Memes are one of the greatest uses of the internet, hands down. Sure, the internet does a few other cool things as well, like allowing us to access a wealth of knowledge and information our ancestors couldn’t even comprehend, or giving us near instantaneous communication with the rest of the world. But what better way to communicate a broad and nuanced idea or argument than to represent it as an image macro with a few lines of text over it? Memes are the peak of human civilization.
And metal is the peak of music. So it’s only appropriate when the two coincide. Here are 8 metal album covers that look like popular memes:
8. Chelsea Grin self-titled EP looks like “Me Gusta”
The resemblance between these two images goes beyond their similar appearances. Sure, they are both faces whose mouths are practically the same width, but their legacies also mirror each other: both originated in the late aughts/early 2010s. Since the release of the Chelsea Grin EP, none of the musicians on the record are still in the band, having been replaced by an entirely new lineup. Similarly, “Me Gusta” is a crude line drawing of the bygone “Rage Comics” era, which has since been replaced by other crude line drawing memes.
And speaking of wojaks…
7. Manilla Road-Mystification looks like Pointing Soyjaks
Two grimacing faces pointing at something. Not much more to explain. Except for why the skeleton on the Mystification art is holding up what appears to be a dead, but not yet decomposed, head up on a stick. And to whom the hand pointing at the skeleton belongs. And how they’re holding that dagger with just their thumb on the guard rail and pinky finger on the blade. I dunno, here’s the meme superimposed on the album cover:
5. Toxic Holocaust-An Overdose of Death looks like Insanity Wolf
I’m cheating a little here since the Overdose of Death album art is clearly a trace of the actual wolf photo, but the album came out about a year before the photo became an internet meme, so I’m counting it. You might even argue the album cover contributed to the meme’s popularity (yeah, I doubt it too, but who can really pinpoint what makes a meme a meme?)
This is also why I’m not including Death Angel’s Relentless Retribution on this list, since it came out after Insanity Wolf became a meme. But I’m still posting it here because I don’t think I need to worry about copyright claims over an album cover that uses a photo that had already gone viral on the internet when it was released*
Speaking of copyright lawsuits…
5. King Crimson-In the Court of the Crimson King looks like the screaming /biz/ wojak
Knowing King Crimson’s track record, I’ll probably look like this too once I see how much they’re suing me for using their album cover art without permission.
4. Warning-Watching From a Distance looks like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a mountain
At first glance of the album cover, I actually thought it was supposed to be the legendary Greek king, but I later noticed the figure in the Watching From a Distance cover is carrying a bunch of sticks instead of a rock. While this is one of my favorite albums, I’ll concede that its laboriously slow pace and repetitive nature may make some feel like Sisyphus while listening to it.
3. Any Five Finger Death Punch album looks like any of these edgelord skeleton shitposts
Take your pick. Any combination works.
2. Agalloch-Tomorrow Will Never Come EP looks like Crying Soyjak
I’ve commented before on this album’s meme potential. Just look at this:
1. Woods of Ypres-Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light looks like wojak with his hands in his face
Okay, this is probably the lowest-hanging fruit of the list because they’re both just two people with their hands in their faces. But you know what? If neither of these images evoke any emotional response from you, you’re a cold, heartless bastard.