METALLICA - Kill 'em all - Front

Since forming in 1981, Metallica has become one of the world’s biggest selling bands, with over 50 million albums sold in the US alone. They’ve won 9 Grammy Awards and – from the battle over their first release through to the celebrated packaging for Death Magnetic – have created significant cover art as well.

Kill ‘Em All (1983)

This release was to be called Metal Up Your Ass and the cover was supposed to feature a toilet bowl with a hand clutching a dagger emerging from it. After significant pressure to reconsider, the band settled on Kill ‘Em All as an angry response and used the artwork for tour t-shirts instead.

metallicaF025

Ride the Lightning (1984)

metallica-ride-the-lightning

Master of Puppets (1986)

HVY4EKGITUUECUWUPMXSSWHZHD7K3XEY

One of the most acclaimed metal albums of all time. Many prints of the 1986 release featured a parody of the PMRC “explicit lyrics” warning labels.

promo_mop_us_warning-sticker_AR_03

And Justice for All (1988)

metallica_and_justice_for_all_a

The cover was made by Stephen Gorman based on a concept by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich.

Metallica (1991)

METALLICA - Black album - Front

Also popularly known as the Black Album, this is the second best selling album of the Soundscan era. Read a previous Sleevage entry about it here.

Load (1996)

Metallica-Load--Reload-426016

The original artwork on the cover is entitled “Semen and Blood III” and is one of three photos by Andres Serrano, who mixed his own semen with bovine blood between two pieces of Plexiglass. The cover also features a new Metallica logo.   

ReLoad (1997)

Reload_FRONT

Garage Inc (1998)

garage-inc

St Anger (2003)

Metallica St Anger

Brian Schroeder designed the album cover and artwork for St. Anger.  Originally there was meant to be four different limited color variations  but the plans were eventually canceled.

Death Magnetic (2008)

metallica_death_magnetic

A special edition of this release was packages in a coffin box. Death Magnetic won Best Recording Package at the 51st Grammy Awards.

metallicapic

picture-21

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Metallica: Retrospective

METALLICA - Kill 'em all - Front

Since forming in 1981, Metallica has become one of the world’s biggest selling bands, with over 50 million albums sold in the US alone. They’ve won 9 Grammy Awards and – from the battle over their first release through to the celebrated packaging for Death Magnetic – have created significant cover art as well.

Kill ‘Em All (1983)

This release was to be called Metal Up Your Ass and the cover was supposed to feature a toilet bowl with a hand clutching a dagger emerging from it. After significant pressure to reconsider, the band settled on Kill ‘Em All as an angry response and used the artwork for tour t-shirts instead.

metallicaF025

Ride the Lightning (1984)

metallica-ride-the-lightning

Master of Puppets (1986)

HVY4EKGITUUECUWUPMXSSWHZHD7K3XEY

One of the most acclaimed metal albums of all time. Many prints of the 1986 release featured a parody of the PMRC “explicit lyrics” warning labels.

promo_mop_us_warning-sticker_AR_03

And Justice for All (1988)

metallica_and_justice_for_all_a

The cover was made by Stephen Gorman based on a concept by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich.

Metallica (1991)

METALLICA - Black album - Front

Also popularly known as the Black Album, this is the second best selling album of the Soundscan era. Read a previous Sleevage entry about it here.

Load (1996)

Metallica-Load--Reload-426016

The original artwork on the cover is entitled “Semen and Blood III” and is one of three photos by Andres Serrano, who mixed his own semen with bovine blood between two pieces of Plexiglass. The cover also features a new Metallica logo.   

ReLoad (1997)

Reload_FRONT

Garage Inc (1998)

garage-inc

St Anger (2003)

Metallica St Anger

Brian Schroeder designed the album cover and artwork for St. Anger.  Originally there was meant to be four different limited color variations  but the plans were eventually canceled.

Death Magnetic (2008)

metallica_death_magnetic

A special edition of this release was packages in a coffin box. Death Magnetic won Best Recording Package at the 51st Grammy Awards.

metallicapic

picture-21

Posted by Ash on 30 November, 2009
Album: Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, And Justice for All, Metallica, Load, ReLoad, Garage Inc, St Anger, Death Magnetic
Cover Artist: Metallica
00s, 80s, 90s, Album Art, Metal




  • Toben

    Master of Puppets is really strong cover.

    St Anger is great as a cover but you can't fall in love with it coz you know it's not the 5 star rating of the first 4/5 albums once you start playing the thing.

    Death Magnetic has the stamp of the marketing agency that created it, the use of the icons and the die cut stuff.
    Although the recut logo is the best version ever and I love the all black type on white background of Death Magnetic back sleeve the inner sleeve doesn't smell like Metallica.

    God bless the first 4 albums

  • 150watt

    Personally, I think Death Magnetic look like a rebus, and the type trick with the D that looks like a bugs bunny magnet doesn't do it.
    …And Justice for All stands out in a good way to me.

  • ali holteen

    metalica rules kill all people and rebel against the man.

  • http://twitter.com/aputski adiputra singgih

    Love those classics sleeves especially the master of puppets and and justice for all, great sleeves, great albums indeed!

  • http://twitter.com/aputski adiputra singgih

    Love those classics sleeves especially the master of puppets and and justice for all, great sleeves, great albums indeed!

  • Lucianneee

    cliff burton R.I.P.
    an amazing bassist>>>he shall live on forever in the name of METALLICA :)
    <3

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  • DRAGONZKINGZ69

    sooooo true love him the only kickass bassist to ever live and long live METALLICAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • HeSUCks

    you spelled Metallica wrong idiot

  • Djbooboo7

    ya great musicians like Cliff Burton m/, Layne Staley and Kurt Cobain have died :(, but its thnx to all the oncoming generations of fans that keep their spirits and impact alive so lets all keep up the good work! RIP all of em 

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