. (Artist: Benjamin König)

2025 — An absolutely menacing depiction of a "terror bird," which were mostly flightless apex predators in South America that appeared well after the dinosaurs and existed for nearly 43 million years. Eventually, terror birds succumbed to increased competition after the Isthmus of Panama formed, thus reflecting the theme of solastalgia (i.e. emotional distress from changes to one's home environment). When they were alive, though, the largest species could reach a whopping 10 feet tall and 750 pounds; imagine seeing that around your bird feeder! (Artist: Rudolf Hima)

2025 — A man walks through the vortex of life clean and confidently dressed, his baton at the ready to conduct something masterful. His story is swirling and colorfully composed, with ink still on his quill in case inspiration suddenly strikes. He is a maestro... Am I talking about you? (Artist: Kim Stenberg)

2025 (Artist: Niklas Sundin)

2025 — This cover gives me the feeling that I've returned to my elementary school years and am about to play a sick new fantasy game on my Game Boy Advance. It's not Castlevania, Super Mario Bros., or Golden Sun, but it's got hints of all of them. The music, too, takes the listener back to an earlier era. (Artist: Jean deMers)

2025 — What exactly is an angel? A heavenly being that can fly? Something immaterial? Well, the Bible gives descriptions of many types of angels, some that are human, but also an entire hierarchy that are non-human, leading to depictions of angels that are “biblically accurate.” This terrifying creature seems to be a composite of two biblical classes: the many-eyed Ophanim and the many-winged Seraph. So, while it’s not completely “accurate,” per se, it’s certainly got a presence befitting the Gates of Heaven. (Artist: Dan Seagrave)

2025 — Thirty-eight years after his debut, gas-masked mascot Knarrenheinz has never looked better. Equipped with a downright diabolical M16 flamethrower, he towers over an evocative scene that's clearly meant as a callback to the band's 1989 classic "Agent Orange." Like on that album, the weapon is not meant to be admired; "knarre" is a derogatory German slang word for gun, after all. (Artist: Zbigniew Bielak)

2025 — Well, it's not the best eagle in metal (how could you top Judas Priest?), but it might be the best realistic eagle in metal. Complemented by a lovely brown and beige color palette, the eagle could either be making a flashy landing or not be alive at all. This is actually a parallel for the ‘70s sounds this band plays—alive and well, or just wall décor? (Artist: Hickory Mertsching)

2025 — Imagine a child watching an episode of Pokémon, with Rocket Power "blasting off again," while later that day they're introduced to track and field... We could be looking at a 6th grader's doodle of a divinity reaching warp speed by pole vaulting into the stars! (Artists: Bruno Augusto Ribeiro, Caio Lemos)

2025 — Size matters sometimes. Smaller than a notecard, this cover is too busy to appreciate, but blown up full screen, an entire world of Swedish folklore bursts forth. Each subsection grabs your atttention and the sheer number of funny and/or cute faces and creatures is astounding. The sad worm and peekaboo mouse are probably my favorites. (Artist: Chris Williams)

2025 — For a castle metal band, "far from light of heaven" could refer to a medieval warrior toiling on a battlefield, flirting with death, comforted only by a vision of his wife smelling roses in a garden. That aside, though, this is simply a gorgeous painting. So rich in fragility and color. If it wasn't from 1908, I'd say it was modeled after Jessica Chastain. (Artist: John William Waterhouse)

2024 — A very pleasing re-imagining of Sydney Long's classic painting "Spirit of the Plains" from 1897. I would love to be in attendance while this woman plays the flute. Or would the storks drown out the sound? (Artist: Yoann Lossel)

2024 — Could this be Adam Burke’s best cover? Certainly one of his most eye-catching monstrous beings, and nothing is more immense than the universe's astral darkness. Those four humans must have a very important mission ahead of them. Whatever it is, I wish them luck. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2024. (Artist: Adam Burke)

2024 — This project has given me a newfound appreciation for 19th century paintings; they work really, really well in metal. The original painting for this one is called "Anguish," from 1878, and could not be more properly titled. I mean, the human emotion is just palpable. Then the crows huddling around adds a sinister feel... but hey, maybe they're just attending the wake. (Artist: August Friedrich Schenck)

2024 — Possibly my favorite of all the abstract selections on the list. The color really pops, and maybe when deities laugh it produces radiation that looks something like this. It also reminds me of someone’s fingers interlocked together. (Artist: Al Lane)

2024 — A dark, beastly interpretation of the cosmic web. I happened to use a different interpretation of the cosmic web in my Master's thesis, so this is up my alley. Perhaps the afterlife is beckoning us from through a wormhole, an intriguing thought! (Artist: Zbigniew Bielak)

2024 — Lots of impressive pieces here, including the best meadow in metal, bar none. Then, the contrast of life and death with the flowers and butterflies is very affecting. There is also a strong sense of movement even though the skeletons don't have limbs. It feels like they're moving in a pack and not just standing there. Awesome stuff. (Artist: WelderWings)

2024 — This strongly reminds me of the Love, Death & Robots episode "Swarm," which is based on a short story by Bruce Sterling. The female character's brain is similarly hijacked via roots into the skull, while insect-like creatures mosey all around. (Artist: Infested Art)

2024 — What if, for some people, especially those considering suicide, we could induce a coma and give them a little break from life? Would that be therapeutic? Allow them to turn inward and get away, from the city, from the stressors of other people, etc., and just flush things out, start anew. It's an idea. And before you say that it's not feasible, the artist created this entire piece after months of using only a ballpoint pen, so, anything is possible. (Artist: Nathan Lorenzana)

2024 — In 2019, the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris suffered major damage in a great fire, including the loss of its wooden spire. Maybe there were evil forces at play? The smoke hides an awful lot of interesting and malignant detail. Can the warrior smite all those snakes and put an end to the flames? (Artist: David Glomba)

2024 — I'm not always a fan of maximalist art, but this one is another level. Fantastical use of color, majesty, and strangeness. Seems like it could be the setting of a fascinating video game, like a more psychedelic version of "Mass Effect." (Artist: Hervé Scott Flament)

2024 — Probably my favorite Tolkien-inspired cover. Very clean. If Hollywood ever makes a film on the backstory of the Ringwraiths, they should consider using this for the movie poster. (Artist: James Bousema)

2024 — It seems aliens have landed and it’s the dawn of a new supernatural era. Could also be a comment on how the outside world beckons us away from our safe space each day and into some degree of danger and unpredictability. Or maybe it’s a representation of phenomena like night terrors and fever dreams. (Artist: Nicolas Spearman)

2024 — Can you imagine hugging a skeleton? I can, but only out of curiosity or in jest, not because of sadness or grief. Even if I had the skeletons of my parents, I would not hug them. Maybe if they were somehow de-fleshed in front of me by a bolt of lightning, I would feel overcome with emotion and feel the need to hug what was left. Maybe? But I doubt it. Anyway, it's good art. (Artist: David D’Andrea)

2024 — For this one, there's little content, but a lot to comprehend, and the soft pink lulls the mind into a vague meditation. The city in the sky seems to have once been connected to the ground, and the old, broken pathway is now overgrown, with a tree standing where the city broke off. The break might've happened long ago, and maybe people aren't even aware things used to be different (i.e. the sky is "primordial" to them). It can therefore be very difficult to change the situation if people cannot first imagine that change is possible. Big change, like bringing a city down from the sky, requires a lot of damn imagining. (Artist: John Harris)

2024 — I didn't know death, dismemberment, and roadkill could be this beautiful. The colorful residue left by oil is pleasing to look at, and yet the scene is undeniably tragic. Though far from uncommon, of course; just another day in the urban jungle we've created. All that's missing is a clear indication of [micro-]plastics, too. (Artist: Caroline Harrison)

2024 — So slimy and intricate, and so alien. The more I look, the more I see, including an unexpected iguana-like creature and an orange rind, though I'm not sure if either are actually there. I imagine that if a world were somehow to develop inside of a passionfruit, this would be it. (Artist: Brad Moore)

2024 — Purple is my favorite color, and this blend of hues (and blues) is beautifully done. The ambiguity of whether the figure is emerging from the color or dissolving into it is superb, and bonus points are given for being a band member creation. Co-selected with Steven Wilson's "Hand. Cannot. Erase." (Artist: Vasilis Georgiou)

2024 — Another big baddie from Adam Burke. This one reminds me of the worm that sinks cities in “Gears of War 2.” Come on people, your attacks from the outside are futile! You need to hack at it from the inside! (Artist: Adam Burke)

2024 — A surprisingly evocative Aztec scene featuring a Jaguar Warrior raising his wooden, obsidian-studded "macuahuitl" club in front of a temple skull rack. The reddish landscape also perfectly accentuates both the bloody nature of the situation and the oppressive heat of Central Mexico during the summertime. (Artist: Adam Burke)

2024 — Though the skeleton and snakes take center stage (and they are superb), what makes the piece is what is suggested by the warrior's sword and chainmail, and what is foreboded by the turbulent sky. Certainly there's been a death and possibly even a grand failure, but I also get the feeling that the skeleton is somehow alive, and that it will simply stand up and walk away. (Artist: Dylan Humphries)

2024 — Brilliant colors yet again on this second masterpiece from Vokonis. Pink and blue is the color palette of the trans pride flag and reflects the band's lead singer coming out publicly as trans. Also, at first glance the dragon seems to be emerging from waves/the ocean, but it's more likely emerging from clouds in the sky. Aren't fractals awesome? In any case, the message is clear: Be at ease with your inner-self so that your outer-self can soar. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2024. (Artist: Kyrre Bjurling)

2024 — Something threatening is arriving from the sky that is causing people to grab their guns and run. Inside, though, our hero stoically looks on, with more resignation than panic. The book on the table titled “Suffer Existence” makes me think he’s prepared for the event. Or perhaps life is already miserable and this will just add to it all. Technically, it’s also brilliant, with streaks of light piercing the darkness from the window, from the lit candles, and from the smoke of the cigarette. (Artist: SoloMacello)

2023 — Like a funeral procession for Big Daddy in "Bioshock." So many lovely details, such as the coral crosses atop burial mounds, the sting ray escort, the crab that nearly blends in, and the hammerheads that lurk in the corner (friends or foes?). Perfect contrast of light and dark as well. (Artist: Sebastian Jerke)

2023 — Inject this purple palette directly into my veins... The distorted arctic shore interrupting a background of flowers makes for an effective metaphor. I also love how the album title plays into the art, as if the letters themselves are weeping. (Artist: Andy Meyer)

2023 — One of my least "favorite" album covers because it just creeps me out. I hate looking at it. But I've heard I'm not the only one who feels this way, and it's also why it deserves a spot on the list. (Artist: Wes Benscoter)

2023 — Hard truths are discomforting to hear. They're a clash of good and bad, kind of like a giant fire (bad!) that's on a ship at sea (good?). But let's be real, this selection isn't because of symbolism, it's because of those fabulous oranges and reds. The artistic mastery on display makes me proud to be human. Originally titled "Ocean at Night with a Burning Ship," from 1862. (Artist: Marcus Larson)

2023 — Life can be really hard sometimes. I know someone personally who is dealing with divorce, drug addiction, and cancer all at the same time. But it’s necessary to keep a shred of hope alive, to dip your roots into the water, so that one day you’ll pull through and the flowers will bloom again. (Artist: Paul Romano)

2023 — Spotlights are usually a good time. They focus the eye and accentuate a thing for all its glory, even if that thing is generally not glorious. Here we have a weed or fungus highlighted in red and set against a dark, devastated backdrop. The red could symbolize blood that's been shed, but what I see most is hope. Oh, ye' glorious hope. (Artist: Polygon1993)

2023 — How's this for a theory: The band, after years of waiting for the final novel in the Kingkiller Chronicles, finally decided to take matters into their own hands by delivering a sneak peak of Kvothe surfing some dunes in a new, enchanted land. If there's anyone who could conquer those breaks while uncovering the mystery of the marching figures in the process, it would be him. Very fun comic style. (Artists: Christi du Toit, Jo Riou)

2023 — Many things to love about this piece. First, the color is gorgeous. Second, the refraction of the water, the blurriness of the kelp, the bubbles from the panda's mouth—it's all superb. Almost feels like you're actually on the seafloor. Third, anglerfish are usually depicted laying a trap on an unassuming prey, which could indeed be the case here, as the panda is swimming toward the light with such an exuberant, naive grin. But to my eye, it looks like the anglerfish is actually the one in trouble, as the panda is much too big of a fish to fry. The anglerfish even looks afraid. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2023. (Artist: William Hay)

