Album
Production information:
The album: "WARRANT - First Strike" was produced by:
Horst Müller and Warrant
Sound/Recording Engineer(s):
Horst Müller
This album was recorded at:
Caet Studio, Berlin, Germany
Caet Studios, Berlin is a popular sound recording music studio used by many German Heavy Metal bands. During the 1980s "Caet Studios" has been used by "Celtic Frost", "Running Wild", "Destruction", as well as many other bands.
Album cover design:
Warrant
Cover Painting: Phil Lawvere (Artwork)
Phil Lawvere is an acclaimed artist and illustrator known for his iconic contributions to the world of metal album art. Through his distinct visual style, Lawvere has created some of the most recognizable and influential album covers in the history of heavy metal music. His dark, intricate, and often controversial artworks have left an indelible mark on the genre, solidifying his status as a legendary figure within the metal community.
Phil Lawvere was born on 28 February 28 1960, in Stuttgart, Germany. From a young age, he demonstrated a keen interest in art, fueled by his passion for music and the burgeoning rock and metal scene. Lawvere drew inspiration from the works of artists like H.R. Giger and Salvador Dalí, as well as from the intense and raw energy of metal music itself. These influences would later become instrumental in shaping his unique artistic vision.
Lawvere's breakthrough in metal album art came in the late 1980s when he was commissioned to create the cover artwork for German thrash metal band Kreator's sophomore album, "Pleasure to Kill" (1986). This gritty and macabre artwork, depicting a tortured corpse, perfectly captured the aggressive and visceral nature of the band's music. The cover quickly became iconic and set the stage for Lawvere's future contributions to the genre.
Lawvere's distinct style, characterized by intricate details, dark imagery, and a penchant for controversy, has graced the covers of numerous seminal metal albums. His work on Celtic Frost's "Emperor's Return" (1985) and "To Mega Therion" (1985) albums showcases his ability to capture the band's dark and mystical themes. The cover art for Rage's "Reign of Fear" (1986) and "Execution Guaranteed" (1987) albums stands as a testament to Lawvere's skill in translating intense emotions into visual form.
Throughout his career, Lawvere's art has courted controversy and faced censorship due to its graphic and provocative nature. His cover for Kreator's "Flag of Hate" EP (1986), depicting a mutilated angel, caused a stir and was subsequently censored in several countries. Similarly, his artwork for Celtic Frost's "To Mega Therion", featuring a provocative and occult-inspired scene, sparked debates and contributed to the band's notoriety. Despite these challenges, Lawvere's unapologetic approach to his art has become an essential element of his legacy.
Lawvere's artistic contributions extend beyond album covers. He has also created logos and additional artwork for bands such as Helloween, Tankard, and Whiplash, further cementing his influence on the metal aesthetic. Additionally, Lawvere has worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, showcasing his versatility and mastery of various artistic mediums.
Phil Lawvere's impact on metal album art cannot be overstated. His unique and evocative visual style has influenced subsequent generations of artists and has become synonymous with the genre itself. The dark and atmospheric worlds he creates through his artwork serve as a visual representation of the music's intensity and power. Lawvere's contributions have elevated album covers to the realm of art, making them an integral part of the metal experience.
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Cover Layout: L+Z Grafik Design
Album cover photography: Fred Baumgart
Horst Mueller
- a sound engineer from Germany and has engineered the records of several German Metal bands, notable Destruction, Running Wild, Warrant and the Swiss Celtic Frost band, as well as many others. He has used several different aliases/pseudonyms, aliases used by Horst Mueller include: Horst "Hoddle" Muller, Horst H.I.F. "The Crazy Frog" Muller, Horst "The Only One" Muller, "Mad" Horst Muller
Phil Lawvere is an acclaimed artist and illustrator known for his iconic contributions to the world of metal album art. Through his distinct visual style, Lawvere has created some of the most recognizable and influential album covers in the history of heavy metal music. His dark, intricate, and often controversial artworks have left an indelible mark on the genre, solidifying his status as a legendary figure within the metal community.
Phil Lawvere was born on 28 February 28 1960, in Stuttgart, Germany. From a young age, he demonstrated a keen interest in art, fueled by his passion for music and the burgeoning rock and metal scene. Lawvere drew inspiration from the works of artists like H.R. Giger and Salvador Dalí, as well as from the intense and raw energy of metal music itself. These influences would later become instrumental in shaping his unique artistic vision.
Lawvere's breakthrough in metal album art came in the late 1980s when he was commissioned to create the cover artwork for German thrash metal band Kreator's sophomore album, "Pleasure to Kill" (1986). This gritty and macabre artwork, depicting a tortured corpse, perfectly captured the aggressive and visceral nature of the band's music. The cover quickly became iconic and set the stage for Lawvere's future contributions to the genre.
Lawvere's distinct style, characterized by intricate details, dark imagery, and a penchant for controversy, has graced the covers of numerous seminal metal albums. His work on Celtic Frost's "Emperor's Return" (1985) and "To Mega Therion" (1985) albums showcases his ability to capture the band's dark and mystical themes. The cover art for Rage's "Reign of Fear" (1986) and "Execution Guaranteed" (1987) albums stands as a testament to Lawvere's skill in translating intense emotions into visual form.
Throughout his career, Lawvere's art has courted controversy and faced censorship due to its graphic and provocative nature. His cover for Kreator's "Flag of Hate" EP (1986), depicting a mutilated angel, caused a stir and was subsequently censored in several countries. Similarly, his artwork for Celtic Frost's "To Mega Therion", featuring a provocative and occult-inspired scene, sparked debates and contributed to the band's notoriety. Despite these challenges, Lawvere's unapologetic approach to his art has become an essential element of his legacy.
Lawvere's artistic contributions extend beyond album covers. He has also created logos and additional artwork for bands such as Helloween, Tankard, and Whiplash, further cementing his influence on the metal aesthetic. Additionally, Lawvere has worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, showcasing his versatility and mastery of various artistic mediums.
Phil Lawvere's impact on metal album art cannot be overstated. His unique and evocative visual style has influenced subsequent generations of artists and has become synonymous with the genre itself. The dark and atmospheric worlds he creates through his artwork serve as a visual representation of the music's intensity and power. Lawvere's contributions have elevated album covers to the realm of art, making them an integral part of the metal experience.
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Karl-Ulrich Walterbach
founder and owner of "Noise" records ( Noise Records being a sub-label of Modern Music ). Producer and Executive producer of countless mainly Germany Heavy Metal albums.
L+Z Grafik Design,
a number of graphics artists have been working at "L+Z Grafik Design" and creating the album cover artwork for bands like: "Warrant", "Witch Hunter", Rage. Graphics artists which worked for L+Z Grafik Design include Phil Lawvere and Ken Kelly.
Fred Baumgart photographed since the mid-1980's several German Heavy Metal bands, including: Warrant , Ballantinez , Kreator , Rage , Deathrow , Voivod , Tankard .
Ken W. Kelly an American fantasy artist and illustrator. He was born on 19 May 1946, in New London, Connecticut, and is best known for his work in the fantasy genre, particularly for creating iconic cover art for various heavy metal albums and fantasy novels.
Some of his notable works include album covers for bands like Kiss, Manowar, and Rainbow, as well as book covers for authors such as Robert E. Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs. He has also created artwork for comics, movie posters, and trading cards.
Ken Kelly is considered one of the most influential and successful fantasy artists of his time, and his work has had a significant impact on the development of the fantasy genre in popular culture.
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