10 Best Rock Album Music Covers Of The 2000s
9. St. Anger - Metallica
St. Anger might just be Metallica's most noteworthy album, although not for the reasons they would want.
This 2003 offering was famously recorded under very tumultuous circumstances, as revealed in the documentary Some Kind of Monster. The group were down a bass player, as Jason Newstead had left them just before the recording sessions were due to start, and there was also the case of the snare drum. That's a very long story for another time.
The record divides fans to this very day, even though it sold well enough to land Metallica another US number one. One thing that is indisputable, though, is its cover art, which is a thing of beauty.
A comic book-style red clenched fist bound in silver rope is highlighted magnificently by a deep orange background and black action lines. The image was designed by Brian Schroeder, also known by the delightful pseudonym of Pushead. He'd worked with the band before, but never as a front cover artist.
This striking image is anger embodied and fits in with the harsher, more aggressive tone of the record itself. St. Anger might not have been universally beloved for its music, but at least the artwork didn't disappoint.