This front cover is by the band Black Sabbath and their self titled album. The Band's name is written across the top, this is also the title of the album. It is not obstructed in any way and is with the exception of the warner bros. logo, the only piece of text on the front cover except from the main image. The font is both old-worldly and gothic in appearence. The picture maintains this gothic appearance as a medieval scene is present, with a cloaked woman walking alone through a wood, with a old, abandoned house in the background. The image is used to trying to scare the audience, giving away the dark nature of their musicical influence. The camera shot is a long shot, which is enough that was can clearly see the woman, yet are too distanced to convey any sort of emotion or feelings towards her, it also shows just how isolated she is, which again adds to the feeling of anxiety, the woman may be walking towards danger. None of the band is present in the picture, and this maybe suggests that for now they still want to remain mysterious and almost unexplored as people, focusing on their music and the cult around it. The medieval theme is taken from the gothic, almost satanic form of music black sabbath adopted during this time, the middle ages was widely known to have been a era plagued with stories of 'whichcraft' and dark arts, coupled with the plague and is enormous death toll the time still has very negative connotations and reference to it is still considered dark. Drawing musical influence from the time is viewed as almost unholy by the church, and this once again draws into the anti-establishment nature of metal music, where it seeks to draw inspiration from a time period, however the inspiration is always from the unconventional, almost condemned backgrounds during that period. Metal continues to have its roots in rebellion and counter-culture.
This album cover is by a band named Stratovarius and their album named: Polaris. The album's title is a reference to the binary start system polaris which is situated towards the north pole of earth, also known as the 'North Star'. The album cover displays a high angle shot over the earth, looking down at it from above, the earth is obstructed by metallic forms in a star shape, which are beaming white streams towards the earrh, perhaps another reference to Polaris, the fact the metallic objects are shaped like stars. Metallic and natural debris is found loating above earth and is possibly a reference to both the metallic nature of the bands sound and the natural influences of nature. The band's name is connected with the main image in that in the centre of the name a metal conducter type object, possibly the band's logo, intercepts both the band's names and the title of the album, the fact the streams are going from the metallic stars to the logo is a reference to them possibly absorbing the power of their song, and that they believe themselves to be significant. The high angle shot shows either the band recognizes its otherworldly success or that they believe themselves to be above everything. That they have reached their pinnacle. The image could also have religious conceptions as a woman's face is decending from the metallic star towards earth, with a trail of bright light behind her, she is seen as angellic. Could be percieved as a Archangel decending towards earth, as either a bastion of knowledge,power or divinity. As the north star is both considered the highest and the brightesr, and was used to help people navigate throuhout the ages, it could be a reference that the band now believe themselves to be both a driving force and a band to be followed by other similar artists, that they should both be looked up to for guidance and inspiration. The mystical nature and otherworldly nature of the front cover is unconventional for heavy rock, perhaps focusing more on gritty reality for inspiration.
The video begins with a long range shot of the Earth, above its atmosphere, The fact the video begins in space shows its not any ordinary video, Out of this world almost. The next few shots we see is a medium close up of the lead singer and a montage of shots of animals and their treatment by human beings. Close up's of the lead singer show a waterfall thats undisturbed in the background, and he is hoodless, as if he is comfortable in those surroundings, whilst other close ups show a broken treeline in the background and his hood is covering his head and he has a look of worry on his face. Shots of the band are shown with them standing in a de-forested wood, with both the band and their equipment lying inbetween or on top of severed tree stumps, the background is covered in an orange glow and smoke, perhaps representing fire, and suggesting it caused the damage. Where the song gets more upbeat and the lyrics become louder and faster, as the lead singer is screaming the lyrics down the microphone, shots are shown of animals in distress. By this point in the film the audience realizes that the band is trying to get a message across about the environment and the way humans treat it. The shots focus on the lead singer whenever the band is shown however the other band members are not given a insignificant amount of footage. The band is then shown to be walking through a forest, and as trees are cut down, and dead fish are seen in the river, the members look visibly distressed, or annoyed. The most influential shot is one of the lead singer, with an annoyed look, viewing straight at the camera, connecting with the viewer, the shot then pans to face the opposite way where a log is shown to be shredded by a woodcutter. This image tries to connect to the viewer, showing visual connection via the lead singer and then trying to instill guilt in the viewer for the destruction of the planet. The next major change is where the shot goes back to the band, this time a long shot, the wood in which the band were shown earlier, the smoke has cleared, showing the extent of the destruction, the lead singer drops his microphone, as if to give up, perhaps sending the message that this is what humans are doing, this co-incides with a lull in the music where its almost silent, as the music begins again he bursts back into life. The video is un-conventional as in it has nothing to do with the lyrics of the song, however the nature of the video is clearly Political. Showing a clear statement of the band's resentment of the overuseage of the earths materials and abusing of life. The video constists of footage from around the world, and a recording of the band in a wood. The change in scenery and location shows the bands attempts to try and get everyone listening around the world. The band itself is here trying to promote itself as a green-friendly band, a move which could add popularity to it, or take it away, depending on the audience. All the shots in the video try to connect the audience to their motive, showing both the good side of the world, and then its subsequent destruction by humans. The sound is both diagetic and non-diagetic, the band is performing on screen, with the music playing in sync. The shots then go away from the band and the music continues. The Video was made in 2006, in comparison to the last two video's shown. The global mainstream paranoia is shown to have influenced bands once again, with the video 'I Wanna Rock' shown as an Anti-Establishment which arose from the 1970-80's teenage rejection of the paranoia concerning the cold war, and their intentional igronance to try and stabilize the political situation, and here again the Global concern is with mankind's contribution towards damaging the Earth, and the Video reflects current affairs once again.
