FiveSevenTenTwelve

Death Is Not Final by Shackleton

2008-04-13T20:15:44Z

Death Is Not Final by Shackleton

Format: 12"
Label: Skull Disco
Designer: Zeke Clough
Released: 2008
Country: United Kingdom
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Tagged with blackandwhite / illustration / skull / eyes

Another great cover from Zeke Clough, who has singlehandedly defined the look of Skull Disco. His post-Crumb illustrations are lovingly given full-sized treatment on the newest releases, and wisely Skull Disco has not just relegated the artwork to record labels peeking out from blank sleeves.

The First Two Weeks by Blank Dogs

2007-07-26T17:32:08Z

The First Two Weeks by Blank Dogs

Format: 12"
Label: Freedom School
Released: 2007
Country: United States
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Tagged with blackandwhite / serif / hand / retro

Love the simple and classic design of this cover. All (which is very little) of the information is screened on the front of the sleeve. The retro feel gives it a sort of “lost gem” quality, that works with the raw, hard-to-place tunes.

Untitled by Sixteen Bitch Pileup

2007-03-23T00:33:51Z

Untitled by Sixteen Bitch Pileup

Format: 7"
Label: AA Records
Released: 2006
Country: United States
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Tagged with knife / noise / lofi / blackandwhite / photo / lathecut

Another nice stark picture lathe cut on AA. Harsh sights, hash sounds.

Hot Ginger by Phantom Limb & Tetuzi Akiyama

2007-02-22T02:16:39Z

Hot Ginger by Phantom Limb & Tetuzi Akiyama

Format: CD
Label: Archive
Designer: Fritz Welch
Released: 2006
Country: United States

Tagged with silkscreen / copper / serif / fur

Great 3 color silkscreen foldout cover, that this scan barely does justice. Most archive releases are packaged in oversized foldout sleeves, and not jewel cases– this allows for a slightly larger canvas to work with. This is probably the best looking one yet.

Self-Hypnosis by Starving Weirdos

2007-02-14T04:22:58Z

Self-Hypnosis by Starving Weirdos

Format: CDR
Label: Collective Jyrk
Released: 2006
Country: United States

Tagged with lofi / blackandwhite / xerox / abstract / woman

Blown out noisy psychedelic half visible forms. Am I describing the cover or the disc? Demons be gone.

Back From The Futer by Aavikko

2007-02-11T14:30:50Z

Back From The Futer by Aavikko

Format: CD
Label: Twin Tone
Designer: Computer Boys
Released: 2005
Country: Finland

Tagged with retro / sansserif / diamond / radio / circuits

A retro futuristic entry from Computer Boys for this Aavikko disc. This works well for the band, who craft somewhat whimsical and space pop melodies out of vintage synth gear.

S/T by Messiah Paratroops

2007-02-05T16:02:35Z

S/T by Messiah Paratroops

Format: 7"
Label: Seraphic Decay
Released: 1992
Country: Finland

Tagged with metal / deathmetal / xerox / lofi / blue / bold

Today we have a non-traditional death metal cover for the sole record released by Messiah Paratroops. Looking more like a Siltbreeze or Blackjack cover, the simplicity of this design has a cult feel that piqued my curiousity when I first stumbled upon it. It’s quite refreshing to stumble upon this fucked up and photocopied boldness after you’ve flipped through seventy singles with unreadable logos and skulls before it.

S/T by Cheb Samir and the Black Souls of Leviathan

2007-01-30T02:40:13Z

S/T by Cheb Samir and the Black Souls of Leviathan

Format: 7"
Label: Yakisakana
Designer: Bongout
Released: 2006
Country: France

Tagged with psychedelic / silkscreen / knife / skull / candle / tears / eyes / punk

Great psychedelic collage two-color silkscreen cover art for this Seb Normal side project. Knives, skulls, nudity, tears… what more could you ask for? As with all Yakisakana singles, art is done by the prolific Bongout.

