Michael Harris

Society and Visual Media

Art Representation Slideshow

Musicians often use album covers to

accomplish three goals:

- Catch the eye of consumers

- Appeal to their core fans

- Represent the themes of their music

This is especially true of metal bands:

- Often use creative, meaningful and

even offensive album covers to sell records

These acts are generally trying to reach a

small but loyal audience

- Bands use these covers to impress fans, get

them to purchase/listen to their music

What comes to mind when you look at

these covers?

Deicide – The Stench of Redemption (2006)

Album Details

- Deliberately over-the-top

musically and lyrically

- Lyrics are prominently anti-

Christian, and occasionally

Satanic

- Notable tracks include “Homage

for Satan,” “The Lord’s Sedition”

and title track

- Represents frequent gimmick used

by band to appeal to fan base

Death – Spiritual Healing (1990)

Album Details

- Lyrics tackle a variety of social

issues, like drug addiction,

abortion, and mental illness

- Title track refers to corrupt

religious leaders

- Relentlessly bleak themes match

intensity of music

- Key tracks include “Altering the

Future,” “Defensive

Personalities,” “Living

Monstrosity” and the title track

Carcass – Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious

(1991)

Album Details

- Intentionally gory, tongue-in-

cheek lyrics focus on medical

procedures and operations

- Dark humor, with descriptive

lyrics; reinforced band’s image

among fans

- Themes supported by rumbling,

harsh and intense music

- An example is “Corporal Jigsore

Quandary,” - about morticians trying to

reassemble a body

Megadeth – Rust in Peace (1990)

Album Details

- Lyrics often focus on war, but

also on a variety of other topics- Science Fiction

- Mythology

- “Hangar 18” – about alien/UFO

experiments at Area 51 Air force

Base

- Cover reinforces album themes

- Chaotic, fast paced music with

complex guitar solos

The Absence – Riders of the Plague (2007)

- Album focuses on vaguely

apocalyptic, chaotic events

- Key tracks include the title

track, “World Divides,”

and “The Victorious

Dead”

- Tries to paint a picture of

a fictional, cataclysmic

conflict

- Cover reflects intense

themes and music, which

is what fan base is looking

for