Even the CDs form part of the artwork, with the first one being partially see-through and the second one being pressed on a black disc. These contain gorgeous metallic inks that give life to designer Martin Kvamme’s intricate illustrations. Given a die-cut and spot-varnished black digipak, Precambrian’s artwork looks like a window onto the earth’s fiery formation – and that’s before you get to the pair of booklets included. By turns brutal and beautiful, the double-album built upon the foundations of its predecessors, Fluxion and Aeolian, and included guest appearances from members of Cave In, Converge and the Berlin Philharmonic. The Ocean’s third release, Precambrian marked the moment that the German metallers emerged as one of the most progressive forces in metal.
Now out of print, it contained the album, a bonus disc and a DVD, expanding an already classic record and further elaborating upon that cover. The sleeve was later reworked by Don Clarke (Demon Hunter), who created a more worn version for a three-disc reissue. A mature artwork, it was not without its issues (as befitting an album notorious for its teething troubles) and the initial run featured a flaw that, thanks to a piece of lint, obscured one of the ornate tildes that bracketed the title.
Working with longtime collaborator Paul Brown (Danzig, DevilDriver) and Deanna Alcorn (Slipknot, Rage Against The Machine), the image was redesigned, with the writing on the skeleton’s placard reversed, so it wouldn’t be mistaken for the album’s title. Machine Head’s greatest achievement, The Blackening ebbs and flows with muscular, progressive power – and the artwork emphasises its gravitas.īased upon a carving found by frontman Robb Flynn, the 16th-century image is laden with symbolism and represents the transitory nature of power. Smarter, harder and faster than the rest, Megadeth broke the mould with this record. The album itself, meanwhile, contains a number of ’Deth mainstays, including Wake Up Dead, the ferocious Devils Island and the sneering title track. So effective was Repka’s illustration, it set an impossible standard that few of the band’s peers could match. A beautifully rendered image of Vic dressed as an estate agent nonchalantly leaning against a For Sale sign amid a scene of nuclear devastation, it evokes classic comic-book art and remains utterly irresistible. Disappointed by the artwork for their raucous debut album, Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!, Dave Mustaine turned to Ed Repka, whose list of album credits reads like a metal Who’s Who.Ī punk-loving graphic artist, Repka sees the Peace Sells… album cover as a career landmark – and it’s hard to disagree. The quintessential Megadeth album, Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? introduced the world to Vic Rattlehead, Dave Mustaine and co’s answer to Iron Maiden’s Eddie. This list of ten overlooked heavy metal album covers goes out to anyone who has spent hours staring at a sleeve in the hope of discovering the answer to some otherwise unfathomable mystery of the universe.ĩ: Megadeth : ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’ (1986) Though, in the streaming era, artwork might seem less important than the music, any band who ignores the importance of a good album cover does so at their peril. Heavy metal album covers, in particular, have an intimate connection with the music within, as exemplified by Iron Maiden’s extravagant artwork, which introduced the world to Eddie, the band’s beloved mascot. Flicking through sleeves, it was not unusual to head home clutching an unfamiliar album, convinced that nothing with such astonishing artwork could disappoint many collectors own records purely because the sleeve captured their imagination. As important as the music they illustrate, the best album covers hold a special place in the hearts of music fans, especially those whose formative years were spent digging through the bins at local stores.