Album Covers

[Heavenly Call]

I bought both my first Heavenly CD and my first Freedom Call CD totally on album covers alone - ended up being two of my favorite bands. I don't do that much anymore, but as someone said earlier, a cool cover makes me MORE likely to listen to sound clips.

 

[Akumu]

These were some of the first few that came to my mind:

I really like the atmosphere in this one - and it's one of the few album covers that complements the music perfectly. (Primordial's The Gathering Wilderness is another.)

There haven't been very many good album covers this year, but this is definitely one of them.

I can't find one that's in a higher resolution at the moment, but I really like this one. Seth Siro Anton does awesome covers in general.

Not my favorite Kamelot album, but my favorite Kamelot cover art.

 

[J. Golden]

I like ones with boobs on them.

Just for you then, the inside of one of our releases.

 

[J. Golden]

See... I like those (especially anything engraved).

These painting were not made to be Candlemass album covers, well some people don't know that. I went to see these in DC put the painting were on tour at the time so I only got to see the empty wall where they hung.

 

[OrbWeaver]

I've actually not bought any Heavenly because some of their album artwork is off-putting to me. They're probably right up my alley musically, but I'm having a hard time getting past this:

That is blatant "Hey look, we have scantily clad women on our album cover, and you can see boobies, and they might be about to get it on! BUY OUR ALBUM PLZ." Seems desperate, IMO.


That said, I bought this album based on artwork alone:

My favorite HammerFall artwork is probably this one:

And if I'd never heard While Heaven Wept prior to the new album, the artwork on it alone would have made me purchase it.

 

[Heavenly Call]

I've actually not bought any Heavenly because some of their album artwork is off-putting to me. They're probably right up my alley musically, but I'm having a hard time getting past this:

That is blatant "Hey look, we have scantily clad women on our album cover, and you can see boobies, and they might be about to get it on! BUY OUR ALBUM PLZ." Seems desperate, IMO.

Ah, yes. I should clarify that I meant the Sign of the Winner album cover is what made be buy that CD:

The Carpe Diem cover was pretty silly I admit.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

That is blatant "Hey look, we have scantily clad women on our album cover, and you can see boobies, and they might be about to get it on! BUY OUR ALBUM PLZ." Seems desperate, IMO.

I wouldn't say desperate, but, I'm not a fan of oversexualized women on album covers, either. I'm fine with nudity in an artistic sense, but when it's clear they're using women as sex objects, I don't like it.. specifically when it involves women being tortured.

I've been seeing way too many "hot chick gets tortured" on albume covers, recently. I remember one, recently, where the girl was having her eyeball scooped out. I mean, I get the whole dark and demonic stuff, but to me that just seems.. eh, I dunno.

 

[Akumu]

I've actually not bought any Heavenly because some of their album artwork is off-putting to me. They're probably right up my alley musically, but I'm having a hard time getting past this:

That is blatant "Hey look, we have scantily clad women on our album cover, and you can see boobies, and they might be about to get it on! BUY OUR ALBUM PLZ." Seems desperate, IMO.

I complained about that Heavenly cover in a different thread and got a few responses that consisted of "LOL AM I MISSING SOMETHING THAT'S AWESOME" so though it's desperate, it worked.

 

[Claus / Intromental]

That said, I bought this album based on artwork alone:

NICE! mattias did the frontcover, I did the entire booklet

 

[DuchessOfDork]

I complained about that Heavenly cover in a different thread and got a few responses that consisted of "LOL AM I MISSING SOMETHING THAT'S AWESOME" so though it's desperate, it worked.

I must say, I am guilty of going against my beliefs in terms of album covers if I really like the music inside...

..I mean REALLY, guys?

 

[OrbWeaver]

NICE! mattias did the frontcover, I did the entire booklet

I rather like Mattias Norén's work, on the whole. And it's a really solid album, too! I'm so glad I purchased it. Mattias Norén artwork can generally lure me into buying an album even if I've never heard of the band before.


@Akumu - of course it worked. It's clearly what they were going for.

To be fair, I HAVE heard some of Heavenly's tunes, and I liked what I heard. I might pick up one of their albums that ISN'T that one, and if it turns out I really like them, then maybe I can get past that album cover for Carpe Diem.

 

[Claus / Intromental]

I rather like Mattias Norén's work, on the whole. And it's a really solid album, too! I'm so glad I purchased it. Mattias Norén artwork can generally lure me into buying an album even if I've never heard of the band before.

Absolutely agreed! Mattias is awesome!
c.

 

[The_Metal_Messiah]

Best album cover ever!

But this one actually got me to listen to the band after seeing it in the store...

Edit:
And I have no idea how I forgot this one! As a kid, this cover made me want to listen to the album, which was in fact the first real rock album I ever heard.

 

[mëtålspëd]

These painting were not made to be Candlemass album covers, well some people don't know that. I went to see these in DC put the painting were on tour at the time so I only got to see the empty wall where they hung.

Cole is a great artist, IMO. I love the style. Picart and Dore, while totally different mediums... I love them just as much. I picked up an original copy of 'Dante's Inferno' while on vacation a few years back... fully illustrated my Mr. Dore. Killer stuff



/..... back on topic

Edit: Can't forget Hieronymus Bosch (how awesome is that first name?). His classic 'The Ascent of the Blessed' is well known, and actually part of a kickass triptych (most well known panel below)

 

[spag]

I can't believe someone would pass on a band they know they would find musically appealing because of the album art... Whatever.

I buy discs, rip them, and never look at the shit again. They sit in boxes in storage.

The entire concept of album art has been lost on me since LPs went away. I used to really enjoy laying there with headphones on, listening, looking at the cool artwork, notes on the inside, etc. CD booklets are too damn small for me to either enjoy the art, or bother to read the notes. I'll look stuff up online if I'm curious.

But, this world is different things to different people, so if the dinky CD art is a big deal to you, more power.

 

[J. Golden]

Best album cover ever!

[/QUOTE
]

I believe the Rolling Stones had that album cover first.

 

[The_Metal_Messiah]

I believe the Rolling Stones had that album cover first.

Yes, but Crue wins.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Some of my favorites off hand.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Some albums I bought on cover alone:

 

[modernwizardry]

easy