Ruthless Metal: killingartworks

KILLING ARTWORKS
AND THE ARTISTS BEHIND THEM.
(This is an article I wrote for Ruuth's Inn Thrash Metal Webzine in around 2015 or so.)

Every genre and musical style has their own stylistics, most likely you can pick up a metal record and look at the artwork and then be able to guess pretty accurately wheter it's power metal, black metal or a thrash metal record you're holding in your hand. Defining what is a thrash metal artwork is harder. In the beginning of the genre the artwork were often more simplistic and even using a photograph sometimes. Later on more colorful artworks became the standard for thrash mainly because of the works of Ed Repka. But there are more great artists out there, in this article we'll take a look at some of the greats artists and the thrash metal album artworks that they made.

WES BENSCOTER
Wesley Benscoter has worked with a lot of metal bands over the years but only a few thrash bands such as Slayer and Kreator. He has also worked with Autopsy, Dio, Nile, Vader and Thor.

Four artworks made by Wes Benscoter:

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WILLIAM BENSON

William Benson is most known for creating some of Testament's earliest album covers. To my knowledge he hasn't made artwork for any other band.

Four artworks made by William Benson:

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DON BRAUTIGAM

Don Brautigam created a few of the most iconic artworks, often with an empty desolate feeling to them. He has worked with Chuck Berry, AC/DC, Metallica, James Brown and Mötley Crüe. Don died in 2008 of stomach cancer.

Four artworks made by Don Brautigaum:

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LARRY CARROLL

Larry W. Carroll has exclusively worked with Slayer but he has created a few of the most iconic artworks the genre has ever seen. He started working with the band on the Reign in Blood album and has over the years done a few collaborations with Slayer.

Four artworks made by Larry Carroll:

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AXEL HERMANN

Axel Hermann from Germany has worked in the business for a long time creating artwork for bands like Angel Dust, Asphyx, Borknagar, Demolition Hammer, Despair, Dream Evil, Sodom, Onkel Tom Angelripper, Grave, Fueled By Fire, Iced Earth, In Flames, Morgoth, Nocturnal Rites, Samael and many, many more.

Four artworks made by Axel Hermann:

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ED REPKA

Edward or Ed Repka is definitely the most famous artwork artist in the thrash metal genre. He has worked with numerous thrash metal bands over the years and he is helped develop Megadeth's mascot Vic Rattlehead, whom he painted on Megadeth's Peace Sells and Rust in Peace. He has also painted the artwork for bands like EvilDead, Suicidal Angels, Defiance, Toxik, Hirax, Toxic Holocaust, Venom, Whiplash, Vio-Lence, Possessed and Death amongst others. Ed is known for his dead-eyed characters and the use of vivid colors.

Four artworks made by Ed Repka:

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JOWITA KAMINSKA-PERUZZI

Jowita from Poland is the only female on this list, but she is a very talented artwork artist and she has worked with a ton of great bands such as: Attacker, Avenger, Exodus, Heretic, Manilla Road, Stygian Shore, Witchburner and Redrum.

Four artworks made by Jowita Kaminska:

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ELIRAN KANTOR

During more recent years Eliran Kantor has made a name for himself after working tightly with Testament. He has also worked with Anacrusis, Evile, Satan, Master and Mekong Delta. Eliran Kantor is known for his incredible sense of details.

Four artworks made by Eliran Kantor:

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SEBASTIAN KRÜGER

Sebastian Krüger from Germany has worked with a bunch of great German metal bands like Destruction, Risk, Sodom and Running Wild. He is tightly associated with Tankard and he has worked with them for a long time.

Four artworks made by Sebastian Krüger:

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PHIL LAWVERE

Philip Lawvere is known for his work with many european bands, mainly Kreator, but he also created artwork for bands like Celtic Frost, Deathrow, Vendetta, Warrant, Rage, Hirax, Helloween and Exmortus.

Four artworks by Phil Lawvere:

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ANDREAS MARSCHALL

Andreas Marschall has created a ton of artworks, especially for German power metal bands but over the years he has done the art to a few thrash metal bands as well. He has worked with bands like Kreator, Mordred, D.A.M. Sodom, Rage, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, U.D.O. and Raven.

Four artworks made by Andreas Marschall:

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TOM MARTIN

Tom Martin of Lich King is also a pretty good artwork artist and he has worked with a ton of new bands such as Bonded By Blood, Amulance, Hellcannon, Mutant and Insinnerator to name a few.

Four artworks made by Tom Martin:

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KENT MATHIEU

Kent Mathieu is one of the more known artwork artists in the thrash genre. Kent has worked with bands like Hexx, Autopsy, Forbidden, Artillery, Heathen, Exhorder, Exodus, Forced Entry and Possessed.

Four artworks made by Kent Mathieu:

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RODNEY MATTHEWS

Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator who has created a few iconic metal covers over the years. Most often outside the realms of thrash but he has worked with Seventh Angel, Scorpions, and Diamond Head amongst others.

Four artworks made by Rodney Mattews:

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JAN MEININGHAUS

Jan Meininghaus from Germany has produced the artwork to Kreators last couple of albums. He has also worked with Falconer, Lost Society, Bolt Thrower, U.D.O., Tad Morose and many more.

Two artworks made by Jan Meininghaus:

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DONALD J. MUNZ

Donald J. Munz was very active around 1985-1986. I don't know that much about the guy but he has created the art for a lot of iconic albums.

*Note he didn't create Possessed's logo but he made the artwork for the album Seven Churches.

Four artworks made by Donald J. Munz:

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JOE PETAGNO

Joe Petagno is most known for his work with Motörhead, back in the days he created their mascot Snaggletooth or the Bastard as Joe calls it. He has worked closely with Motörhead over their career. Joe has also worked with bands like Sodom, Joe Thrasher, Paradox, Tyrant, Vader, Vital Remains, Avenger of Blood and Satan's Host.

Four artworks made by Joe Petagno: