JUDGE AN ALBUM BY ITS COVER ART

Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 10:10am by Vince Neilstein

On the way to Friday’s final-U.S.-appearance-ever Burnt by the Sun show, Axl and I were lamenting how fucking tough it is going to be to chose ten favorite albums at year’s end. Even in early August our preliminary lists of favorites hinted that some difficult choices would be in store, but with new albums out now or about to be released by Revocation, Converge, Between the Buried and Me, Baroness and more, this December shit is gonna get real, son. What’s even tougher is trying to remain unbiased when it comes to judging albums I’m super-stoked on because they’re new to me (i.e. Revocation) vs. albums that seem like old news already because they came out all the way back in January (i.e. Obscura).

Thankfully, Elise at Reign in Blonde has a solution: match up albums based on album cover similarity, and choose the winners from there. Way easier, more efficient, and less heart-breaking.

What are your top picks of ’09?

-VN

[PS: If you've got a spare moment, go vote in ex-Metal Edge editor-in-chief Phil Freeman's poll]

Tags: baroness, Mastodon, Revocation, skeletonwitch,

http://uponwingsofblack.blogspot.com/ \m/Eluveitie\m/

The Revocation and Skeletonwitch covers are identical

Facebook User

The album titles both consist of three words.
WowWee!

One of them is shooting flames from its mouth

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jacob-Wanous/714617966 Jacob Wanous

Best album art = Baroness
Best album = Mastodon

http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

I liked the Baroness album much more than the Mastodon album.

Antihero

Revocation should definitely make the top10 list. This is one of the best death metal albums from the past few years
Ryan

Mastodon and Skeletonwitch have the best if you ask me
tyler09

Suicide SIlence should be in it…awesome album

http://www.segadriven.com Hairyman

Agreed. Listened to that album a lot this year.

http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Hulsey/653830783 David Hulsey

If we are going by cover artwork….Suffocation gets a win from me.

http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Hulsey/653830783 David Hulsey

Ah I misread. I’d give Revocation the edge over Skeletonwitch (though honestly the Switch artwork is better) simply because it is hands down a better release.

http://uponwingsofblack.blogspot.com/ \m/Eluveitie\m/

Best art off the top of my head, besides the ones shown because they kick ass too…
Arsonists Get All The Girls – Portals
Daath – The Concealers
Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic
Cormorant – Metazoa

How about worst art? I nominate…
Marilyn Manson – The High End Of Low

bearbomb

Shadows Fall covers are all starting to look the same. They fail at art.
BigJordowski

You’re giving Manson too much credit by calling that art in any way.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Max-Waldt/1371330194 Max Waldt

As of now:
Best album art = Deflorate (Black Dahlia Murder)
best album = the infection (chimaira)
This could change by the end of the year but not that likely.

Nate

Deflorate is a better CD than the infection. But, that’s opinion.
Chase

The infection is album of the year

iolanach

Absu-Absu
Carcariass-E-xtinction
Infernal Poetry-Nervous System Failure
Shining-VI – Klagopsalmer
Baroness-Blue Record
Church Of Misery-Houses Of The Unholy
Mastodon-Crack The Skye
Maudlin Of The Well-Part The Second
New Keepers Of The Water Towers-Chronicles
Porcupine Tree-The Incident

Top 10 of 2009, imo.

Gaia

Hey Looked at your pretty cool list and didnt recognise some names and so checked em out, New keepers of the water towers sound pretty sweet! Cheers dude!
http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Hulsey/653830783 David Hulsey

Maudlin Of The Well has a new one out???? WTF!? I must immediately go buy it.

iolanach

Oh, as for art…well, i really like Absu’s. Mastodon and Baroness are pretty awesome too.
blah

would you guys stop calling it their last US show ever
MetalMeatHammer

Havok- Burn
Mastodon- Crack the Skye
Dethklok- Dethalbum II
Baroness- Blue Album
Mantic Ritual- Executioner
Lamb of God- Wrath

Ray Peterson

Lamb of God??????????????????? If that really appears on anyones top ten list ill be disgusted. That album is a discrace. They should be ashamed for putting out such garbage. Too talented of a band to release such a bad album.

http://www.reigninblonde.com Elise

I think the “lazy” award goes to Horse the Band, but that album is great so they are totally forgiven.

MoonSnake

while it may not be “badass” or “cool” or “ambitious”, that album art does indeed make me giggle. plus, as you said, the music is absolutely fantastic, which has to count for something.