2023 — Beyond the obvious appeal of a chimpanzee looking dapper in a Victorian study bursting with color, it's also a great opportunity to play "I Spy." By my count, 16 different fauna are represented, or 17 if you count the reptilian skin in the bottom right corner. Can you spot the eagle, horse, spider, wolf, butterfly, and fly? (Artist: Dan Goldsworthy)

2023 — I think it's fair to say that everyone is served a daily dose of suffering. For effect, let's imagine it's received in a mushroom cloud formation with everyone piled on top of each other. For some, the suffering is too much to bear and they fall off. Others stay strong. Not everyone receives the same amount of suffering, to be fair, but at some level it comes down to strength of will. Hang on, if you can! (Artist: Corran Brownlee)

2023 — When I was little, I loved Pokémon, and I remember thinking that the Pokémon world was more exciting than our world, and it would be really cool if it were real. Well, I wish this cover were real, and I wish I was that person sitting on the hill. At least for a little while. Then I'd come back. (Artist: Patrick Quirke)

2023 — Simple yet fantastic. The color scheme is perfect, with an idyllic town laying peacefully below a misty sky as the dark starry night swoops across. The suggestion of danger the latter creates is faint, but just present enough to add intrigue. I also love how the eye of night's "face" is a star like any of the others. Co-selected with the spookier companion piece from 2025, "Nocturne." (Artist: Benjamin König)

2023 — This dragon scene is so glassy it makes Oskoreien's "Hollow Fangs" dragon feel insufficient; so iced out it makes rapper Dan Sur feel jealous; so stoner it makes the family of Harry Anslinger want to hit the bong. And that mustache? Somewhere, Rollie Fingers, Fu Manchu, and Salvador Dalí are all smiling in appreciation. (Artist: Susan Davies)

2023 — The best Jesterhead yet! Massive, faceless, and in charge of lost time as human silhouettes trudge onward like cogs in a great machine. The artist and the band are reported to have a highly collaborative relationship, and I would say it shows. (Artist: Blake Armstrong)

2023 — What exactly is a Heavener? Is it someone who has the conviction that they will be saved? Or maybe it's someone who has passed and is already there? ...Then again, it could be someone who simply lives a spiritual, "heavenly" life. It could even be someone who does not believe but nevertheless longs for a transcendent end. What possibilities! (Artist: Hayden Clay Williams)

2023 — After nine albums, three of them titled "Swamplord," "Swampsong," and "Seventh Swamphony," Kalmah's self-titled finally delivers what the people want: A fabulous swamp. Pudasjärvi, where the band is from, can rest easy now that its famous swamps have a worthy autumnal interpretation. (Artist: Niklas Sundin)

2023 — Pretty hideous but also it's hard to look away. Cordyceps from "The Last of Us" has clearly claimed another victim. (Artist: Dan Peacock)

2023 — Now that’s someone who would win a game of Twister! It’s like the person is not actually a human, but a plant, sprouting limbs all over the place, contorting and orienting itself toward the sun, desperate for life force. (Artist: Jeanne Comateuse)

2023 — First of all, to look up from the basket of a hot air balloon to see that the balloon is actually being spun by a giant spider is terrifying. Then, "amensalism" refers to a biological relationship in which one organism does harm to another organism, but without any cost or benefit to itself (eg. cows trampling on grass). It's a kind of amoral or indifferent violence and feels like the opposite of symbiosis. Perhaps this is a (visual) metaphor for the way the "system" sometimes churns individuals like milk without an intention to do evil, or without anyone specific to blame. (Artist: Bramhastra)

2023 — The tiger is a nocturnal stealth predator with elite night vision. To match that kind of menace you need night vision goggles, which turn everything green. Clever double entendre for an album dealing with dark themes. Black and green are also the primary colors of my high school and I've always thought they look sharp. (Artist: Martin Wittfooth)

2023 — Both this painting and the painting inside the painting could be in a museum. My interpretation is that the woman is not the painter since she is not dressed for the job; instead, she wandered into the room, saw the painting, and picked up the paint brush in awe. The real painter tried so hard to create something in contrast to their bleak environs that they created something they could literally escape into, like a Lion, Witch and Wardrobe-type portal, simply through the power of their imagination (or desperation). Maybe the woman will follow. Or maybe she really is the would-be painter and is simply daydreaming what we see, and hasn't actually started yet. (Artist: Alex O’Dowd)

2023 — If this piece were a beverage, the label would read "100% Juice," and if it were orange juice, it would be filled with pulp. These ladies are so pissed off one of them may have already sliced off part of the moon. Let's just hope the billowy green cape doesn't cause trouble for our leftmost heroine, because Edna Mode would like a word. (Artist: Michael Whelan)

2023 — Interesting interplay of rocky, fungal, and alien imagery with a fabulous color palette. There's also a sense of rebirth or triumph that befits the album's title. (Artist: Jesse Jacobi)

2023 — At first, I thought this was a "Look to the East" moment like Gandalf at Helm's Deep, but I'm not sure there's a war going on. Something is certainly burning, and maybe it's a triumph or a takeover, but it could also be a protest, or even an unruly, destructive fire like Nero. Either way, the dove is a Christian symbol of salvation and the Holy Spirit, so it does seem like a heavenly kind of hope has arrived. It's such a striking stream of light that it's hard not to feel uplifted.

