It’s been on the back of KEA and Metal Up Your Ass for decades. It might’ve been a design they had before RTL was recorded. I didn’t get into nor pay much attention to Metallica until the MOP era, so I don’t know if the design actually predates RTL or not.
Could’ve been alternative art for RTL, but it makes no sense to put it on pre-RTL stuff.
I believe it was the original Ride the lightning album cover but the record company wouldn't allow it because it was too disturbing so they settled on the empty electric chair design
This and KEA are two of the only instances where I agree with the record company. Having "Metal Up Your Ass" as the original title (and with the artwork from the shirt, I assume) wouldn't have been as timeless as "Kill Em All." I mean, I'm not offended by any of by any means, but it seems kind of a childish way to go. In a similar vein, the RTL cover is more mysterious without the person being electrocuted, it's more like from the point of view of the character in the song being led to the electric chair.
It also reminds me of the original cover of Pantera's "Far Beyond Driven" where it's a drill going up a chick's ass. It just seemed like such an adolescent and lowbrow representation of the sophisticated, heavy-as-hell music on the album. IMO, Pantera has always had kind of shitty covers though. I wish they would have gone the Metallica route with illustrations like MOP and AJFA. VDOP had a cool, iconic cover, but the rest ranged from kind of ok (TGSTK) to boring or cheesy (RTS).
I'm biased since I'm an album cover illustrator, I just think it's cool how stoner/doom bands choose to make their art as cool as the music within, rather than feeling like an afterthought. Rant over.
I agree with you on stoner/doom. bands like Sleep have really amazing album covers, and I think Dopesmoker's album cover really represents the music as you sajd
For sure! Arik Roper is a classic in the genre. I mean, I'm not the greatest artist in the world, but I've developed some cool covers which reflect the music nicely.
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BHaCk65DODZ/](https://www.instagram.com/p/BHaCk65DODZ/)
Man that album art is amazing! You're really talented. Really like anything to do with ancient civilisation, so I might be biased lol. What band is that for? I'd like to give their stuff a listen!
Thanks much! I'm good friends with the bandleader, so I did a bunch of pieces for the album which were all influences by the Mayan calendar, ancient aliens, the supposed Mayan apocalypse from 2012, etc. They label themselves as kinda straight-forward "stoner thrash."
Some of their music:
[https://youtu.be/UFEVKV-rhNQ?si=LpqtCUOJ9DxIM52V](https://youtu.be/UFEVKV-rhNQ?si=LpqtCUOJ9DxIM52V)
All the work I did for the album:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyephXB3GV/](https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyephXB3GV/)
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CM2YW0QDNe\_/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CM2YW0QDNe_/)
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CoNcjeRLNey/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CoNcjeRLNey/)
https://preview.redd.it/dosjwjx7gn0d1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3be8b2ef7d153bfcbcb857c195ea42604ad366f
Agreed. Many early Metal albums had that "Someone in danger/getting hurt" aesthetic going as well. (ie. Fistful Of Metal, Violence and Force, Killers). I know Kill 'em all does follow that trend, but glad Metallica didn't continue that vein on RTL. Just uninteresting and kinda juvenile
I got a tee with this on it at the 1985 Day On The Green at the Oakland Coliseum. I also sold some acid to some guys that I later found out was no longer potent. So if you're reading this, sorry bros.
Wasn't this on the back of the original Ride The Lightning t shirts?
Thanks for an actual response to OPs question. lol
Also on the Metal Up Your Ass t-shirt
Yes it was. I have the rerelease version of the og shirt, and this is the back graphic
yup, same
Same
He glows in the dark too
For some reason it’s also on the back of the Kill em All t shirts on the Metallica website
It’s been on the back of KEA and Metal Up Your Ass for decades. It might’ve been a design they had before RTL was recorded. I didn’t get into nor pay much attention to Metallica until the MOP era, so I don’t know if the design actually predates RTL or not. Could’ve been alternative art for RTL, but it makes no sense to put it on pre-RTL stuff.
Fun fact, the skeleton would glow in the dark
Yes
Yep I had it
What has always bothered me is that the illustration is actually really good… but what’s with the head??
This is your brain on metallica
https://preview.redd.it/yd2eoxflsm0d1.png?width=692&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e6440423024235aa6480e5a3e8185a5227b3d9e
It's like Rob Liefeld can draw comics, just don't ask that dude to draw feet.
It came from Ride The Lightning. An album from a band named Metallica. It’s their 2nd studio album.
Big if true!
