10 Hilariously Terrible Album Covers And Why They Exist

6. Manowar €“ Anthology

Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. The band formed in 1980, and mainly write music that deals with fantastical and mythological themes. Over the years the band has been praised for continuing to write the kind of metal that was popular in the eighties, refusing to drop their references to swords, magic and Norse mythology. Unfortunately for Manowar, this interest in mythology is the reason their compilation album Anthology (released in 1997) features one of the most laughed at and scorned album covers ever released. The cover depicts the members of the band heavily-muscled and scantily clad staring fiercely at the camera. Their eighties hair coupled with what appear to be leather chaps, cowboy boots and a large furry glove render the whole thing absolutely hysterical, the pretentious seriousness of it all only making the whole thing more laughable. According to the band they hoped to portray their music's subject matter with a certain grace and reverence, as metal had (in general) largely moved on from its close relationship with fantasy. The aim was to inspire metal fans to return to these fantastical roots. They also felt the cover summed up what most of the music on the album was really about, and what the band represented in general (homo-erotic undertones?). While that's certainly true, it may have been better if the guys had just slapped a dragon on the front and been done with it.