3 cover stories in our archive
Behind the Covers' archive includes 3 album covers documented under the "diy" design theme, spanning the 1980s, 2000s, 2010s. These covers sit within the hip-hop, electronic, alternative, indie, folk, metal tradition and feature work by Death Grips, Neko Case, Metallica. Each entry below includes the cover artwork, the designers and photographers behind it, and a short story about the visual choices that defined the release.
Death Grips used a pre-existing black-and-white illustration by Chicago artist Sua Yoo for The Money Store, then modified it by adding the band's name to the submissive figure's chest. When the cover was unveiled in 2012, the group said its dominant and submissive figures were meant to carry ideas about sexuality, individuality and outsiders into the album's visual identity.
Neko Case commissioned Vancouver illustrator Julie Morstad for Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. Morstad was already making drawings informed by Russian folklore when she and Case discovered the same folklore thread behind the album title; her delicate, macabre illustration became the cover.
Metallica's electric chair artwork was created by band members themselves after their record label couldn't afford professional designers. The stark, hand-drawn imagery became one of metal's most recognizable covers despite being born from budget constraints.