by No.7 Diabolic – Excisions of Exorcisms
This is a pretty typical Petagno-style metal album cover. However, it has more of a comic book design to it. It’s still terrifying though, and I imagine that if young kids come across it, and subsequently put the album on, they will have nightmares for the next 40 years and stick to top 40 tunes.
No.6 Diabolical – Synergy
Obviously, we’ve entered the evil part of Petagno’s work. I really like the monochromatic use of color on this cover, along with the imagery that changes the closer you examine it.
No.5 Head on Collision – Ritual Sacrifice
Despite hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Petagno created a cover for this former thrash band that resembles something of Shogun. As with the Diabolical entry on this list, the image on this album cover changes when you take a closer look; it’s not just a helmeted warrior of fire, but a sacrificial alter.
No.4 Pretty Maids – Future World
Petagno captured the Pretty Maids’ polished ‘80s sound with polished art. The cover art for Future World is gorgeous and among Petagno’s most colorful. In a way, it reminds me of a Journey cover.
No.3 Satan’s Host – The Great American Scapegoat 666
Sometimes bands just try too hard to be “shocking.” At any rate, Petagno did an incredible job of combining iconic American imagery with icon imagery from Hell, which ties together both the band’s name and the album’s title. Under any other circumstance, I think Petagno would have been strung up for defiling the Flag.
No.2 Mammoth Grinder – Extinction of Humanity
This is probably my favorite metal album cover on this list. Simple and detailed, monochromatic, and double images, the cover for Mamoth Grinder’s Extinction of Humanity has a definite Van Gogh feel to it – only ominous and modern.
No.1 Motörhead – Motörhead
Of course we have to end this list with Petagno’s defining work – the Motörhead (1977) album cover. Since designing the Snaggletöoth, Petagno continued to design the majority of Motörhead’s covers. However, it’s interesting to note that Lemmy requested the helmet and other details. For the concept, Petagno was inspired by the skulls of dogs, boars, and gorillas.
Rock Hard \m/
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