Art Weingartner

Best Albums:
Hatebreed
Chimaira
Suicide Silence
Shadows Fall
Cannibal Corpse
Lazarus AD
Job For A Cowboy
Dying Fetus
Impending Doom
Thy Will Be Done
Revocation

Covers:
BDM
IWRESTLEDABEARONCE
Impending Doom

Huge Let Downs:
LOG
Devildriver

Art Weingartner

SLAYER will be on this list. Also the JFAC cover is pretty badass too.

Ray Peterson

Job For a Cowboy has the bes album cover of the year. Hatebreed has my album of the year vote. Fuck Mastodon.

Sam

Yeah, Paul Romano has been lazy with Mastodon’s shit recently. It’s like he’s tired of doing shit for them.
Facebook User

That sounds exactly like what a Hatebreed fan would say. Granted, I don’t listen to hatebreed besides Perseverance, but it’s pretty safe to say Mastodon definitely have more musical talent.

Ray Peterson

Is this a musical talent list? I wasnt sure what we are talking about. Na im pretty sure its Albums of the year. Hatebreeds new album crushes and is far more entertaining than anything Mastodon has released.

Sam

tRUE tRUE. Ruination artwork is kickass! No. 1 on my list!

Nigel McCloud

I have not listened to either the new Skeletonwitch album or Revocation album (for shame), and I know they both slay but I have to give it to the Skeletonwitch album as the better cover of the two, it is is just more metal!

And Baroness is clearly the better album album between them and Mastodon

As for my top ten albums of the year…hmmm…

Nigel McCloud

Album art I meant

http://uponwingsofblack.blogspot.com/ \m/Eluveitie\m/

How about The Devil You Know by Heaven and Hell?

Sam

That is kickass shit!
http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

One of the best album covers of the year.

http://uponwingsofblack.blogspot.com/ \m/Eluveitie\m/

Of all time, my friend. OF ALL TIME!!!

http://www.solidsterecords.com NoCowNoFood

1-Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic
2-MastoDon
3-Converge Axe to Fall
4-Baroness Blue AlBum

http://zunetracks.net loganarchy

has axe to fall leaked?

http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

I saw it while browsing the webs earlier today.

http://iand Iand

Lamb Of God-Wrath
Job for a Cowboy-Ruination
Despised Icon-Day of Mourning
The Black Dahlia Murder-Deflorate
Devin Townsend-Ki
Mastodon-Crack the Skye
Cannibal Corpse-Evisceration Plague
Chimaira-The Infection

Im going to leave the last two albums off as I have yet to hear the new Hatebreed (which should Kick Ass!!) and Addicted by Devin Townsend, which I already know will be amazing.

As for the award for the biggest letdown of the year so far, Suicide Silences No Time To Bleed, is absolute dogshit.

Ray Peterson

I agree man. SS new album is def a huge letdown. Wake up is the worst song of the year.

RomuluXX

JFAC had kickass album art. Album of the year however, goes to Mastodon in my book
Ziltoid

What about Rammenstein?! They have dudes with boobs & penises! How hot & sexy is that?
did you just piss on my xbox?

Between the Buried and Me and Skeletonwitch coming up, then I can decide which is the top album. Been waiting for those 2 all year. But so far

Goatwhore
Mastodon
Lazarus AD
AIC
Destroyer 666
TBDM
Lamb of God
Shadows Fall
Insomnium
Behemoth
Dr schwine-hoot

Artwork** Mastodon- Cover and ( Deluxe ed. is just amazing)
JFAC- Booklet is also prtetty sweet
Graves of Valor( Booklet Fold out kicks a$$)
Devourment ^^ ^^ + Par olaffson!
Behemoth- Artwork & booklet

I judge not just on artwork, but bonus points if thet took the extra time to expand the visual inside the booklet…
bearbomb

Am I the only one who thinks the Crack The Skye cover art is kinda lame? Leviathan it is not.

Wasn’t really hit over the head with great album art this year, but here’s a few that stood out for me off the top of my head.