2023 — Man, the detail here is so intricate that it can take several minutes before you notice you've just been frozen in wonder. The full piece includes both albums released by Ulthar in 2023 (the other being "Helionomicon") since the artwork was simply cut down the middle. (Artist: Ian Miller)

2023 — In the South Park episode “Freemium Isn’t Free,” Satan gets angry at the Canadian Devil for the lack of nuance in his evil schemes. In today’s world, perhaps there is enough blatant ugliness and ignorance to drive even the Dark Lord to alcoholism and depression. Certainly in the US I know of a person who could have that effect... (Artist: Izabela Carlucci)

2023 — Is he accumulating or deteriorating? That is the question. I lean towards the latter, since the rhino beetle also has material coming from it. Maybe the beetle put some kind of suicidal curse on him, like a bee’s final act of revenge? And why does he look like a yellower version of Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3? I like what I see, even if I lack for answers. (Artist: Adam Burke)

2023 — Now that’s a party I’d like to join! They're having so much fun dancing and picnicking under that magnificent acacia tree. Also nice to see band members so clearly proud of their roots. Just hope it doesn’t turn into a “Sinners” situation. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2023. (Artist: Savannah Imani Wade)

2022 — The best depiction of the Fall of Constantinople in metal, edging out Bolt Thrower’s “The IVth Crusade.” Fun fact: Though the viewer's eye is nicely framed by the symmetrical stone towers, flag bearers, and cannons, there was actually only one cannon, and it was a kind of early, super cannon constructed for the Ottomans by a Hungarian named Orban. It required more than 60 oxen to carry it and could only shoot about 7x/day, though historians say it indeed played a decisive role in the conflict. (Artist: Khaos Diktator)

2022 — A lesson in perspective: Assume the vehicle moves left-right and everything seems busy and confusing, but imagine the vehicle moving "in" and... voila! It comes alive. A desert-like environment with a hulking colossus screeching to a halt before the sand ends and everything starts to glitch. Amazing detail. To my brain, the vehicle looks partly like an old piece of audio equipment and partly like an old printer. (Artist: Zlatko Mitev)

2022 — Despite the ubiquity of monsters and large figures on metal covers, elephants are pretty rare, which is a little odd since they can clearly be so imposing. This one's presence is really boosted by the fact that most of its enormity is hidden in shadow. I imagine there's some sort of connection to the Hindu god Ganesh, as the band is from India, but I actually get more of a Prince of Persia vibe, as if the kid is about to leap across some panels like in the old video game, spurred on by the danger behind him. (Artist: Anirudh Singh)

2022 — If I had to nominate an animal to rule the world, it would be the octopus. I mean, it’s got nine brains, three hearts, and can camouflage itself at will. You just don’t see that kind of talent very often. But maybe I should be careful what I wish for; maybe power corrupts all species, and we’d be accosted by whatever this swirl of cephalopodic evil might be. (Artist: Maciej Kamuda)

2022 — Simple but nevertheless excellent throwback to the late-60s and early-70s. The best part is that if you scroll up and down quickly, the image seems to vibrate, as if air is pulsing through the soundbox of a guitar. (Artist: Peter Mulders)

2022 — In 1994, astronomers got their first look at an extraterrestrial collision, now called the "Shoemaker-Levy Impact." A comet caught in Jupiter's orbit plunged at the planet at 60 km/sec, broke into 25 pieces, left a chain of dark scars, and generally affected an area larger than Earth. It also created a momentary hole in the atmosphere which caused a number of air burst events with plumes of material shooting upward. Could you imagine if an object the size of Saturn crashed into Jupiter, with its epicenter at the Great Red Spot? It might tear a hole in space! (Artist: Richey Beckett)

2022 — I was first drawn to this piece by its otherworldly vibe, particularly the odd shape of the glacier. I actually visited a similar-looking rock at the Salt Flats of Uyuni in Bolivia. Anyway, I then noticed the fossils in the foreground and I assumed it was a comment on ice melting from global warming. Then it wasn't until I started typing this blurb that I finally noticed the skull on top of the glacier. Wow! Very cool. I can't unsee it now. (Artist: Dan Goldsworthy)

2022 — What we have here is a depiction of an underwater volcano, mid-eruption, while orca whales circle around the reflection of the Moon overhead. I say this with 15% certainty, of course. It’s quite fitting to have no idea what’s going on with a grindcore album. (Artist: Jacob Van Loon)

2022 — Can you spot the spooky ghost face amidst the lush greenery and otherwise normal domesticity? It's there. Just like it might be in your house, too… (Artist: Mitchell Nolte)

2022 — This one really seems LOTR-inspired: A person gazes across an ominous expanse at a towering, light or fire-filled destination with a mysterious, likely sinister figure hovering above it whose most discernible characteristic is an eye. Seen it before? It's not a bad thing, though. For one, the person gazing is a woman and the mysterious figure seems to be a machine or an alien. I would definitely pay to see this version play out on screen. (Artist: Reza Afshar)

2022 — This album title has 22 letters. The most common 22-letter word in English is overintellectualization, which describes this entire list. Coincidence? I think not, but we push on! The title is a German idiom for dog-eat-dog world, where everyone uses their elbows (literal trans: "elbow society"). This royal swine may not have elbows, exactly, but you can just tell he's scheming; I think I even see a grin. Pretty impressive for a do-it-all-yourself, one-man project. (Artist: Lukas Gosch)

2022 — Maybe Maiden's "Fear of the Dark" made a bigger impression on me than I realized and I now have a soft spot for creatures emerging from trees. Anyway, what's interesting about this piece is that while danger clearly lurks, the hooded figure already seems to have been bitten. The trail of blackness indicates some sort of corruption within, and the creatures may represent what's already been done. Minor gripe for poor integration of the band logo. (Artist: Artem Demura)

2022 — What headlines the album here is only a snippet of the fuller version, which is what really takes the cake. Pictured is a metallic, dragon-like beast that glides through an alien world like a majestic whale. Meanwhile, the sun produces a glow that reflects like oil in water across the atmosphere. Truly stunning. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2022. (Artist: Saprophial)

2022 — Interesting take on skull island with a brilliant reflection of the sun to boot. Safety seems assured as long as the path is lit, but once the sun sets... look out. (Artist: Adam Burke)

2022 — I'm not a fisherman, but I figure with enough time staring at water, I'd start seeing little apparitions like they're oases in a desert. Speaking of which, what a trippy horizon! Plumes of clouds like smoke from chimneys causing surreal reflections on the water's edge. It really tickles your mind and it's gorgeous. (Artist: Marie Cherniy)

2022 — For an album about an aging man struggling with dementia on his deathbed, this cover really hits the nail on the head. Sorrow just drips from the man's beard and the wispy blurriness really emphasizes the liminality of transitioning from life to death. Unfortunately, the MS thumbnail includes a white border which should not be there. Looks much better in black. (Artist: Faith Veloro)

