Off-putting album covers/band names

[Hammer of Might]

As mentioned in another thread, album covers or indeed band names can sometimes put people off checking out a band. Has this ever been the case for you?

One example that springs to mind was looking at an Anal Vomit album. Yes, you could argue that the name itself is off-putting for some people, but on the back cover the guy is posing with a naked lower body. I did not purchase it.

Apparently it's a really ripping album. Oh well, his bared genitalia put me off.

 

[PanzerKunt]

The difference between an album cover with and exposed dick and a movie cover with an exposed dick is that you'll probably not see dicks if you go for the album. Anal Vomit sounds sounds very standard gore grind whatever though, I'm not sure if I'd bother checking it out. Maybe download some of it first.

 

[Hammer of Might]

That's not the point, it can still turn you off to a band. And no its not standard gore grind.

 

[SheisMySin]

One example I remember was the album "Vulgar Display of Power" by Pantera.

Seeing that CD in the store didn't do anything for me. The art of someone being punched in the face didn't sit well with me. It was gritty too...just not a pleasant picture. The name "vulgar" turned me off as well....and lastly, the name Pantera sounded so gay at the time. To me, it was a car.

Thier Cowboys from Hell CD was the same. I wasn't into southern rock.

Anyway...I FINALLY saw their "This Love" video on Headbangers Ball a year later, and was blown away.

I was so pissed at myself for ignoring this band because of their name/artwork.

Scott

 

[WNxScythe]

Gorguts - Stupid, cliched, typical 'metal' name... rather ironic since Obscura's my favorite DM album of all time.

 

[SheisMySin]

I still have yet to really HEAR a gorguts CD for that fact, Scythe. Sounds so much like all the other "gorerotted, gore, etc" bands.

Scott

 

[PanzerKunt]

That's not the point, it can still turn you off to a band. And no its not standard gore grind.

Possibly, but the band name and cover clearly suggests it is. People into that music would probably give it a listen, I don't really care that much for it.

 

[Hammer of Might]

Gorguts - Stupid, cliched, typical 'metal' name... rather ironic since Obscura's my favorite DM album of all time.

Agreed.

I was always put off by the Release From Agony cover, as it stared at me from my local shop's shelf for months. I wish I'd bought it.

I don't even know why I didn't like it, I now think it's a fairly cool cover.

 

[skeptik]

I'll just go through my list of CDs and look for some examples to post about...starting from the bottom.

Xantotol: I originally passed by this band (much like Xibalba (who I've later gone back to and heavily enjoyed) and Baxaxaxa (who I've never listened to)) simply because the name seems stupid, but the band is actually quite good.

Whiplash: At first, I just found their album covers too ridiculously cheesy to be taken seriously, but they play some high quality early speedy US Thrash Metal.

Tearstained: That's a big one. This band is among my favorite modern era bands playing an old school sound. However, the name put me off for several months before I actually read a review and shat my pants at what I'd read. A mix of early Mercyful Fate and Bathory? Count me the fuck in.

Solitude Aeturnus: I confused this band and miscategorized them as some type of Gothic act. I was happily mistaken.

Slugathor: What the fuck is a Slugathor? Evidently, it is a crushing old school Death Metal machine.

Running Wild: The band name was originally a bit off-putting, but it took me a while to listen to Port Royal because the album cover is just absurdly miscolored and the faces are horribly rendered.

Pentagram: The name was just too cliche for me to touch until I'd been ridiculed for not listening to a band that I would so obviously enjoy.

Nunslaughter: I always the the band was just some stupid worthless Grind-type band.

I'm bored now, so that's all I'm doing for now.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

the first two Gorguts albums are classics!

 

[WNxScythe]

I still have yet to really HEAR a gorguts CD for that fact, Scythe. Sounds so much like all the other "gorerotted, gore, etc" bands.

Scott

LISTEN NOW!!! Obscura's incredible! (though all their albums are great, and different). It is NOT goregrind.

Go here for a taste (loop either of the songs... it'll sound really strange at first but it'll work itself into your head):

http://musica.mustdie.ru/en/band/gorguts/3842/

 

[Helspyre]

Savage Circus - I knew I'd probably like the music already anyway since it consisted of members of two of my favorite bands (Blind Guardian, Persuader), but the name is just awful. The album cover is pretty crappy as well. If I hadn't known anything about the band I'd probably never even listen to it.

 

[Hammer of Might]

Pentagram: The name was just too cliche for me to touch until I'd been ridiculed for not listening to a band that I would so obviously enjoy.

Fortunate, as Pentagram kills most other things.

 

[skeptik]

Fortunate, as Pentagram kills most other things.

Seriously. I like everything they've done, even if Bobby Liebling's voice has greatly deteriorated.

 

[Hammer of Might]

What's that live album like? The track listing looks seriously good.

 

[skeptik]

It's pretty much what you would expect from the band, really. Great performance, and the sound it decent, but could be better. Nothing beats like Doom albums though, in my opinion.

 

[Ender Rises]

One example I remember was the album "Vulgar Display of Power" by Pantera.

Seeing that CD in the store didn't do anything for me. The art of someone being punched in the face didn't sit well with me. It was gritty too...just not a pleasant picture. The name "vulgar" turned me off as well....and lastly, the name Pantera sounded so gay at the time. To me, it was a car.

Thier Cowboys from Hell CD was the same. I wasn't into southern rock.

Anyway...I FINALLY saw their "This Love" video on Headbangers Ball a year later, and was blown away.

I was so pissed at myself for ignoring this band because of their name/artwork.

Scott

Their name and the names of their albums are so fucking cheesy. I like "The Great Southern Trendkill" but all the other album names and artwork were ridiculous.

 

[Dazed and Brutal]

Gorguts - Stupid, cliched, typical 'metal' name... rather ironic since Obscura's my favorite DM album of all time.

Same here, I didn't think I would like them till my friend played me the disc and kicked ass.

 

[Dazed and Brutal]

Their name and the names of their albums are so fucking cheesy. I like "The Great Southern Trendkill" but all the other album names and artwork were ridiculous.

I though Far Beyond Driven was a killer name for an album.

 

[Carcassian]

Gorerotted - Mutilated in Minutes (First pressing) has some of the worst cover art EVER. It's a hand drawn rendition of a zombie raping some badly drawn woman over a gravestone, purile isn't the word.

That being said, the albums fucking great, and "Stab me til I Cum" is in my top ten songs of all time (this week).