Baroness – Blue Album
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Agorapocalypse (Surprised no one has mentioned!)
Kylesa – Static Tensions
Nate

Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky had an amazing album this year.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Winnett/504952291 Daniel Winnett

For best album take a 3 sided coin and put Lamb Of God’s “Wrath”, Kreator’s “Hordes Of Chaos” and Behemoth’s “Evangelion” on it and then flip it
I can’t decide between those three…

For best artwork it’d be between Cattle Decapitation’s “The Harvest Floor”, Evile’s “Infected Nations”, Immortal’s “All Shall Fall”, Swashbuckle’s “Back To The Noose” and Winds Of Plague’s “The Great Stone War”
Ben

Despised Icon – Day Of Mourning
The Black Dahlia Murder – Deflorate
The Red Chord – Fed Through The Teeth Machine
Converge – Axe To Fall
Job For A Cowboy – Ruination
Skeletonwitch – Breathing The Fire
Within The Ruins – Creature
And the best album art of 2009, I would have to say, is

Scale The Summit – Carving Desert Canyons
The art just completely captures their music perfectly. Could not have picked a better cover.
brian roach

ISIS!!!!
FarBeyondJuban

Mastodon-CtS
Behemoth-Evangelion
BDM-Deflorate
JFAC-Ruination

BTBAM is sure to be on this list.
cougar party

Lady Gaga.

http://www.prophetsofdoom.wordpress.com Prophet

…miss

http://www.prophetsofdoom.wordpress.com Prophet

Anything John Baizley does is pure gold. He’s by far one of the best artists around when it comes to album art. Also Jacob Bannon’s work on the Axe to Fall cover is incredible. Other than that i thought Deflorate’s cover was awesome and Ruination’s.

Musically best album of the year so far is Deflorate by The Black Dahlia Murder. (only because i havent given a good listen to the new Converge)
Tanner

My ten favorites For artwork
Cattle Decapitation
Heaven and Hell
Suffocation
JFAC
Evile
jackattack

I haven’t heard anyone mention the new 3 Inches of Blood album… I mean yeah, it’s good ole generic 3IOB, but that album art is fucking brutal.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Matt-Dasher/30826541 Matt Dasher

Best metal albums of the year (so far)

1. Mastodon – Crack the Skye
2. God Dethroned – Passiondale
3. Megadeth – Endgame
4. Lamb of God – Wrath
5. Winds of Plague – The Great Stone War
6. Sunn O))) – Monoliths and Dimensions
7. Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Agorapocalypse
8. Anaal Nathrakh – In The Constellation of the Black Widow
9. Samael – Above
10. Marduk – Wormwood
11. The Project Hate – The Lustrate Process
12. Job for a Cowboy – Ruination
13. Susperia – Attitude
14. Behemoth – Evagelion
15. Black Dahlia Murder – Deflorate

Still have yet to hear the new Skeletonwitch, Slayer, Epica, Converge, Devin Townsend, Arkona, Hypocrisy and The Red Chord. This year is not over yet
Gaia

Really dig the Blue Record’s art, but for being quite out there I reckon Deflorate is damn good.
Full Metal Jackoff

While I still like buying cd’s for the artwork/packaging/etc., this shit probably won’t matter in 5-10 years, when the way to buy music is digitally.

My favorites so far this year would have to be:

Mastodon – Crack the Skye: Probably one of the best albums ever, fuck this year. Had a hard time making myself stop listening to it.

Daath – The Concealers: Loved the last one, love this one. Though I think that guy that did synth and studio vocals sounded a little better than Sean Z.

Revocation – Existance is Futile: Thank you MetalSucks! I don’t know how I’d never heard them before, but saw a link on here to their streaming album, bought it that night. Fucking Killer!

Dethklok – Dethalbum II: I never really took this all that seriously based on the 30 second songs on the show. Again MetalSucks linked me to the streaming album, bought it that night. Brendan Small must love Queen, cause he’s made the perfect mix of metal and Brian May-esque majestic harmonies.

Finally, Lamb of God probably could of had one of the best albums of the year, but apparently Randy decided to give up his “best metal vocalist ever in my book” status, and started trying to sing. Fuck.

Produced by Jacob Bannon

“While I still like buying cd’s for the artwork/packaging/etc., this shit probably won’t matter in 5-10 years, when the way to buy music is digitally.”

Yeah, thanks. I’m not gonna believe the predictions of a guy who has a cartoon album on his list of favorites.

http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

If that’s the only reason that you don’t think digital distribution is the future, then you’re a moron.

And the new Dethklok album is pretty good.
Full Metal Jacket

I meant to say “when the only way available to buy music is digitally”.
I wasn’t really trying to predict anything. It just seems that it’s heading that way.
I have never bought music any way other than a physical cd (or tapes, back in the day) and I will be disappointed if they go the way of the cassette tape.

