Behind the Covers

electric chair

1 cover story in our archive

Behind the Covers' archive includes 1 album cover documented under the "electric chair" design theme, all from the 1980s. The cover sits within the metal tradition and features work by 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.

Ride the Lightning by Metallica — album cover art

Ride the Lightning by Metallica (1984)

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.

Label
Megaforce Records
Genre
Metal
Decade
1980s
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