Did your favorite make the list?
With great metal records comes great art, and we've had plenty to scour through this month. Here are our picks for the best metal album covers of January 2019:
MO'YNOQ - Dreaming In A Dead Language (Pierre Perichaud)
Pierre, who goes under the Business for Satan moniker, puts together some breathtaking black and white artworks, perfectly capturing the essence of MO'YNOQ's best black metal work to date.
SLAKE - Woorms (Victor Leblanc)
Leblanc's illustrious artwork depicts the very feeling of spinning this doom laden piece of music for the first time.
ALTARAGE - The Approaching Roar (artist unidentified)
This black and white depiction of a floating dead individual is a perfect introduction to this somber record by the shrouded ALTARAGE.
BARSHASKETH - Barshasketh (Black Typography)
Artem Grigoryev's work on this excellent BARSHASKETH record could easily be confused for Greek painting from the 1800's. As profound as the music itself.
NOCTAMBULIST - Atmospheres of Desolation (artist unidentified)
Our death metal record of the month is properly fronted by this gruesome piece of work that illustrates three demon like creatures stabbing someone with a sword in their groin area (ouch) while the others poke at the body.
HECATE ENTHRONED - Embrace Of The Godless Aeon (Nestor Avalos)
Nestor has built enough of a reputation that anything he does is expected to be of top quality. This fiery cover proves just that.
A SECRET REVEALED - Sacrifices (Black Leaf Design)
The band's own bassist Längi Gut was in charge of putting together the art for the excellent German post black metal record, which depicts a fire upon the summit of a snowy mountain.
SWALLOW THE SUN - When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light (Fursy Teyssier, Liga Klavina)
These two artists came together to create a beautiful and emotional piece for the heart wrenching record that is When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light. The horned creature stands alone in solace, after having fought through the demons.
VILE APPARITION - Depravity Ordained (Chaostouched)
Greek illustrator Konstantinos Chaostouched devised a malicious body of work for this equally filthy old school death metal record.
ARS MAGNA UMBRAE - Lunar Ascension (Babar Moghal)
Babar's varied use of blue hues on this painting embodies the emotion carried by the hurting shrieks and melodic guitars on this black metal piece of art.
Not only were the above covers exceptionally painted and well designed, but the music that lies within is just as great as the art itself. With that said, pick up an LP, some merchandise, and help support musicians and artists alike.