Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider (alternate cover)

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The Ripper
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Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider (alternate cover)

Post by The Ripper »

In an old interview just before the release of the subject masterpiece, Jon Schaffer claimed to be ashamed of the European cover of the record which would allegedly be the following:

Image

Does anybody know if the album was indeed released in Europe with this cover artwork?
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mordred
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Re: Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider (alternate cover)

Post by mordred »

No, that art was never released, but the album indeed had different artwork in Europe and the US initially, and the EU cover is pretty terrible. All subsequent reissues have the US artwork.

EU art:

https://www.discogs.com/release/830573 ... Stormrider

US art:

https://www.discogs.com/release/149574 ... Stormrider
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Pavlos
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Re: Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider (alternate cover)

Post by Pavlos »

The above pictured cover wasn't used for the album BUT was pictured next to the review of NOTS in german Metal Hammer when the album came out, so it kinda was official.
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MundaneUsername
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Re: Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider (alternate cover)

Post by MundaneUsername »

The rejected front artwork by Rick Borstelman for Night of the Stormrider was never used on any pressing of the album upon its release; however, it was used as the front artwork for the fold-out booklet in the miniature LP replica version of the album featured in the Slave to the Dark box set released in 2008. That miniature LP replica version was also sold separately with a cardboard piece surrounding the jacket of the album indicating that it is from the Slave to the Dark box set. A jewel case pressing featuring the general layout of the miniature LP replica version was later released in 2010 by the Argentinian record label Icarus Music. It features a paper insert of the "proper" front artwork by Axel Hermann used for the jacket of the miniature LP replica version. This paper insert is in front of the fold-out booklet. The fold-out booklet of that particular Icarus Music jewel case pressing features the rejected front Rick Bortstelman artwork as the front artwork just like the fold-out booklet in the miniature LP replica version does. The fold-out booklets in both versions feature a written piece by Axel Hermann that explains the backstory behind the various art pieces that have been used for the front artwork of the album.
As Pavlos mentioned, the rejected front artwork by Rick Borstelman was featured in the review for the album in the German version of Metal Hammer. That review is featured in the December 1991 issue, to be exact. There is artwork by Rick Borstelman that is featured on the back cover artwork for the "flying frog" version of the album and on the back cover artwork for the original non-US pressings of the album that feature the "proper" front artwork though. Not only is he credited for the back artwork of those versions of the album, the clouds on the aforementioned back artwork look similar to the clouds on the rejected front artwork. He also created the front artwork for the 1991 US version of the self-titled Iced Earth album, painted the Iced Earth logo on the front artwork for the aforementioned 1991 US version of the self-titled Iced Earth album, and painted the Iced Earth logo on the front artwork for the original 1990 European version of the self-titled Iced Earth album. He even features the front artwork for the 1991 US version of the self-titled Iced Earth album and the rejected front artwork for Night of the Stormrider on his website.
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mordred
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Re: Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider (alternate cover)

Post by mordred »

In that interview, surely Schaffer must have referred to the artwork that was actually released in Europe, but replaced on later editions? It’s every bit as terrible as the rejected.
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