How much does artwork influence you?

[Pedrito]

Just following on from the Forefather thread. Having a listen to Last in Line here and it sounds great and it is obvious that one of the main reasons(apart from reviews) that I havent checked it out is because the artwork is just nowehere near the quality of the previous album Steadfast, nor indeed any of the artwork on their other albums. It's not bad, but it looks thrown together to me or at least like a band that has run out of ideas. Now that may be the furthest thing from the truth, maybe they're on absolute fire on the album, but I can't shake the feeling..anyone else afflicted with this tendency? Funny there are albums that have awful artwork that I love, but it's the artwork that falls into that middle ground that I find the worst perpetrators. Shit artwork I can get over but the bland ones turn me off completely.

Trying to think of other albums out there that I have listened to feck all as a result of this underlying prejudice I have for album covers. Reinkaos would be one, there are doubtless countless others, Dance of Death definitely another. The cover is my kick off point and I find it hard to shake that first impression.

[Bigmac]

I find Reinkaos to be quite interesting actually.

The whole album is full of symbolism including the cover. That 11 pointed star symbolizes the 11 Anti  Cosmic gods of Jon's beliefs. Same reasoning behind the album having 11 songs.

Also the Omega symbol instead of the 'O' in Reinkaos, seems to have been his way to tell people that this was his end. I guess Reinkaos (The Return to Chaos) does that too. So he used the album cover to openly tell people of his impending suicide.

Bit of a mad one for sure.

[Eoin McLove]

I love how much the artwork can enhance or even influence your experience of an album and I've often been turned on or turned off an album because of good or bad artwork.  Ultimately the music has to do the talking but the artwork can often be the point of entry.  Brilliant artwork,  lyrics and photos make an album a more immersive experience. I love (and am often hugely frustrated by) the process of getting artwork together for an album. When you find an artist who really excites you and give them a brief outline of your themes,  it's hugely exciting to see how they interpret it. 

[Pedrito]

Bigmac> Fair enough, I didn't realise the symbolism there. I suppose as a piece of art  I  found it a bit meh though maybe not the best example tbh. I'm really getting at how artwork sets up the listening experience for me. I look at the cover and I've almost made up my mind already, which is not great, but I can't avoid it. Additionally, I'm not a big fan of having things explained, as with explanations for the Reinkaos album cover, or the music itself either...I'm the same with movies, books etc..you can explain all you want but I'm the one who decides.

I suppose what I'm talking about is an emotional connection. The music needs to hit me emotionally and the art also. When people need to start explaining too much, I find they've already lost me.   

[Circlepit]

The artwork is a huge thing. Pre internet going through tapes/cds in shops all I had was the artwork to decide if something should be bought or not. It's still important. When Hammer Of The North was released I knew it was going to be great based on the artwork alone. When I saw the artwork for the follow up The Hunt I was thinking it was going to be poor.
When Metallica announced a new but more oldschool logo for St Anger and Pushhead being back on board for the artwork I thought this is going to be brilliant. We all know how that turned out.

[Cernunnos]

"Ultimately the music has to do the talking but the artwork can often be the point of entry"

i think quote above hits the nail on the head. to a certain extent  in some cases you can nearly know the genre from the artwork and/or logo.  although the last while bands are mixing it up a little.

depending on the genre the artwork can have a huge impact on me, for example if its old school nwobhm the more shitty cheesy primitive it is im more likely to pick it up.    as for blackmetal youd nearly always know filthy BM vs say Occult BM for obvious reasons!

As a vinyl collector the artwork makes much more of an impact to me though. 

[Cernunnos]

When Metallica announced a new but more oldschool logo for St Anger and Pushhead being back on board for the artwork I thought this is going to be brilliant. We all know how that turned out.

haha i thought the exact same 

[Scáthach]

On a more basic purchasing level, if the artwork is impressive I'm more likely to buy on vinyl than CD. Two of my absolute faves in my collection are Deathspell Omega Kenose, (more for the booklet than the cover) and Wormlust The Feral Wisdom, that gatefold cover is bonkers.

[leatherface]

I've noticed far too many BM and DM albums (especially the more underground ones) all go for  black and white which is all a bit identikit for me. I prefer a bit more colour and detail to get my attention, that recent Zealot Kult one for example or any 90s death metal covers all got your attention and drew you in, monochrome B&W all seems a bit stale and boring.

[Eoin McLove]

Completely depends on the concept and its execution for me.  Look at Girardi's work on the recent Mystifier, for example.  It's dreadful looking. His artwork for ZC is so much better.

[Thorn]

I find Reinkaos to be quite interesting actually.

The whole album is full of symbolism including the cover. That 11 pointed star symbolizes the 11 Anti  Cosmic gods of Jon's beliefs. Same reasoning behind the album having 11 songs.

Also the Omega symbol instead of the 'O' in Reinkaos, seems to have been his way to tell people that this was his end. I guess Reinkaos (The Return to Chaos) does that too. So he used the album cover to openly tell people of his impending suicide.

Bit of a mad one for sure.

Insightful perceptions there man,.was oblivious to any of that I have to say

[leatherface]

My favourite covers (as far as my senile, old brain can remember) are:

Artificial Brain- Labyrinth Constellation
Nocturnus- The Key
Malokarpatan: (both of their albums- weird but suits the music)
Diocletian- Gesundrian
Malevolent Creation- 10 commandments
King Diamond-Them
Iron Maiden-Somewhere in time
Crimson Glory- Transcendence
Demolition Hammer- Tortured Existence (gnarly)
Voivod- Dimension Hatross
Tarot- The Warriors Spell (psychedelic)

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Definitely a big influence as to whether I give something a first chance or not, and definitely sweet artwork is a nice bonus to any listening experience. But I couldn't say that my overall opinion of any album is coloured by the artwork, beyond it being sometimes an initial factor in whether I listen to it or not.

Currently listening to Holy Terror actually, who are an interesting band in terms of divisive artwork, both cover art and logo.

[Pedrito]

Funnily enough, I first heard Holy Terror on recorded tape, no cover etc. When I saw the artwork it made complete sense why they weren't bigger than they were.

Just thinking of albums where it all came together..

Death Symbolic, Human & ITP...wow, the perfect marriage.

Dream Theater Images and Words..again, concept, music, art.

I think my Prog leanings would jump.out here. Yes Close to the Edge, Fragile among others.

Thought the latest Judas Priest was done really well. If it had looked any more digital it could.have ruined it for me.

How much of a hit to your listening experience would it have been if Cirith Ungol didn't have them.amazing album covers for example.

I would argue that the artwork on Beneath the Remains pushes that album into essential.territory, definitely for me anyway...again a perfect marriage.

Morbid Angel: Blessed, Deicide stuff, so many albums that I could go through, all elevated by their artwork.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

I love the Cirith artwork, and I love Cirith full stop, but actually in their case the marriage of artwork and concept always kind of irked me; like, what the hell does Atom Smasher have to do with that artwork? Doesn't make sense at all. 100mph is a lesser mismatch, but still doesn't fit the overall schtick. Savatage are even worse for that particular crime of coherence.