2022 — In the 530s, several volcanic eruptions led to a worldwide period of darkness in which bluish sunshine appeared through the clouds like a "moon fog" (trans: "Kuusumu"). In Christian doctrine, light triumphs over dark when God emerges from nothingness, inspiring this blazing gold painting from 1906, "The Light Shineth in the Darkness and the Darkness Comprehended It Not." Truly a stunning thematic match. (Artist: Evelyn De Morgan)

2022 — Two themes jump out at me in this mournful piece. The first is the title of the album, with red being the color of anger. The second is likely mental illness and self-harm, since the flaming torch suggests that the flames on the person are self-inflicted. Very affecting. (Artist: Paolo Girardi)

2022 — I'm always impressed when fractals are done well, especially water. It makes the horror of the scene feel all the more real. Being stuck underwater in a pool suddenly encased in glass would be a horrible way to go. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2022. (Artist: Eliran Kantor)

2022 — In the running for best homemade art on the list. It's like if a minion of Hell has become so disenchanted with the 9-to-5 grind of prisoner torture that all the steam and smoke of their morning refreshments billow of out their own mouth instead. Funny, yeah? The dark red backdrop is rich as well. (Artist: Eric Livingston)

2022 — "Weemoedsklanken" means "melancholic sounds" in Dutch, so this is a rather perfect complement for the album. The somber black and white, the disrepair of the environment, the man's cane, and the understanding that the child must grow up in such a world are all incredibly affecting. Then there's the teddy bear, which is the only part of the picture that the artist chose not to fill in, leaving it as a lined husk. Oof, that hits me in the feels. Quite the symbol for loss of innocence. I must also note that this scene draws strong parallels to Henry and Sam in "The Last of Us." (Artist: Maya Kurhuli)

2022 — Wow, that crystal blue really pops, even as a thumbnail on the page. Someone sure is struggling mightily to reach the elixir on the stone platform; I wonder if it will grant them access to the heavenly gate or portal in the background. Maybe they became fed up with their stasis in life and decided to take bold action to change it. (Artist: Visual Amnesia)

2022 — A "phototroph" is an organism who uses light as its primary energy source (eg. plants). Humans aren't phototrophs, but sunlight gives us a serotonin boost and we also need it to produce Vitamin D. Thus, I imagine this cover represents someone's journey out of a depression-induced hidey-hole they've found themselves in. Pulling at the roots may even represent cutting. Just top tier artistic execution. (Artist: Caroline Harrison)

2022 — If all excavations were like this I might have pursued archaeology. The first thing to notice is obviously the missing face, but beyond that, other oddities such as the elongated skull and chainsaw earring also deserve attention. Was the earring used to cut out the front of the skull? How does she still have hair? And a shirt? Creepy and highly memorable. (Artist: Vladimir Chebakov)

2022 — At every Seattle Mariners baseball game, near the home plate entrance, there’s a man yelling into a megaphone that all who don’t repent and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ will burn in hellfire for all eternity. It’s all quite boring and unimaginative, but maybe if he had the ability to make hellfire seem this intense and alive he would get more people to listen. The flames feel like they’re practically licking your insides. (Artist: Marald Van Haasteren)

2022 — Ever so often, a cover will strike me not just with its beauty, but also its foreignness, as if it comes from an inspired place that I know very little about. This is one of those times. It so goes that eight "dragon kings" from Indian mythology made their way to Japan by way of China and Korea. This snarling character, known as Sāgara in Mahayana Buddhism, became Ryūjin in Japan, lord of the ocean. In his claws is a magical jewel from which he can control the tides. (Artist: Tomiyuki Kaneko)

2022 — All of Olhava's releases thus far have featured forest imagery, and this is the best of them. A headless, Medusa-like woods witch holds both her head and a weapon resembling an arrowhead while sitting crisscross-applesauce in a clearing surrounded by trees that have been violently denuded of their leaves. Behind her is a crescent moon framed by two different sets of trees, including white ones that resemble goalposts. Putting everything together, this seems to represent a powerful transformation for a feminine being intent on rejecting the old and starting anew. (Artist: MarGoat)

2022 — If you can think of something more miserable-looking than this polar bear assailed by melting ice and loss of habitat, my hat goes off to you (as do my sympathies). Mouths just aren't supposed to sit slack-jawed like that. Reminds me of Randy Marsh in South Park after his beloved Blockbuster goes belly up. Co-selected with "Coming Up To Consciousness" from 2024, which features a similarly miserable-looking dog in a silvery pool of water. (Artist: Jill Tegan Doherty)

2022 — Horror and destruction are mainstays on metal covers, but this burning house and sorrowful woman speak of a real event that is personal to the band: The Indonesian Genocide of 1965-66. Publicly, there has been great reluctance within Indonesia to confront this brutal period in its history, so it's important when voices are willing to speak out. I suggest the documentaries "The Act of Killing" and "The Look of Silence" for anyone interested further in the subject. (Artist: Aghy Purakusuma)

2022 — An arguably sharper and more macabre version of Morbid Angel's "Altars of Madness.” The trickle of blood is brilliant and made even better by seemingly being started by the razor-sharp letter "T." An interactive band logo, gotta love that! Also an example of a skull that isn't tired and a border that isn't dumb. Don't be swayed by the brutal thumbnail, this is class. (Artist: Ibay Arifin)

2022 — If you feel cover art is best when it matches the music within, this is the cover for you. Badass, Western-inspired, country-death is what you see and what you get. Founding member Stu Folsom also likes it this way: "I used to f**king hate when I'd buy a book and it would have this badass cover like a demon or some cool sci-fi thing, and then you're reading the book and you're like, 'Where the f**k is this nasty ass snake dude with three heads?'" (Artist: James Bousema)

2022 — Chasing ghosts is unwise, we can all agree, but if it's done as beautifully as this artwork, the journey may well be worth the lack of destination. A kiss on those red lips certainly wouldn't be so bad. Singles released from the album also contain the same eye-catching visual themes, including the songs "Ghost" and "I Am Nothing." (Artist: David Seidman)

2022 — Wow, this cover is… uhm… well... Gosh, what was I going to say? I hate when this happens. Sometimes my mind just goes in the clouds and on a journey of its own… This is gonna sound weird, but my body feels kind of sore, like someone's poked it all over… And I can’t remember why that is either! It’s like a chunk of time is just, gone… (Artist: Andrew Saltmarsh)

