6 Iconic Metal Album Sleeves, All Jazzed-Up

Graphic designer Rafael Melandi has taken a series of rock album sleeves and has reimagined them as part of an art project.

Concentrating largely on ‘80s metal classics, Melandi – a creative director for a São Paulo advertising company – has taken legendary sleeves by the likes of Metallica, Anthrax and Judas Priest and redesigned them in Blue Note’s iconic jazz album style.

“I’m a huge fan of metal and their art covers,” says Melandi. “And I’m also a big fan of the mid-century art style from Saul Bass, sci-fi posters, Reid Miles, and all the jazz-era Prestige and Blue Note records. So I thought of making an homage to both styles and creators.

“The proposition was to respect the original work and its message and objective. Like a time machine experiment, redesigning those incredible covers as if they were from another period in time.”

Rafael’s amazing collection can be seen here. Which other classic albums would you like to see recreated this way? Leave your comments below…

Born in 1976 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Simon Young has been a music journalist for over twenty-six years. His fanzine, Hit A Guy With Glasses, enjoyed a one-issue run before he secured a job at Kerrang! in 1999. His writing has also appeared in Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, and Planet Rock. His first book, So Much For The 30 Year Plan: Therapy? — The Authorised Biography is available via Jawbone Press.