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1.
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Aara - Eiger
2024 — Sometimes the natural world is just as imposing as any hulking figure drawn by an artist. "Eiger Mordwand" is a mountain in the Swiss Alps that's famous in mountaineering circles for being treacherous to climb (the latter part of its name means "Murder Wall"). The original photo is from an attempt to recover the body of mountaineer Toni Kurz, who died climbing the mountain in 1936 and whose tragic story is the main theme of the album. Normally I would find fault in so much space wasted for the band name and title, but in this case, the sharp verticality of the image is part of the appeal. (Artist: Michael Handt) |
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2.
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Duel - Breakfast With Death
2024 — Some covers can just be silly, right? The most horrifying aspect is that garish yellow interior. Yikes. |
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3.
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Hippotraktor - Stasis
2024 — About as beautiful of a structure as we humans are able to create; simply hypnotizing in its symmetrical intricacy. It also looks like a laser cannon if you screw your eyes up the right way. (Photographers: Chiaran Verheyden & Sam Coussens) |
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4.
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Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To
2024 — Small person, big thing, but in a pretty unique way this time! It's hard not to think of this as a modern cross burning of sorts, considering the anti-religion material on the album (eg. "Blinding Faith"). The cross may be so bright it's literally blinding. On the other hand, there does seem to be a presence of wonder, as if the grandeur of the cross represents something of true value. It makes for some fascinating ambiguity. (Photographer: Briscoe Park) |
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5.
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Marche Funèbre - After The Storm
2024 — Unlike "the calm before the storm," the calm after the storm isn't really a phrase in English. Maybe there's a reason for that. Here we have a woman who may have made it through the storm peacefully, on a bed of reeds, if it weren't for the hands rising from the lake to cover her face. The weight of the "storm" of anxiety, or guilt, or grief, or whatever it is, apparently prevents her from witnessing the beautiful sunset. (Artist/Photographer: Brooke Shaden) |
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6.
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Shadow And Claw - Whereabouts Unknown
2024 — For a child of the Pacific Northwest, dense fog above a sea of pine trees feels pretty dang familiar, so this one is a guilty pleasure inclusion. Shadow and Claw are from Boise, Idaho, which is on the fringe of the PNW region. (Artist/Photographer: Aaron Bossart) |
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7.
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Graphic Nature - A Mind Waiting To Die
2023 — Either an electrocution or the moment before the crazy white people from "Get Out" steal your body. |
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8.
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Ov Sulfur - The Burden Ov Faith
2023 — Incredible costumes and makeup to communicate feminist themes of fallen angels and patriarchal abuse of power. (Costume Designer: MM Fabrications, Photographer: Blaqk Rabbit) |
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9.
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Polaris - Fatalism
2023 — Let's, get down, to business! To defeat, the Hun... Sorry, it just reminds me of "Mulan." They seem to need some serious help, and apparently don't feel to good about their chances. (Artists/Photographers: Sean Mundy, Bobby Hendry) |
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10.
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Urne - A Feast On Sorrow
2023 — As breathtaking as "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa," except that this one happens to be real. Fantastic shot. (Photographer: Rachael Talibart) |
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11.
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Architects - For Those That Wish To Exist
2021 — Hey, astronauts aren't supposed to be in church! Clearly, we are working with symbols, like religion, space, science, and enlightenment. My interpretation is that science, especially climate or planetary science, remains a beacon of knowledge despite its detractors in today's world of "alternative facts" and post-truth. Then again, science within a broader context of spirituality is probably the best way to go. That is just my opinion though, man. (Photographers: Giles Smith, Tom Welsh) |
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12.
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Dream Theater - A View From The Top Of The World
2021 — Though there are artistic liberties being taken, this is a photo of the famous boulder-in-the-sky of Norway called "Kjeragbolten." You can actually walk on top, but be careful, it's about 3,000 feet down if you fall. I am sure-footed and not afraid of heights, so I hope to visit someday. (Artist: Hugh Syme) |
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13.
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Eidola - The Architect
2021 — For those of us who remember The Magic School Bus, this looks like Arnold when he "dies" on Pluto. It also gives me General Grievous vibes. (Mask Design: Dan Schaub) |
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14.
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King Woman - Celestial Blues
2021 — Wait, the fallen angel Lucifer was a woman?! ...Sure, why not. It's pretty clear she's not to be messed with. Her hair is like the white person version of Derrick Henry's single dreadlock. (Photographer: Nedda Afsari) |
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15.