2022 — Lewandowski strikes again, and likely for the last time, as he unfortunately passed away in July of this year. A soul ready for the afterlife awaits the Grim Reaper (himself perhaps?) as a giant gateway of bodies opens up, reminiscent of the Parting of the Red Sea. The light tones and reaching of the arm suggest that it's a joyous occasion, possibly even a reprieve from punishment. Then again, if the reward is to become part of the sea of bodies, I'm not sure I would call that nirvana. There are also bodies floating in the sea near the album title that are easy to miss. (Artist: Mariusz Lewandowski)

2022 — What I love about this piece is how subtly the strange and supernatural are hidden within. The deer doesn't quite have fur, it has feathers. The antlers seem normal, and yet are tangled to a wild degree. Leaves are not stuck in the antlers, they actually seem to be growing from them like a tree. Then, the flecks of gold are like flecks of majesty. Truly a visual marvel. (Artist: Tom Roberts)

2022 — May I never find myself in this situation. It looks like there's a kind of mass slaughter or Holocaust occurring, and in the mayhem, the bottom person passed out in terror and the top person quickly played dead. We then see the moment the bottom person is stimulated back to consciousness, with the top person making sure the bottom person doesn't let out an abrupt sound that would give away their position. (Artist: Eliran Kantor)

2022 — The soul... it is real? Yes, in this moment, I will say that it is. There is more to me than blood, guts, and nerve endings. My singular existence and perspective is special in the world and will live on... But how? And what does it mean to say "my" soul? Does it not belong to those that crafted it, to my loved ones, to the world? I think it takes others, at burial, to say, here soul, you are released. Go out and be. Co-selected with their previous effort "As The Stars." (Artist: Lucas Ruggieri)

2022 — Is this a photograph? Just feels so alive. The viewer is able to decipher the woman's murderous intentions with a stunning clarity... Kill Bill: Volume 3 anyone? (Artists: Alyssa Tawin, Jon Chan, Ryan Chang)

2021 — Nothing surprising here but it’s executed well. Seems like a spiritual complement to the horror depicted in the German version of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which came out a year later. (Artist: Vladimir Chebakov)

2021 — One of the most visibly striking selections on the list. Just absolutely pops. Plus, I think warthogs are cute. (Artist: Niklas Sundin)

2021 — Ah, the Professor Quirrell conundrum, happens all the time. I have a firm no sharing my head policy myself. It looks like either Venom or Alien fried their host into hardened lava but then they themselves got got by a horde of tiny golden humanoids. (Artist: Eliran Kantor)

2021 — There's not enough cartoonish cover art in metal, so I'm glad this one is carrying the torch. My favorite section is the guy palming the stomach of the pregnant male next to him in the top left, though the wacked out Easter Island statue comes close. All-around bizarre but in the best way. (Artist: Harry Jenkins)

2021 — Brie Larson stars in the new sci-fi film, "Nothing is Real and This Is A Simulation." Is that droid about to stir up trouble? And what's the function of all those spires? (Artist: Boris Vallejo)

2021 — An adaptation of the painting "Pluto and Charon" from 1972. The cave view of the very distant Sun and Pluto's largest moon creates a grand sense of wonder. It's interesting that Pluto maintains a level of intrigue in our collective imagination despite being de-classified as a planet, and despite being a rather run-of-the-mill, rocky body of ice. (Artist: David A. Hardy)

2021 — This feels like a stylized version of a Tarantino movie poster. A hitman in a cowboy hat is contracted to do a hit, but he's double crossed and ambushed in an alley by a rabid owl belonging to an anonymous third party. Or something like that. It's impressive how a sense of shadow or back alley is created despite using more blue than black. And, arrrgh! The owl's eyes! Those furious red eyes... (Artist: Ariel Zucker-Brull)

2021 — It could just be me, but I feel like this reflects the headspace of a dog at a moment the dog's owner catches the dog doing something it's not supposed to. Regardless, it's a cool looking piece. Very dreamy. (Artist: Matthew Jaffe)

2021 — A pretty sharp anti-establishment piece that reflects the anger and anxiety many felt during the socio-political turmoil of the COVID era. It’s nearly as relevant today, too. And although most authorities aren't devils and most gunslinging vigilantes aren't heroes, from the standpoint of base emotion, I empathize. I am angry, too. (Artist: Stewart Easton)

2021 — Oh baby. The only comp I can think of for an end-of-the-world type waterfall of such immense size and beauty is Niagara Falls. Maybe, many moons ago, there was a scuffle between tribes, and someone was chased to the falls and surrounded, where they then carved something into stone as a parting gift to the world. I doubt it was a beauty in a white dress, but hey, sex sells. (Artist: Caelan Stokkermans)

2021 — I’ll claim guilty pleasure for this one, since the art quality is super mid but the content is personal and top notch. "La Bestia" (i.e. "The Beast") is a network of freight trains in Mexico that are often hitched by migrants (especially Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Hondurans) trying to get to the United States. It is not only illegal but also inherently very dangerous due to unforgiving terrain and cartel activity. I worked as a social worker with undocumented boys from these countries for a few years, so I’m happy to include it. (Artist: Alcides Burn)

2021 — An utterly gorgeous landscape that reminds me of hiking trails in the Pacific Northwest (minus the spooky skeleton in the brush, of course). The songs lead one on an epic journey through the ancient, rugged, windy, and frosty North, so this checks out. (Artist: Hellish Razor)

2021 — The second major WW1-themed artwork in 2021, and this one is as badass as it gets. Taken from a Hungarian anti-war propaganda poster in 1918, hordes of souls are shoveled like coal into a cannon by a grinning, uniformed personification of Death. Really does a good job portraying the insanity of that war. Something tells me I would have been friends with the artist. (Artist: Mihály Biró)

2021 — If I had 3000 butterflies, I would train them to fly in choreographed swells around my lady friend and I while we danced like there’s no other soul in the world... Arranging them in a mosaic like a Persian rug is pretty rad too, though. (Artist: Jason Galea)

2021 — Loudness had so many awful album covers in a row this really appeared out of nowhere. It's busy as hell, but also majestic, and I would recommend checking out the larger version. Loudness fans will recognize the figure in the background above the samurai, from their album "The Law of Devil's Land." (Artist: Iwata Keiichi)

