Pantera: Vulgar Display Of Power
This has to be one of the best examples of a cover perfectly conveying the content of the music contained on the album, which in this case is a shitload of aggression. Sure a majority of metal covers have alot of dark and violent themes but it seems many take it for granted, like it’s a given for a metal cover to come across this way. But this cover does it in such a simplistic and timeless way and for me with a slight twist of humor. Vulgar Display Of Power is regarded as a classic and Pantera’s best, and i always wonder does a classic album transform it’s cover into a classic as well.
It’s a shame they decided to follow such a great cover with such a lame and obvious one as the cover for Far Beyond Driven. Although i guess once their original concept for the album (WARNING:this cover may offend) was banned the care factor dropped.
A Vulgar Display Of Hairspray:
Pantera glaming it up in the 80’s
If you like people getting hit in the face then check out these videos:
And one for the ladies:
Art Direction: Bob Defrin, Design: Larry Freemantle, Cover photo: Brad Guice
Ash:
Agreed. The Far Beyond Driven is utter shite.
I want to know the story behind the dude getting punshed int he face though!!
# 09 Aug 07 at 7:30 pm
Ash:
OK I’ve scoured the net and there are multiple theories.
1: The fist is lead singer Phil Anselmo and he’s punching a guy for $10-$100 a punch. It took them between 6-30 punches to get the right photo
2: The fist is Phil, the guy is a fan who was honored to be punched.
# 09 Aug 07 at 10:31 pm
dan:
i don’t think i’ve ever seen a middle aged woman get punched square in the face before.ever.pretty solid punch too…
# 10 Aug 07 at 2:23 am
Paul:
Is there any intended presumption on the reader’s part that the bulk of the art covered here is supposed to be GOOD? 60 posts in and it seems like the underlying theme of the blog is just to write about whatever the hell gets dug out of a used cd bin someplace.
# 10 Aug 07 at 6:53 am
Ash:
hey Paul,
maybe you can enlighten us as to what you think is good?
While this Pantera cover doesn’t have the best design or typography it’s iconic. It’s powerful and it tells the passer by this album will punch you in the face! All those things make this a memorable album cover than even some 15 years later is still talked about. (by people other than us)
cheers
Ash
# 10 Aug 07 at 8:54 am
Phil:
Maybe Paul you need a punch in the face :)
# 10 Aug 07 at 8:56 am
Paul:
@Ash
Sticky Fingers is iconic. Never Mind the Bullocks is iconic. Vulgar Display? Um, no. It’s just a manipulated photo of a punch in the face by hourly-wage staff in the basement of Atlantic Records.
Anyway, not everything written about has to be ‘iconic.’ I’d settle for just ‘aesthetically well-assembled’. Vulgar Display doesn’t pass muster.
# 10 Aug 07 at 9:18 am
Ash:
Hey Paul
true it’s not the best example but we can’t please everyone :) To throw a wide statement like of the 60 we have posted only 2-3 are any good is a hyperbole though.
As long as the cover is interesting it’s worth discussing. If we only posted the top 1% of covers that ticked every box then we’d have stuff all to talk about :)
# 10 Aug 07 at 9:37 am
Carl:
The original banned artwork for Far Beyond Driven was much better:
http://metaljesusrocks.com/gallery/d/89-1/far1.jpg
# 10 Aug 07 at 11:42 am
James:
Check out the 80’s Pantera’s album covers. http://www.stuffmagazine.com/articles/index.aspx?id=1414
# 10 Aug 07 at 12:20 pm
fernanda:
I think is iconic cause when I think of Pantera… I remember this cover.. it’s not about a simple manipulated picture.. it’s about simplicity in express an idea in a remarcable way. The punch is the “face”of this album.. wich I think it’s the best of then.. I also love the cowboys from hell.. but I can hardly remenber that cover.. : )
# 17 Aug 07 at 9:55 pm
Pascal:
A classic cover album if you ask me. Why? Because just about every “metalhead” in high school use to wear one of those, so it is very recognizable and unmistakably Pantera.
# 23 Aug 07 at 3:16 am
Mo:
..although this has nothing to do with Pantera, it would be a gas, if someone submitted the video of Glenn Danzig getting punched out..
# 10 Oct 07 at 2:27 pm
Andrew W.K: I Get Wet » Sleevage » Album Cover Blog. Music, Art, Design.:
[…] reminds me of the Pantera album Vulgar Display of Power only the aftermath. It’s an album cover that says to the viewer “this album is going to […]
# 20 Nov 07 at 7:41 am
jordan:
it’s not phil’s fist.. Pantera wasn’t even there for the photo shoot… it has the whole story in march 2004 issue of revolver magazine..the record label sent them horrible pics of boxers punching eachother & Pantera wanted a street type real image..so the label set up a photo shoot paying $10 a punch.. it took 30 takes & the guy got $300 … Pantera didn’t even meet the guy until a show in 1995 & the photo shoot was in 1992..
# 21 Mar 08 at 2:11 am
His*Infernal*Majesty:
i agree with fernanda, whenever i think of pantera, this image come straight to mind.
its simple and its icnic
sometimes the simpleist covers are the best!
# 19 May 08 at 8:48 pm
nate:
the guy getting punched is dime, not a woman
# 15 Jul 08 at 4:55 am
sam:
yo guys pantera have the best albums ever ok so mabey you all need a good punch in the face lol
# 01 Sep 08 at 12:55 pm