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The Plot In You - Swan Song
2021 — The feeling of peeking through the blinders only to see something you definitely shouldn't be seeing. (Photographer: Rowan Daly) |
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16.
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Thy Catafalque - Vadak
2021 — I am an avid hiker and appreciate vast expanses like this; I just wish I could have tagged along for the journey up. "Vadak" is Hungarian and can be translated as "wildlings," which fits nicely as well. (Photographer: Tamás Kátai) |
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17.
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Wolves In The Throne Room - Primordial Arcana
2021 — A medieval hunter's shrine to the natural environment and their mastery over it. The collection of objects includes snake skin, two types of bird feathers, a horn, a fur tablecloth, a small mammal's skull, a small dagger, a chicken foot, at least three types of crystals or stones, moss, and a fern, all of which are illuminated by three lit candles. This reflects upon a life that is very, very different than the one I lead and I appreciate it even more for that reason. (Artist: Amjad Faur) |
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18.
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Many Blessings - Emanation Body
2020 — I took a mini poll, and it seems that a significant percentage of people (including myself) do not identify what's on this cover right away, though there are certainly many who do. I'll just say, if you're not sure if you know what it is, then you haven't seen it yet, and once you do see it, you'll never be able to unsee it. My pick for APOTD in the 2020s (thus far). (Photographer: Teddie Taylor) |
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19.
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Inter Arma - Sulphur English
2019 — There have been so many devastating forest fires in the Western United States lately that this gives me actual anxiety. Friends of friends have lost homes in Lahaina, Maui and the northern suburbs of Los Angeles. Mother Nature is, of course, amoral, and yet it seems like an act of retribution for our environmental neglect. Ravenous is the word that most comes to mind staring into the flame. (Photographer: Kari Greer) |
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20.
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Klone - Le Grand Voyage
2019 — Obviously this image has been doctored and photoshopped quite a bit, and I'm not sure how it was taken in the first place, but good golly does it pop. It's a good reminder to take the aisle seat on a plane because you never know what spectacle you might see. (Artist/Photographer: Francesco Dell'Orto) |
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21.
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Wage War - Pressure
2019 — A wise coach in my life is fond of saying that pressure makes diamonds. I hope I am as spectacular as this diamond in my next pressure situation. (Artist: Jim Hughes) |
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22.
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White Ward - Love Exchange Failure
2019 — What seems like a nondescript cityscape is actually a subtle artistic statement. Both the building in the foreground and the city life in the background don't give you much; they are impersonal like cities tend to be. It's easy for people to feel disoriented in an environment like this. However, in both the foreground and the background a single light shines (in the latter case the light shines brighter than the others), which I think carries an implicit message of hope and possibility. (Photographer: Luke Pownall) |
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23.
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Author & Punisher - Beastland
2018 — Other than "Snowpiercer," there aren't too many examples of an Ice Age apocalypse in pop culture. It's probably just as likely as any other type of apocalypse, since it was the first stage that occurred after the meteorite impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. In that time, and if we survive, who knows, maybe we'll go around looking like bank robbers with oxygen tubes. (Artist/Photographer: Juha Arvid Helminen) |
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24.
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The Eternal - Waiting For The Endless Dawn
2018 — There's a tremendous sense of searching, even desperation from this woman who may have wandered off from her bridal party in the early morning hours. I fear she may never find her "endless dawn"—after all, nothing gold can stay—but the flock of birds overhead seems to convey that hope is on the horizon. (Photographer: Bairon Rivera) |
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25.
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Lesser Glow - Ruined
2018 — In the era of global warming, a luminescence that is fading and not escalating certainly sticks out. Life probably won't last until that time, but mountains will, and they'll remember. (Artist/Photographer: Andrew Weiss) |
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26.
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Pharmakon - Contact
2017 — Similar to Cattle Decapitation's "Terrasite," I just hate looking at this. Many covers in metal utilize hands in labyrinthine ways, but this one is definitely the creepiest. Like greasy maggots crawling all over her face. (Photographer: Jane Chardiet) |
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27.
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Sacred Son - Sacred Son
2017 — A photo of the sole band member, Dane Cross, enjoying himself near the ocean... Wait, really? What a legend. Even better with the nearly illegible script. Such a hilarious contrast. |
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28.
