Album art

IronDuke

Ancient Mariner
As many know, Maiden's album art is a special topic for me. I don't consider myself an expert on artistic princi-ples, of course, but I do know when something is good.

I spent some time reviewing the covers of the varous albums, and they are spectacular. My favourite, of course, is that of Brave New World. Nothing can top that. It's loaded with symbolism, imagry, and kickass other stuff. And who can forget the stirring Clansman picture? Friggen awesome!

But then we have Dance of Death. I looked at the album again tonight, and I got pissed off all over again. Absolutely craptacular. I know there was a row between the producers and the guy who did all the art before DoD, but did they really have to get shitty like this? Absolutely retarded. The CGI just doesn't cut it for Maiden; I've come to expect better of them.
And that stupid black & white star design on the floor? WHAT THE F**K WERE THEY THINKING???? Honestly now.

Even if they couldn't get the original artist (I sadly can't remember his name), surely they could have gone with something less lame than this. I don't know much about the ins and outs of the recording industry, but I would assume the members of the band itself had litttle input on the artwork. Most likely it was the producer(s), so I don't hold a grudge against Maiden.
That being said, the art did make me unprepared to not like Dance of Death, and I am much more critical of the songs on that album than I am of the others. It's almost as if the crappy art made me search for a reason to not like the songs.

I needed to vent,
Duke
 
I've seen worse [!--emo&:p--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

I'm not very fond of the DoD cover, as I think it looks very unfinished, but I must say there is something I like about it: The imagery. I love that creepy decadence of fin-de-siècle masquerade balls. Awesome idea. What would it be like had it been done properly.

Having said that, I don't even think it's Maidens' worst cover ever. That questionable award goes to "A Real Live Dead One" in my opinion. It features the worst Eddie ever. Just plain ugly.
 
I like the classic albums better than the newer ones. The other day I was at this huge record store and as usually, I checked out the Metal area to see if there were any CDs on special (normally I only buy CDs on speacial). Its very rare to see Maiden CD's on special over here but that day I saw DoD for only $99 pesos!!! thats about $8.50 US Dollars a little bit more. Well, back to my point, it was cheap but I've always thought that the art cover on DoD is by far the worst posible for Maiden. So I didn't bought it. I ended up getting Ozzy's The Ozzman Cometh which had the same price.

So, sometimes, if the cover is so hiddious, you don't feel like getting the CD, even though the band can be one that totally kicks ass.
 
So this thread is all about beating a dead horse, eh?

Consider the eyes of the horses on the Death On The Road cover. Those aren't normal eyes. Those horses are obviously undead. And look at Eddie holding that whip.

That's right:
Even Eddie is beating an (un)dead horse!
 
[!--QuoteBegin-IronDuke+Jun 28 2005, 03:03 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(IronDuke @ Jun 28 2005, 03:03 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Even if they couldn't get the original artist (I sadly can't remember his name),
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The original artists name is Derik Riggs, if you wanted to know
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Pineapple Hunter+Nov 1 2005, 06:32 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Pineapple Hunter @ Nov 1 2005, 06:32 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Worst album cover ever: 'No Prayer For The Dying'

Dance Of Death, makes me think of things unknown to us, crazy phenomena. That dog annoys me though. But the fact its being stood on by a midget calms my annoyance down a bit.
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Really? I like the No Prayer For The Dying cover it does a good job of showing the oh so loved evil side of Eddie.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-iron_beast+Nov 1 2005, 11:36 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(iron_beast @ Nov 1 2005, 11:36 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]The original artists name is Derik Riggs, if you wanted to know
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No, Derek Riggs had nothing to do with the DoD cover.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-iron_beast+Nov 1 2005, 07:06 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(iron_beast @ Nov 1 2005, 07:06 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]The original artists name is Derik Riggs, if you wanted to know
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[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Nov 1 2005, 08:01 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Nov 1 2005, 08:01 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]No, Derek Riggs had nothing to do with the DoD cover.
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I know it's bad to correct you Perun, but Iron Beast didn't say Riggs did the DoD cover. He was saying that Riggs was the artist who did the covers before DoD.
 
