Seems like only yesterday we were wishing the world a Happy New Year and hoping for a great 2018. You know, getting all excited about those New Year’s Resolutions; big plans to learn another language, lose 30 lbs, and stop spending so much money of vinyl(maybe that was mine.) Well we’re in December now and how’d those online French classes go? Did the hot yoga even out all those trips for frozen custard and tacos at the taco truck?
For me, there was no cutback on vinyl spending(there may have even been an increase in 2018.) This is what happens when solid record labels put out solid records. I can’t say no. There have been some amazing record releases this year, and with those releases come with them amazing album art. Not copy and paste, public domain, awkward band photo album art. But actual artists designing amazing artwork that truly represents what’s in the grooves of that vinyl(or on that 1/4 inch tape or digital zeros and ones.) Labels like Burning Witches Records, El Paraiso Records, Death Waltz/Mondo, Waxwork Records, and Holodeck Records have taken great pride in giving us a multi-media, multi-art experience with their releases this year.
Back in September I posted some album art that had made a huge impact on me this year. We’ve now reached the end of the road for 2018, but what a journey it has been. Here is my last album art post of the year. Enjoy, and make sure to support great art. If there’s a link, head over to the artist’s website and buy a print.
Pieces Vol. 2 by Espectrostatic and All of Them Witches, album art by Luke Insect
Instrumentality by Jakob Skott, artwork by Jakob Skott
Self Zero by Thomas Ragsdale, artwork by Darren Hopes
Summer of 84 S/T by Le Matos, artwork by Sam Turner
Tonight She Comes S/T by Wojciech Golczewski, artwork by Luke Preece
Rosewater Ceremony Part II : Guardian of Solitude by Future Museums, artwork by Samantha Wendel
Harglow by Harglow, artwork by Ben Turner
Windborne by Kanaan, artwork by Jakob Skott
Alone In The Woods by Alone In The Woods, artwork by Darren Hopes
Wave Refraction by Sungod, artwork/layout by Braden Balentine, Justin Goers & Gabriel Chicoine
Dawn of the Dead S/T by Goblin/reissue by Waxwork Records, artwork by Butcher Billy
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night by Konami Kukeiha Club reissued by Death Waltz, artwork by Jasmin Darnell
Profondo Rosso by Goblin/reissued by Waxwork Records, artwork by MALLEUS
There’s so many great album covers/art design from 2018, but I wanted to post the ones that I personally own. Go discover these amazing artists and their incredible work. Cover your walls with their imagination, and fill your ears with these records.
Complex Distractions 
Love the El Paraiso aesthetic, but that ‘Summer of 84’ cover is a ripper!
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Yes it is! One of my favorites this year.
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You know me; I love a great album cover… and there are some great covers here, JH…
Instrumentality, Sungod, and the Summer of 84 covers are my favourites here.
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Love all of those, too. Also, I’m partial to those amazing Waxwork covers. Even if I didn’t care for the music on those albums, I’d want them because of that album art.
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