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Deftones - Gore
2016 — Considering that the music on the album is not very gory, the "blood spatter" of pink flamingo wings is quite clever. Fun fact: A group of flamingos is called a "flamboyant," and you can see the world's biggest flamboyant at Lake Nakuru in Kenya, where the cover's photograph was taken. (Artist/Photographer: Frank Maddocks) |
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29.
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Heaven Shall Burn - Wanderer
2016 — I am not a photographer, but I imagine there is quite a thrill in capturing the perfect reflection of an already cool-looking natural landmark. (Photographer: Christian Thiele) |
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30.
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Messa - Belfry
2016 — Some places are just destined to be on a metal album cover. Lake Reschen in South Tyrol, Italy is one of those places. A dam was built in 1950 that flooded the valley and left standing this lonely church tower from the 1300s. It’s approachable when the water freezes in winter. (Photographer: Marco Zanin) |
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31.
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Night Verses - Into The Vanishing Light
2016 — Gloved hands transform this woman into a black flower from the daisy family. She's as pretty as a flower, too. Any farther into the vanishing light would deprive the world. (Artist/Photographer: Reilly Herrera) |
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32.
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Obsequiae - Aria Of Vernal Tombs
2015 — Historical significance, ain't it a funny thing? The place is clearly in ruins, yet the grass is perfectly mowed and still means something to someone. Feeling connected to the past provides no tangible benefit, but it does ground our existence, and it also makes for a pleasing cover. (Photograph of Valle Crucis Abbey in Denbighshire, Wales) |
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33.
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Alcest - Shelter
2014 — I can't remember staring at the Sun ever bringing me so much joy. Playing off the theme of "shelter," the perfect circle reminds me of a halo, as if the couple enjoys some sort of heavenly protection. Then, arms find shelter in another set of arms, and their triangular shape resembles a teepee, which is a more literal form of shelter. (Photographer: Andy Julia) |
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34.
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Bethlehem - Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
2014 — For such a common sight in so many windowsills, I bet not many folks have ever taken a closer look at this particular death that surrounds them in their own home. Isn't it odd how flies reach their demise upside-down? That said, the album title, which describes an irrational fear of 666, is kind of a dumb word and seems to mock the phobia it describes. (Artist/Photographer: Jürgen Bartsch) |
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35.
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Thantifaxath - Sacred White Noise
2014 — This cover photo is so bleak I feel it in my skin. The complete lack of color really helps emphasize the pain of the little girl(?). For her sake, I hope it's nothing a simple hug can't fix and not something truly scarring. (Photographer: Jerry Cooke) |
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36.
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An Autumn - Try Not To Destroy Everything You Love
2013 — These flowers would make just about anyone smile if they were handed to them. They’re so pillowy! White gladiolus, perhaps? |
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37.
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Carcass - Surgical Steel
2013 (Artist/Photographer: Martin Nesbitt) |
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38.
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An Autumn - Lost
2010 (Artist/Photographer: Mories) |
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39.
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Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s)
2010 (Artist/Photographer: Johan) |
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40.
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Deftones - Diamond Eyes
2010 — What a glorious bird. Like a more impressive version of Rush's "Fly By Night." (Photographer: John Ross) |
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41.
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Wuthering Heights - Salt
2010 — Isn't it amazing how salt water can so expertly undo our nautical creations? Thousands of manhours reduced to a skeletal hull. (Artist/Photographer: John Perry) |
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42.
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Be'lakor - Stone's Reach
2009 — I get the feeling many Renaissance sculptors would have been hardcore metalheads. Based on the sculpture "Perseus with the Head of Medusa" by Benvenuto Cellini in 1554. (Photographer: Gianfrancesco A) |
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43.
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Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
2009 — Blurry lights and faded images of people and buildings surround a silhouette of a man standing in the middle of it all. Yup, pretty much sums up the apathy and anonymity of city life in the modern era. (Artists/Photographers: Travis Smith, Wojtek Kutyla) |
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44.
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Russian Circles - Station
2008 — There is very little information about this cover photo, though I think it's safe to assume it features a Western army from World War 2. My random guess would be Romanian, or maybe a British volunteer unit. The two soldiers who stand out are clearly chefs, which speaks to me on a personal level because my paternal grandfather was a chef for the Americans. Unfortunately, he passed away before I was born, but I feel I've been brought a little closer to him now. |
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45.
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Ulver - Shadows Of The Sun
2007 — There's something downright devilish in the way this Ankole-Watusi bull frames the Sun with its horns. I can't decide whether it comes from the savannah or the shadow realm. (Artist: Trine Paulsen, Photograph from Natural History Magazine Oct/1978) |
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46.
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Cretin - Freakery
2006 (Artist: Orion "Cupcake Baker" Landau) |
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47.
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Novembre - Materia
2006 — Gazing out at the waves with toes in the sand on a clear day, what is the worst thing a little boy could see? In a different era, maybe the arrival of a pirate ship or conquistadors; in this era, the sight of a mushroom cloud, perhaps? An enormous factory system, looming in fog, is almost as terrifying, especially if it's a vision of the boy's future. I wonder how many factory workers would kill to be a child on the beach again. My pick for APOTD in the 2000s. (Artist: Travis Smith) |
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48.
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OSI - Free
2006 |
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49.
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Akercocke - Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
2005 |
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50.
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The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
2005 |
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51.
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Forgotten Tomb - Love's Burial Ground
2004 |
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52.
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Pig Destroyer - Terrifyer
2004 — For my money, this wins the award for best cover that most people would consider provocative. Reportedly the result of doctoring an image from a porn magazine using nothing but a copy machine, it's equal part seductive as it is vulnerable and grotesque. Though the eye is drawn initially to the breasts, the most distinctive feature is, instead, the face darkened in shadow. Then the paint smatter is the chef's kiss. (Artist: Chris Taylor) |
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53.
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Deep Purple - Bananas
2003 — There seems to be a dislike for this cover among the Deep Purple faithful that I just don't understand. Maybe because I lived for years in a SE Asian country it hits me better than most. Showing an early stage of the supply chain for a popular item seems pretty metal to me, if that could be said to have any meaning. Those are some of the faces that bring you bananas. Rock on y'all. (Photographer: Bruce Payne) |
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54.
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Drudkh - Forgotten Legends
2003 |
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55.
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Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja
2003 |
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56.
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Nocternity - Onyx
2003 — Man, that looks sharp. It's funny how the phrase "knight in shining armor" refers to a gallant gentleman in English, when a dude trying to slice your head off was probably much closer to the reality. |
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57.
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A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step
2003 |
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58.
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Agalloch - The Mantle
2002 — Perhaps more iconic than truly artistic, this is the image I get when I think of Agalloch: The Deer. It represents the chilly, grey winters of the Pacific Northwest (where I'm from) fairly well, and forebodes that awesome deer bone sound in the song "The Lodge." (Photograph of Thompson Elk Monument in Portland, OR) |
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59.
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Anthem - Overload
2002 — This features a nuclear fusion reactor called a "Tokamak," first built in the Soviet Union in the 1950s-60s. It attempts to use a magnetic field to hold plasma/ionized gas in a donut shape at very low pressure. The first true "success" was in 1997, when 16 megawatts were produced from 24 megawatts of input. If it ever produces at a scale that's cost-effective for consumers, it could very well solve most (all?) of our energy problems and go a long way to combating climate change. (Photograph of JET facility in Oxford, UK) |
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60.
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Between The Buried And Me - Between The Buried And Me
2002 |
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61.
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Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
2002 — Possibly the first metal album to truly captivate me, and it started with the creepy blue figure on the cover. Where is his pupil? (Artist/Photographer: Lasse Hoile) |
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62.
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Slipknot - Iowa
2001 |
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63.
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Brujeria - Brujerizmo
2000 |
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64.
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Disturbed - The Sickness
2000 (Artist/Photographer: P.R. Brown) |
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65.
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Dan Swanö - Moontower
1999 — Isn't the human creation magnificent? It's also amazing how different things look under the microscope of a hyper close-up. Stimulates new perspectives. For instance, I've never thought of the eye as a million sperm-like squiggles congregating in a deep abyss, but I do now. (Photograph of Dan Swanö's eye) |
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66.
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Dark Sanctuary - Royaume Mélancolique
1999 |
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67.
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Darzamat - In The Opium Of Black Veil
1999 — Is this a Bonnie Raitt album? Just never see this kind of cover in metal. Very rad. Comes from a photo called "Oh! Those Fabulous Brom Sisters!" by a Czech artist. (Artist/Photographer: Jan Saudek) |
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68.
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Dødheimsgard - 666 International
1999 — Rumor has it, what looks like a pool of blood is actually a marmalade spill on a factory floor... |
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69.
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Lake Of Tears - Forever Autumn
1999 |
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70.