2021 — What a perfect cover for a stoner album. If you notice, the only things that have continuity across frames are the man and the mushrooms. To me, the message is that the psychedelic curiosity has always existed and will continue to exist in the future. Very unique, and sure to play with your mind, stoned or otherwise. (Artist: Mihai Manescu aka Obsidian Nibs)

2021 — In the subcategory of giant outlines of human heads (see: Green Carnation, Chaos Divine), this cover takes the cake. It's got an emotional aspect that's no surprise; after all, the Earth and Moon have been in a romance for ~4.46 billion years. I can just imagine Khal Drogo calling Khaleesi "Moon of my life," then Khaleesi responding with "My sun and stars," err, well... you get the idea. (Artist: Ahmed Emad Eldin)

2021 — Pretty superb scene that deserves a movie or video game to flesh out the full story. The mini revolution from the city's downtrodden gives major "Fight Club" vibes so I wonder why they are so "very, very pissed off." And look, the arsonist seems to be emerging from the manhole, so they're not a man down yet. Maybe they can pull it off! (Artist: Alexey Tompson)

2021 — Now that is a tortured soul. Spikes protruding from the back, chicken wire clamping the neck, flames splashing all around the face... Just how bad are the sins that they need absolved? The book is also intriguing. Could that be their path to salvation, like something Biblical or Quranic? I've never really seen another cover like this. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2021. (Artist: Gabor Toth)

2021 — They say a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but roses in any other frame may not feel as dark and romantic. I sense they could represent passion, or love, lust, or blood, or all of the above. A few roses also appear blurry, suggesting things might not be as rosy as they seem. (Artist: Paul Romano)

2021 — On the fuller artwork, a nebulous blob approaches a veiled woman wielding two swords, a Japanese shinai, and an offering bowl via multiple, blue-fingered hands that are detached from her body. Make of that what you will (the first track is called "Defeat The Object"), but the layering here is outstanding; in one spot, the Moon is behind a tree, that is behind a hand, that is behind a sword, that is behind the hilt of a different sword, that is ultimately behind a sageo cloth, and none of it feels cluttered. (Artist: Ryan Lesser)

2021 — Like many fantasy covers, this scene is gorgeously executed, but what really sets it apart is the green light in the tallest tower of the castle. What kind of sorcery could be afoot? Could it be related to the flashes across the sky? Has our traveler come from far and wide to put a stop to it all? It's an invitation to listen and find out. (Artist: Les Edwards)

2021 — Proof that the cover art can shine even if the music does not. A truly impressive sunset and purple sandwich, and I love that the young lady is bursting through it, upside-down, with an expression that shows no recognition of anything unusual. Impressive integration of the band name and album title as well. (Artist: Francesca Ludikar)

2021 — Pointillism always impresses me when it's done well. I wonder how many dots led to this spooky, somewhat alien image of a split psyche. Also, if you look at the album upside-down, a horned, devilish figure appears. How dope is that? (Artist: Jillian Savage)

2021 — Man, can art be powerful sometimes. This cover is so colorful I can literally feel my brain lighting up. Kudos to you, Mr. Bjurling. Please make more covers for more bands, now that Vokonis has now broken up. (Artist: Kyrre Bjurling)

2021 — Thank you, ZAÄAR, for bringing this untitled painting from 1954 to wider attention. It definitely deserves it! There's so much strangeness going on that it's easy to overlook the lion, who is the only normal looking animal in the frame. My interpretation is that the lion took some crazy psychedelics and we're seeing the rest of the scene from its altered perspective. Even the look on its face seems to say that it's tripping balls. Amazing piece. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2021. (Artist: Peter Kľúčik)

2020 — If fungi suddenly wanted to take over all the mounted taxidermy, I would not hate it. Bring life back to the lifeless! Also love the realistic detail of the wood and the artist's sneaky signature. (Artist: Marald van Haasteren)

2020 — Although this is more likely to be a massacre among church pews, it strongly reminds me of a roller coaster and someone throwing their hands in the air. I have no stomach for the more intense roller coasters, so all the blood, guts, and headless corpses sum up my anxiety nicely. (Artist: Noah Cutter Meihoff)

2020 — The concept of Atramentus's debut album is centered on the curse of immortality, in which a lone warrior must witness the death of all he knows, including Earth itself. Such grandiosity fits Lewandowski's signature style perfectly. The warrior looks on, defeated and alone, as the Sun blinks out, eternal night sets in, and Santa Muerte pays him no attention. (Artist: Mariusz Lewandowski)

2020 — Chimpanzees have been observed to experience something akin to awe in the face of natural phenomena such as waterfalls and sunsets, so, why not a deer at the foot of a mountain? The juxtaposition of power with the beauty and tranquility of the valley seems to have turned its antlers. Bonus points for the pleasing framing technique and for resembling my birth region. (Artist: Chris Stevenson-Mangos)

2020 — It's ironic that a band called "Dark Tranquility" features a cover that pops with so much color. The color combination is a little unusual, but the payoff is gorgeous. The world seems to be set against the backdrop of a vinyl record, so my interpretation is that the golden column represents the needle of a record player and the greater world represents the whole of the music on the record. The "moment" or slice of the world the listener is currently experiencing is thus what's highlighted by the golden column. I bet that fireball is one hell of a riff! (Artist: Niklas Sundin)

2020 — So, you're born, and you go through childhood, graduate high school, maybe college too, and you get a job, get married, have a kid, watch them grow up, retire, maybe go on a nice vacation, to some faraway planet, and then: Whoosh! Your life is over, and your cremated ashes are blown into the wind, and the world moves on. Here, there, and then gone. (Artist: Jekyll & Hyde)

2020 — A mountain is a volcano; is covered in fluffy snow, is smothered in lava rock; is a place of life and lush greenery, is a place of death and scorched earth. A mountain is an ancestral protector of the tribe, is a capricious swallower of souls; is to be climbed, is to be avoided. A mountain is tall... I'm glad there are mountains. (Artist: Robert Kudera)