Yes, but Duke asked for the original, uncredited artist of the DoD cover.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-IronDuke+Jun 27 2005, 11:33 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(IronDuke @ Jun 27 2005, 11:33 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Even if they couldn't get the original artist (I sadly can't remember his name), surely they could have gone with something less lame than this.
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[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Nov 2 2005, 05:40 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Nov 2 2005, 05:40 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Yes, but Duke asked for the original, uncredited artist of the DoD cover.
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You must be right, I misinterpreted what he said, (it never made sense to me how he couldn't know that Riggs did the the other covers).
 
[!--quoteo(post=121989:date=Nov 2 2005, 09:10 PM:name=Perun)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Nov 2 2005, 09:10 PM) [snapback]121989[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Yes, but Duke asked for the original, uncredited artist of the DoD cover.
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His name is David Patchett.

I have to say I really like the concept of the DoD artwork, but I don't have to tell you why I don't like the 'final' version of the artwork. It's all about the CGI figures... Eddie looks fine to me.
 
It is truely a very poorly done album cover. On the other hand I like some if it, as it reminds me of dream charachters, "lifeless figures" as described in the lyrics to the title song. They also reminds me of test dummies with their akwardly bending limps etc. I think Eddie is pretty disappointing aswell, all you can see is a dark face with a blinking red eye, and his hand.
 
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Well, back to my point, it was cheap but I've always thought that the art cover on DoD is by far the worst posible for Maiden. So I didn't bought it. I ended up getting Ozzy's The Ozzman Cometh which had the same price.

So, sometimes, if the cover is so hiddious, you don't feel like getting the CD, even though the band can be one that totally kicks ass.
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Dude, that's really stupid. You buy a record for the music...the cover art is for the teenagers who don't know anything about music.
 
[!--quoteo(post=135841:date=Apr 29 2006, 06:45 PM:name=fearofthelight)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(fearofthelight @ Apr 29 2006, 06:45 PM) [snapback]135841[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Dude, that's really stupid. You buy a record for the music...the cover art is for the teenagers who don't know anything about music.
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Not really. A really bad cover can put you off buying the album, especially if you don't know the music. Let's face it, the image of the band is almost as important as the music itself in metal-I like to get home, stick the CD player on and sit down with the booklet and digest the music while reading the lyrics and looking at the pictures. DoD really doesn't appeal in that way. If I ever lend it to my friends, I always make a point of covering over the cover-it's just so horrible, and can give people a bad impression of the band (especially since all the people in my class outside my fellow metalheads think I'm a blood-drinking devil worshipper [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\";)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"wink.gif\" /] )
 
[!--quoteo(post=135842:date=Apr 29 2006, 06:06 PM:name=Silky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Silky @ Apr 29 2006, 06:06 PM) [snapback]135842[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
(especially since all the people in my class outside my fellow metalheads think I'm a blood-drinking devil worshipper [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\";)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"wink.gif\" /] )
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We all are, aren't we??? [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":p\" border=\"0\" alt=\"tongue.gif\" /]
 
All I can say is that there were cases in which I picked up and listened to a CD because of its cover. Nevermore or Crystal Ball spring to mind. I would probably never have noticed them, had it not been for the cover art. What can I say? Two bloody great bands there.
 
Perun said:
All I can say is that there were cases in which I picked up and listened to a CD because of its cover...
NP: Stormtroopers of Death - Bigger than the Devil ;)
An impulse buy if ever there was one.  I saw it at my local second hand shop and picked it up for four quid.  The songs are hardcore b-side pieces of shit but the cover is legendary :p
sod_bigger_than_the_devil_a.jpg
 
I hate that cover. [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sleep.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\"-_-\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sleep.gif\" /]
 
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