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Marduk - Panzer Division Marduk
1999 |
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71.
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Ministry - Dark Side Of The Spoon
1999 — Apparently, the image of this naked obese woman writing "I will be God" on the chalk board with a dunce cap was enough for Kmart (remember them?) to pull the album from their shelves. Then, if that isn’t enough, the social critique is aimed at "fattened Americans doing what they're told," in addition to the American God complex, I presume. Which, you know, yeah! (Artist/Photographer: Paul Elledge) |
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72.
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Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
1999 |
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73.
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Godsmack - Godsmack
1998 — There's something about the image of this young woman that has always stuck with me. I hope she is happy in life, wherever she is. I also hope she doesn't sue the band like the former baby on the famous Nirvana cover. |
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74.
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Brutal Truth - Sounds Of The Animal Kingdom
1997 — Need we any more proof that we came from Africa? This is "science by editing," as my favorite YouTuber Jomboy likes to say. I'm being facetious, of course, but there's no arguing that the design leaves an impression. It's even better when you learn that the man on the cover was the UPS driver for the record company and was compensated for his contribution with a case of beer. (Art Director: Eric Horst) |
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75.
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Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity
1997 |
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76.
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Fu Manchu - The Action Is Go
1997 — One of the better sports action photos you'll see, featuring Tony Alva of the famous Z-Boys in the 1970s. (Photographer: Glen Friedman) |
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77.
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Kampfar - Mellom Skogkledde Aaser
1997 (Artist/Photographer: Season of Mist) |
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78.
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Paradise Lost - One Second
1997 — I tend to be quite affected by close-ups of people's faces, so much so that watching Yann Arthus-Bertrand's documentary "Human" was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. This woman's face, with the closed eyes, crowsfeet, and pursed lips, is so weathered it comes off as almost aggressive. Kind of how I imagine Bathilda Bagshot in Harry Potter before she morphs into Nagini the snake. (Photographer: Susan Andrews) |
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79.
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Bruce Dickinson - Skunkworks
1996 (Artists: Storm Thorgerson, Richard Manning) |
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80.
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Opeth - Morningrise
1996 |
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81.
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Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains
1995 |
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82.
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Fair Warning - Rainmaker
1995 |
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83.
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Storm - Nordavind
1995 |
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84.
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Alice In Chains - Jar Of Flies
1994 — There's something about flies that is unbearable to most people. My father pursues them throughout the house. Heisenberg spends a full hour hunting one down in an infamous episode of "Breaking Bad." Cows swat them with their tails nonstop. Chris Rock talks about how the US only sends aid to Africa after they "wait for the flies," suggesting that flies are when the US finally finds poverty unbearable. Fittingly, during the photoshoot, it's been reported that the flies in the jar kept dying, and the kid behind the jar complained the entire time. What a dope cover. (Photographer: Rocky Schenck) |
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85.
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Korn - Korn
1994 — Korn kicked off a series of pretty impressive covers with an absolute banger that's as clever as it is frightening. The story is in the shadows, as the person out of frame is large, likely male, and holding what could be a gun and an instrument of torture. If that wasn't enough, the girl's shadow is altered to resemble a hanging body. Just diabolical. (Photographer: Stephen Stickler) |
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86.
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Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power
1992 — Supposedly, the band asked their label for "something vulgar, like a dude getting punched," which is pretty stupid, but I can't deny that the result is memorable. The logo and title are pretty wack, though. (Photographer: Brad Guice) |
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87.
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Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
1992 — Obligatory inclusion of one of the most famous photos of all time. For those who don’t know, it shows the Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức burning himself to death on a busy Saigon street in 1963 in protest of the South Vietnamese government’s persecution of religious sects, as leader Ngô Đình Diệm was a fervent Catholic. When I first learned this, many moons ago, I found it interesting that it was not in protest of the Vietnam War. Anyway, pretty perfect for the album with “FU I won’t do what you tell me!” Can’t get more sincere than Mr. Thích. (Photographer: Malcolm Browne) |
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88.
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Van Halen - 1984
1984 — For many, "1984" conjures up images of Big Brother, but for metalheads, it's this blonde-haired, blue-eyed putto with a cigarette. (Note: A "putto" is the name for those chubby naked boys with wings in Christian iconography). This has to be one of the most recognizable covers in all of music. The pure and angelic combine with the cheeky and rebellious to masterful effect. (Artist: Margo Nahas) |
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89.