2020 — The peril of the Black Death in exquisite detail. At least 1/3 of Europe was wiped out, which does not occur were it not for kings making arbitrary decisions, merchants transporting new bacteria from Central Asia, religious figures pushing superstitious ideas, and, of course, the whims of chance (or the Grim!). Arguably the most stunning wood carving on MS. (Artist: Fabian Staniec)

2020 — Guilty pleasure selection as this one reminds me of a wonderful trip I took driving around Iceland in a camper van in the winter of 2016. One of the days, we got stuck in the snow in front of the property of a rather terse Icelandic man. He told us he would help us in about an hour, then, on the dot, he came out, said no words, aggressively jiggered our car back and forth from the driver's seat to dislodge us from the snow, then left. Oh hero, our hero. (Artist: Wayne DeAdder)

2020 — What’s depicted here is an ageless, omniscient, infallible creature that controls humanity and exists alongside our consciousness (aka "fireworker" or id or lizard brain), which is the main concept of the album. Could it be the same wormlike creature in "The Boys" that's squirming around Billy Butcher's brain? Fans want to know. Also, I must mention that brilliant shade of green. Maybe my favorite ever on a cover. (Artist: Antonio Seijas)

2020 — Close-ups of insects are remarkable because they really accentuate the gap between our species. They’re often surprisingly creepy and make insects seem so alien and unlike us. Here we have a monarch butterfly, generally considered to be harmless and beautiful, struggling out of a chrysalis with spindly black legs and a bulbous face. It's different from us, and from our normal idea of a butterfly, and the white background forces us to consider these facts. Bonus points for including the band name and album title in a way that isn't distracting. My co-pick for AAOTY in 2020. (Artist: Kevin E. Taylor)

2020 — Once upon a time, society evolved, so that the beings most revered by humanity, the gods or “alphas” so to speak, came down from the sky and settled in skyscrapers… My co-pick for AAOTY in 2020. (Artist: Zbigniew Bielak)

2020 — Everything in this piece seems to be in sync. The muted fall colors of the temperate forest create a somber atmosphere appropriate for a tragedy. Then, the forest frames the body with symmetry, though not perfect symmetry, as the right side of the forest is slightly more decayed, reflecting the decaying of life in the body. As for the tragedy, arrows usually signal an ambush, but I suspect an execution, as the body is naked and seems to be placed on a platform. The scene reminds me of the execution of Aslan in Narnia, though nobody is rushing to the body in sympathy like in that case. Poor chap. (Artist: Moonroot)

2020 — Modeled on a vintage Victorian tea tin, this cover is an homage to English blues rock and a shout out to where the album was recorded. Or, you know, it could just be another American stealing someone else's thunder: Did you know that Tabasco sauce is from Louisiana? Then there's hamburgers, and French fries, and... well, I digress, I like the cover. (Designer: Kate Moss)

2020 — Pure minimalist, black and white beauty. Three figures stand on a platform near the edge of dual waterfalls, like Iguazú Falls in Argentina/Brazil. It must feel like standing at the edge of the world. In fact, if the world wasn't round, I'd like it if this was what the edge of the world looked like. It would feel right. (Artist/Designer: Mads Berg)

2020 — Rarely do I feel like I could eat an album cover, but here we are. Really reminds me of cream or butter flavored candy. Then there's a confusing mix of orchids, sundials, wishbones, and the Statue of Liberty, which is hard to make sense of, but sometimes it's nice not to have everything figured out. (Artist: Sam Octigan)

2020 — Danish solo artist Amalie Bruun currently displays this turn-of-the-century Norwegian painting in her living room, as her mother used to claim it was her in the painting and she has since inherited it from her grandmother. The family certainly has good taste. I have yet to make a trip to the fjords and I also have not seen "MS Nordnorge," so for me, the beauty of this piece is like a mental placeholder for the real thing. One day! (Artist: Hans Dahl)

2020 — If you are unfamiliar with this band, they are an eccentric bunch who call themselves "cultural engineers." For this album, they use a created language to tell the story of human evolution, ultimately preparing for a future in which Earth is ruled by a race of intelligent elephants superior to humanity... Yes, you read that right. The cover then fits like a glove, as the ancient Indian art style creates a sense of depth and complexity of epic proportions. There's so much to look at, though it's hard to focus on anything that isn't that magnet of a mustache. (Artist: Tomiyuki Kaneko)

2020 — Not the most technical piece, yet the will-o'-wisp ("irrlicht" in German) still manages to leap out of the page and hit you right in the feels. Proof that artistic complexity is only loosely correlated with emotional impact. (Artist: Marcel)

2020 — This one should come with a warning label attached: *May leap out and hit you right in the feels, causing spurts of unrestrained imagination.* True for me, at least. Orcas, marlins, and sea turtles—three of my favorite sea creatures—swim majestically along the break of a massive wave while the barrel spirals inward in the form of a heart. Have no fear, friends; just love, and wherever that takes you. (Artist: Liz Saddington)

2020 — I listen to a lot of music in my car, and some songs manage fill up the whole car with sound, as if they’re not coming from the stereo but from all around me (Dre and Snoop’s “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” is a great example). This cover gives me a visual version of that, with the natural beauty of New Zealand bursting from all corners. It’s less maximalist than it is “full,” and there’s a difference. (Artist: Chris Panatier)

2020 — The dividing line between rock and metal can be hazy. Sometimes it's as simple as an aesthetic. Is the band more Cretan Bull, snow-colored and beautiful? Or do they more represent the spirit of the Minotaur? This snorter is certainly the latter. (Artist: Ale & Cake Illustration)

2020 — What a brilliant scene! The staff in the person's hand makes me think of the shepherd boy in "The Alchemist" in the midst of his grand adventure. Maybe I should get off my couch, put down my headphones, and open up my ears… adventure always calls. (Artist: Sergey Shenderovsky)

2020 — A number of Easter eggs elevate this piece above mere standard death metal fare, including a dude in a baseball cap, a fish monster, and Goro from Mortal Combat. Fun stuff. (Artist: Aghy Purakusuma)

2020 — I've always said I'd be able to die happy if one day I dunked a basketball (it won't happen). Well, I'd also be able to die happy if, from a grassy mound, I got to stare up at a starry sky bathed in an ocean of that beautiful purple. This selection also includes "Mosaic I," as it's an equally dazzling mirror image companion piece. (Artist: Luciana Nedelea)