As far as Dethklok beign a cartoon album, that was kinda my point in never taking it seriously in the past. Give the full length songs a try, it’s got Gene Hoglan, and you know you like Gene Hoglan!

http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Hulsey/653830783 David Hulsey

I fucking LOVE the new Dethklok album. It is probably 3rd on my top ten of the year. Fuck the haters…the band is “fake” but the music sure as shit isn’t.

Joe

if album art alone is the judge of quality, then immortal is probably way up at the top of the list. i hope you can open up the…face doors in the packaging and you get the real cover, which is usually abbath and his crew looking like they are about to pass a few stones. i mean…looking real grim over realms of fire and ice.

and photoshop. probably the blackest realm of all.
Joe

This is how my top 10 is gonna go

1. NIle (long egyptian title)
2. Cannibal Corpse- Evisceration Plague
3. Daath- The Concealers
4. Mastodon- Crack the Skye
5. Lamb of God- Wrath
6. Behemoth- Evangelion
7. Alice In Chains- Black Gives Way to Blue
8. Heaven & Hell- The Devil you Know
9. BDM- Deflorate
10. The New Red Chord Album
http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

Best albums of the year for me, thus far…

1) Clutch – Strange Cousins From The West
2) Gorod – Process Of A New Decline
3) Ensiferum – From Afar
4) Baroness – Blue Record
5) Megadeth – Endgame
6) Amorphis – Skyforger
7) Supercommuter – Supercommuter
8) Diablo Swing Orchestra – Sing Along Songs For The Damned And Delirious
9) Animals As Leaders – Animals As Leaders
10) Rodrigo y Gabriela – 11:11 (This one snuck up on me. It blew my fucking mind. It’s very likely it could end up farther up the list.)

So many other albums to consider, though. The new Scar Symmetry is starting to grow on me much like Holographic Universe did. There’s still the new stuff from BTBAM, Powerglove (FUCK YES), Rammstein… the list goes on. And there are so many honorable mentions it’s not even funny. The top four is mostly set, but this list isn’t finished just yet.

If I was going by album art, it would be something more like this…

1) Heaven & Hell – The Devil You Know
2) Celldweller – Wish Upon A Black Star, Chapter 01
3) Baroness – Blue Record
4) Scar Symmetry – Dark Matter Dimensions
5) Gorod – Process Of A New Decline
6) HORSE The Band – Desperate Living (Never have I seen an album cover so appropriate to its title.)
7) Dååth – The Concealers
8) Arsonists Get All The Girls – Portals
9) Insomnium – Across The Dark
10) White Wizzard – High Speed GTO
fightingmike

Top Metal Records of 2009:

Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Burnt By The Sun – Heart of Darkness
He Is Legend – It Hates You
Doomriders – Darkness Comes Alive
Ensiferum – From Afar
Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue
Hacride – Lazarus
Isis – Wavering Radiant
Killswitch Engage – S/T
Zao – Awake?
Converge – Axe To Fall
Baroness – Blue Record

Disapointments of 2009:
Every Time I Die – New Junk Asthetic – Kinda boring:(
Despised Icon – Day of Reckoning – Same old shit:(
http://zunetracks.net loganarchy

ETID- new junk aesthetic
Mastodon- Crack the Skye
Brutal Truth- Evolution through Revolution
Lazarus A.D.- The Onslaught
Daath- The Concealers
Kylesa- Static Tensions
Struck by Lightning- Serpents

http://zunetracks.net loganarchy

also, Goathwhore

Anticosmic

I can’t believe everyone is forgetting the way of all flesh, I came buckets for that album. heres my list
in no particular order:

Gojira – The Way Of All Flesh
Behemoth – Evangelion
Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Baroness – The Blue Album
Obscua – Cosmogenesis
Drudkh – Microcosmos
Natchtmystium – Assasins: Black meddle Pt. 1
Sunn O))) – Monoliths And Dimensions

http://zunetracks.net loganarchy

the way of all flesh was 2008. so was black meddle

Anticosmic

well don’t I look silly, guess it’s time to lay off the dope a bit

http://wilcoxb2 Brett

Top Art:
Arsonists Get All the Girls – Portals
Mastodon – Crack the Skye
Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic

Top Albums:
Mastodon – Crack the Skye
Rumplestiltskin Grinder – Living For Death, Destroying The Rest
Dethklok – Dethalbum II

Disappointment of the Year:
DevilDriver – Pray For Villains
Jonathan

My top ten of the year woudl have to be…

1. Killswitch Engage II – Killswitch Engage
2. Evangelion – Behemoth
3. Dethalbum II – Dethklok
4. Earthsblood – God Forbid
5. No Time to Bleed – Suicide Silence
6. Endgame – Megadeth
7. Crack the Sky – Mastodon
8. Wrath – Lamb of God
9. The Concealers – Daath
10. The Onslought – Lazarus AD
Connor

Why do people like Wrath? That album was fucking terrible.

http://www.last.fm/user/groverXIII groverXIII

Because not everyone shares your opinion? Seems like that would be kind of obvious.
Geekbeater

YEEEESSSSS. SO GLAD TO SEE SOMEONE ELSE AGREE WITH ME. THE ALBUM FUCKING STINKS. END OF STORY. I WONT EVEN KEEP IT ON MY IPOD BECAUSE WHEN MY SHUFFLE LANDS ON IT I WILL IMMEDIATELY SKIP IT.

Connor

^the truth.

Sandwiches

Wolves in the throne room – black cascade
burnt by the sun – heart of darkness
behemoth – evangelion
fleshgod apocalypse – oracles
animals as leaders – self titled
dying fetus – descend into depravity
weekend nachos – unforgivable
advent – naked and cold

there’s a few I’m waiting on of course, btbam, red chord, converge

Anticosmic

I was kind of disappointed by the new wolves in the throne room album, but good to see someone at least bring them up

mike

Album covers:

Obscura – Cosmogenesis
Ensiferum – From Afar
Augury – Fragmentary Evidence
Tyr – By the Light of the Northern Star
Sybreed – The Pulse of Awakening
Miseration – The Mirroring Shadow
Kevin

Best Art:
Mastodon-Crack the Skye
Baroness-Blue
Kylesa-Static Tensions
ANB-Agorapocalypse

Best Album:
Baroness-Blue
Skeletonwitch-Breathing the Fire
Mastodon-Crack the Skye
Converge-Axe to Fall
Iron Age-The Sleeping Eye

but there are soo many honorable mentions (Lazarus A.D., Brutal Truth, Kylesa, Burnt By The Sun, TBDM, Revocation,Cormorant and soo many more.) Plus there are way more coming so lets talk about this in 2010..

Kevin

ANDDDDD don’t forget the new Saviours album!!!

LilalCFH

Revocation = Album of the year

LilalCFH

Correction… Existence Is Futile = Album of the year

LilalCFH

Now for the list…

1. Revocation – Existence Is Futile
2. TBDM – Deflorate
3. Devourment – Unleash The Carnivore
4. Trepalium – XIII
5. Evile – Infected Nations
6. Suffocation – Blood Oath
7. Devin Townsend Project – Ki
8. Brainal Probe – Hanj & Tron’s Bogus Journey
9. Blood Money – Genome
10. Behemoth – Evangelion

…so far… Still don’t have the new Devy or Katatonia.

And Crack The Skye sucked. Eat me.
Heavy Metal

End Game has the best cover art

\m/Eluveitie\m/

Not even close

http://www.facebook.com/people/Danny-Hakola/1388523311 Danny Hakola

my faverite albums of 09 so far would be

1. Amorphis – Skyforger
2. Killswitch Engage – Killswitch Engage
3. Cattle Decapitation – The Harvest Floor
4. Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plague
5. Diablo Swing Orchestra – Sing-along Songs for the Damned & Delirious
6. Dying Fetus – Descend into Depravity
7. God Dethroned – Passiondale
8. Suffocation – Blood Oath
9. Lamb of God – Wrath
10. Ensiferum – From Afar

Cattle Decapitation, Diablo Swing Orchestra and Amorphis have my faverite cover art so far
Connor

1. BTBAM- The Great Misdirect
2. Porcupine Tree- The Incident
3. Revocation- Existence is Futile
4. Every Time I Die- New Junk Aesthetic
5. ISIS- Wavering Radiant
6. Baroness- Blue Record
7. Converge- Axe To Fall
8. Dream Theater- BC&SL
9. Mastodon- Crack the Skye
10. TBDM- Deflorate

Thats what it’s gonna end up lookin like for me i think.

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