Karawane der Mystiks by Blumen Des Exotischen Eises

2007-01-22T16:33:59Z

Karawane der Mystiks by Blumen Des Exotischen Eises

Format: CD
Label: Psycho-Path
Released: 2005
Country: Germany
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Tagged with psychedelic / blackandwhite / ink / handwriting / water / wasted

Charmingly inept psychedelic ink scrawls grace the cover of this recently reissued mid-80’s kraut-psych rarity. Caught my eye, though I cannot for the life of me make out the artist’s name on the bottom of the cover…

#4 by Pharaoh Overlord

2007-01-17T13:00:23Z

#4 by Pharaoh Overlord

Format: CD
Label: Ektro
Released: 2006
Country: United States
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Tagged with pentagram / spikes / compass / pink / metal / nwofhm / fist / xerox

Another great cover for an Ektro release, though I don’t know if the same person is responsible (if someone knows, drop us a line).

This one pays tribute to an 80’s LP cover aesthetic, using a pentagram and fist with spikes. Though in typical Finnish/Ektro fashion, they warp it to show the process of creating the pentagram using a compass. This touch of humor works great for this disc, as it contains Pharaoh Overlord’s take on 80’s metal riffs.

Skull Alcoholic by Solar Anus

2007-01-15T02:08:52Z

Skull Alcoholic by Solar Anus

Format: CD
Label: Tumult
Designer: Tenkotu Kawaho / Drucifer
Released: 2006
Country: Japan
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Tagged with psychedelic / collage / skull / diecut / sansserif / slipcase / sun

The band name Solar Anus is so loaded that the album cover design becomes a lesson in restraint. For this reissue, Drucifer decided to take the (semi) high road and choose an elegant and subtle die-cut slipcase that exposes the original psychedelic cut-up collage cover art by Tenkotu Kawah, packed with skulls, bats, astronauts, and flowers.

Cunt Fusion by Monitors

2007-01-15T01:53:08Z

Cunt Fusion by Monitors

Format: 7"
Label: Spin The Botle
Released: 2006
Country: United States

Tagged with xxx / anatomy / punk / digital / silkscreen / lofi / pink / girls

Our first not-safe-for-work cover? Perhaps, but the minimal lo-fi offensiveness of this 7” is a real eye catcher. Black and white printed dust sleeve highlights the brightly colored, anatomically correct label art featuring song titles in all the right places. Appropriate art for a record entitled ‘Cunt Fusion’.

Shove by L7

2006-12-28T13:35:56Z

Shove by L7

Format: 7"
Label: Sub Pop
Designer: Charles Peterson
Released: 1990
Country: United States

Tagged with photo / blackandwhite / grunge / sansserif

Another Sub Pop 7” here with great Charles Peterson photography. Peterson was the photographer of the grunge era, snapping amazing live and offstage photos of Nirvana, Pussy Galore, Tad, Mudhoney, etc. His photos graced the cover of most Sub Pop releases throughout the late 80’s and 90’s. This L7 shot really captures the personality of the band– on the one hand, a tightknit group of women in a male dominated scene, and on the other a collection of individual personalities. The trademark black band across the top with and the Sub Pop logo became synonomous for “must have”, regardless if the band name was known to me or not. This type of unifying cover aesthetic was one of the things that made the Sub Pop label such a strong brand in it’s heyday. They continue with this layout for most singles to this day.

For more of Charles Peterson’s music photography, check out his book Touch Me I’m Sick.

Clandestine by Entombed

2006-12-25T15:46:29Z

Clandestine by Entombed

Format: LP
Label: Earache
Designer: Dan Seagrave
Released: 1995
Country: Sweden
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Tagged with seagrave / metal / deathmetal / intricate / painting / mythical / water / claw

Another Dan Seagrave favorite for Entombed, and they may have gotten the best of his covers. Intricate and muted and mythical undeground horrorscape here, a great face for the dark and dirty production values on this death metal record. Several variations exist with different colored logo type, and some LPs have no band logo and an embossed cover.

BOW by David Stackenäs

2006-12-21T15:58:03Z

BOW by David Stackenäs

Format: CD
Label: Kning Disk
Designer: Mattias Nilsso
Released: 2006
Country: Sweden
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Tagged with clouds / minimal / serif / ink / abstract / classic

Really beautiful cloud-like abstractions paired with acoustic guitar explorations. The disc has a classic, timeless feel do to the illustration and lettering style and the subtle color pallete.