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Rush - Moving Pictures
1981 — Pictured here are "pictures" on the move while also being quite "moving" to some passerby. Aren't double entendres fun? But wait, Rush hits you with the rare triple entendre; the entire scene was filmed and the "moving picture" they made was shown at one of their concerts when the still frame suddenly came to life. (Photographer/Artist: Hugh Syme, Photograph of the Ontario Legislature) |
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90.
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Judas Priest - British Steel
1980 (Artist/Photographer: Rosław Szaybo) |
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91.
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Scorpions - Lovedrive
1979 — An interesting fact about (Western) society is that as things have become more politically correct, they have also become less shocking. Our sensitivity has both increased and decreased. Take Scorpions cover art. You might see more skin in three minutes of TV advertisements today but you probably wouldn't see this cover released (nor would you see "Animal Magnetism"). I happen to think the bubble gum is funny, though, and I interpret it as playfully teasing men for their sexual impulses. (Artist/Photographer: Storm Thorgerson) |
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92.
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AC/DC - Highway To Hell
1979 — As far as band photo covers go, this has always been one of my favorites. One's got RBF, one looks like the friend they forgot about, one is on mushrooms, one is having the time of his life, and then there's Angus Young, who's wearing a hat with devil horns and giving the cheekiest expression ever. (Photographer: Jim Houghton) |
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93.
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Budgie - Impeckable
1978 — I don't have a cat, but whenever I cat sit, I use this toy that simulates a bird fluttering with some feathers tied to a string, and the cats absolutely lose their effing minds. They become cracked out lunatics and don't look unlike this cover. (Photographer: Sally Anne Thompson) |
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94.
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Deep Purple - Stormbringer
1974 — One of the biggest surprises putting this list together is that this cover comes from a photograph. What's pictured is a tornado near Jasper, Minnesota in 1927, with a nifty unicorn and some color added of course. It goes to show there's a fine line between what's fantasy and what's simply fantastic in this world we live in. (Photographer: Lucille Handberg) |
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95.
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Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy
1973 — Unique among Zeppelin albums for being the first not to feature the band's name, which resulted in their creepiest and most mysterious cover yet. The collage features two naked children/siblings with blonde hair scaling the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and apparently took 10 days to perfect due to constant rain. (Artist/Photographer: Aubrey Powell) |
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96.
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Night Sun - Mournin'
1972 — This really reminds me of urban graves I've seen in my travels through Catholic areas of Latin America. Customers essentially rent rectangular slots in concrete slabs, so that the "walls" in the cemeteries look like they have hundreds of windows. One time in La Paz, Bolivia sticks with me. I had just arrived off a tiny, nausea-inducing plane ride from 6 weeks in the Amazon, the city was bustling, and the air was incredibly thin, with Mt. Illimani towering overhead. I walked through the city and eventually wandered into a large urban cemetery, where I spent several hours and found some much needed tranquility. I was also deeply affected by many of the displays in the graves. The majority were well cared for (i.e. clean, fresh flowers, trinkets, etc.), and most had some inscription or message or item that made them very personal, so you got a slice of life of the person that passed, or at least of their memory and the emotions of those still caring for them. Anyway, great cover. |
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97.
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Uriah Heep - Salisbury
1971 — I'm pretty much a pacifist, but I have to admit this looks badass. The orange fog is funky and elevates it above the standard military fare. (Photograph of a British Chieftain in Wiltshire, England) |
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98.
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Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
1970 — The cover that really started it all. Hilariously, the band had absolutely no input over what would appear. But the team at Vertigo Records really nailed the haunting, eerie atmosphere, and very few records so directly and memorably call out the cover artwork. The "figure in black" who "stands before me" is burned in my brain and those of many others I'm sure. The false color of the mill in Oxfordshire is quite memorable as well. (Photographer: Marcus Keef) |
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99.
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Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend
1970 — Somehow the award for creepiest cover for an album featured on MS from 1970 does not go to Black Sabbath. The second man is balding, bizarrely short, and without a left hand, and the two of them are standing on some sort of blood rug. Which one is Lucifer and which one is the friend? It's hard to tell. (Artist/Photographer: Juligan Studio) |
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100.
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Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
1969 — For the 1% who don't know, the debut album of arguably the greatest band of all time features a stylized version of a photo taken of the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. Pretty metal, and too iconic to leave off the list. It's actually framed on the wall at my parent's house. They should have stuck to covers like this. (Artist: George Hardie) |