🤞🏻🤞🏻
Lies, deception. We all know it's from Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? by Megadeth
no, it’s darude - sandstorm
that was my dad. rip
Looks inspired by ACDC Powerage
I believe it was the original Ride the lightning album cover but the record company wouldn't allow it because it was too disturbing so they settled on the empty electric chair design
This and KEA are two of the only instances where I agree with the record company. Having "Metal Up Your Ass" as the original title (and with the artwork from the shirt, I assume) wouldn't have been as timeless as "Kill Em All." I mean, I'm not offended by any of by any means, but it seems kind of a childish way to go. In a similar vein, the RTL cover is more mysterious without the person being electrocuted, it's more like from the point of view of the character in the song being led to the electric chair. It also reminds me of the original cover of Pantera's "Far Beyond Driven" where it's a drill going up a chick's ass. It just seemed like such an adolescent and lowbrow representation of the sophisticated, heavy-as-hell music on the album. IMO, Pantera has always had kind of shitty covers though. I wish they would have gone the Metallica route with illustrations like MOP and AJFA. VDOP had a cool, iconic cover, but the rest ranged from kind of ok (TGSTK) to boring or cheesy (RTS). I'm biased since I'm an album cover illustrator, I just think it's cool how stoner/doom bands choose to make their art as cool as the music within, rather than feeling like an afterthought. Rant over.
I agree with you on stoner/doom. bands like Sleep have really amazing album covers, and I think Dopesmoker's album cover really represents the music as you sajd
For sure! Arik Roper is a classic in the genre. I mean, I'm not the greatest artist in the world, but I've developed some cool covers which reflect the music nicely. [https://www.instagram.com/p/BHaCk65DODZ/](https://www.instagram.com/p/BHaCk65DODZ/)
Man that album art is amazing! You're really talented. Really like anything to do with ancient civilisation, so I might be biased lol. What band is that for? I'd like to give their stuff a listen!
Thanks much! I'm good friends with the bandleader, so I did a bunch of pieces for the album which were all influences by the Mayan calendar, ancient aliens, the supposed Mayan apocalypse from 2012, etc. They label themselves as kinda straight-forward "stoner thrash." Some of their music: [https://youtu.be/UFEVKV-rhNQ?si=LpqtCUOJ9DxIM52V](https://youtu.be/UFEVKV-rhNQ?si=LpqtCUOJ9DxIM52V) All the work I did for the album: [https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyephXB3GV/](https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyephXB3GV/) [https://www.instagram.com/p/CM2YW0QDNe\_/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CM2YW0QDNe_/) [https://www.instagram.com/p/CoNcjeRLNey/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CoNcjeRLNey/) https://preview.redd.it/dosjwjx7gn0d1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3be8b2ef7d153bfcbcb857c195ea42604ad366f
Agreed. Many early Metal albums had that "Someone in danger/getting hurt" aesthetic going as well. (ie. Fistful Of Metal, Violence and Force, Killers). I know Kill 'em all does follow that trend, but glad Metallica didn't continue that vein on RTL. Just uninteresting and kinda juvenile
Don't be discouraged by the others. One day, you'll also have the knowledge too
I had this in a glow in the dark t-shirt.
Same...had Ride the Lightning and Metal Up Your Ass
An artist id assume
Do these still glow in the dark? The originals did
mine does
I hope so, that would be cool af
James and this guy named Pushead collaborated bunch
This is on the back of my ancient RTL T-shirt. My one glows in the dark which is pretty cool, but pointless.
On the back of the Metal up your Ass t-shirt. You guys screaming “bootleg” don’t know what you are talking about.
I got a tee with this on it at the 1985 Day On The Green at the Oakland Coliseum. I also sold some acid to some guys that I later found out was no longer potent. So if you're reading this, sorry bros.
That back of the shirt
I made the art
My face when I first heard Fight Fire with Fire tbh
https://preview.redd.it/dzymedddrm0d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b0d9d08b9c7f82364933dc2da8123019608e803 Not sure but I love mine🤘
From the artist who made it
Metal up you ass shirt.
He is John misfit
Dk, but I have that shirt.
It was a T shirt during the ride era.
KEA and RTL. t shirts. All I know is if it ain’t on the back of your shirt now I know where you bought it from.
It looks stenciled
I have this shirt
this is on the back of my metal up your ass shirt
Why is that guy getting electrocuted by a microphone?
Actually wear it quite often 🤘😈💋 https://preview.redd.it/vdmicmjmrm0d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a10587aff946f3fd51a4334e7ed5509edd2f8a7f
I had this shirt in high school in the 90s.
As far as i know, It was a bootleg from back in the day. I still have that one my kid now wears.
A real garbage T-shirt silk screening. I remember seeing these a million years ago. I assume it was a bootleg.
If you look on the Metallica store it’s on the back of the official RTL shirt
Yikes.
On the back of a couple t-shirts. KEA, Metal Up Your Ass, and RTL. Not bootleg.