OUT NOW: If These Trees Could Talk - The Bones Of A Dying World 2xLP | Metal Blade

[lexicondevil]

Hi all,

Appreciate the kind responses. I really just wanted to come by and post my side of the story. Hopefully giving you a little more behind the packaging design would make everyone a little more excited for the record.

Last thing I wanted to mention: if you guys think that the members of the band do not read this forum, you're very incorrect. The guys in the band went out of their way to text me and tell me about the negative reactions that were being said. I've got pretty thick skin, and I honestly prefer constructive critique when it comes to my work. The main problem I had was the reactions I saw were... well... not constructive at all. IE: "that cover arts sucks." I see some of you in person, and interact with some of you online, and found your comments to be pretty hurtful. I'm all for the constructive criticism. Just don't be a dick.

And with that, I'm probably gonna go back to avoiding this board. I'll leave you all with a couple of screen grabs from my end. http://imgur.com/a/S43AG

 

People on the internet tend to forget that there are real people on the receiving end of anonymous criticism. Things are typed that wouldn't be said in person. That's the impersonal an shitty side of the net. I apologize to the band and you if I made any comments that were offensive. I like the work you do(I couldn't give a fuck about a font) and their music.

 

I think the main criticism is the price. It just seems way too high for what is being offered. It is very easy for vinyl dorks to justify higher than normal prices: limited cool color, variant cover, obi, stupid totebag/journal combo(uuugh), screened print that most will store away, etc... It was a shock to many of us when records priced in the $20 range began to be the norm, but many of us could somehow justify it because of special editions, added crap, or the fact that it was a double. I think our knee jerk, overly critical reaction stems from the fear that $30 records will start to truly become the norm. It's already starting to edge closer to reality.

 

Everyone in this thread most likely really digs ITTCT. It's just that price. I will most likely just have to buy a digital DL and hope I can someday find the record for what I feel like is a more reasonable price. If they play a show near me I would most likely just pony up the cash and buy the record directly from them.

[drds89]

People on the internet tend to forget that there are real people on the receiving end of anonymous criticism. Things are typed that wouldn't be said in person. That's the impersonal an shitty side of the net. I apologize to the band and you if I made any comments that were offensive. I like the work you do(I couldn't give a fuck about a font) and their music.

 

I think the main criticism is the price. It just seems way too high for what is being offered. It is very easy for vinyl dorks to justify higher than normal prices: limited cool color, variant cover, obi, stupid totebag/journal combo(uuugh), screened print that most will store away, etc... It was a shock to many of us when records priced in the $20 range began to be the norm, but many of us could somehow justify it because of special editions, added crap, or the fact that it was a double. I think our knee jerk, overly critical reaction stems from the fear that $30 records will start to truly become the norm. It's already starting to edge closer to reality.

 

Everyone in this thread most likely really digs ITTCT. It's just that price. I will most likely just have to buy a digital DL and hope I can someday find the record for what I feel like is a more reasonable price. If they play a show near me I would most likely just pony up the cash and buy the record directly from them.

 

I'll second this ^ and Falin, your new signature is hilariously accurate!

[Gumbo72203]

Hi all,

Appreciate the kind responses. I really just wanted to come by and post my side of the story. Hopefully giving you a little more behind the packaging design would make everyone a little more excited for the record.

Last thing I wanted to mention: if you guys think that the members of the band do not read this forum, you're very incorrect. The guys in the band went out of their way to text me and tell me about the negative reactions that were being said. I've got pretty thick skin, and I honestly prefer constructive critique when it comes to my work. The main problem I had was the reactions I saw were... well... not constructive at all. IE: "that cover arts sucks." I see some of you in person, and interact with some of you online, and found your comments to be pretty hurtful. I'm all for the constructive criticism. Just don't be a dick.

And with that, I'm probably gonna go back to avoiding this board. I'll leave you all with a couple of screen grabs from my end. http://imgur.com/a/S43AG

See! That sticker cover is fucking SICK!!!!

You don't have to look through this massive, hard-to-read type font to see the beautiful picture.

And to be fair, don't you see how similar the font is to the Sunbather style? Removing parts of the letters, etc.

That said, Red Forest is fucking brilliant. I just don't like this, man. I don't get what you were trying to do.

That said, I think what you mentioned about the embossing will probably look super cool. It's just, the way it's presented now is uncomfortable, from a composition perspective. The sizes of the band name and the album title are just, they don't mesh well for me.

Granted, this album will surely rule, and I'm sure the other aspects of the packaging are surely amazing.

The fact that this is over-priced, the cool variants are not allowed to be bought, it's just black and non-limited here for us, and the album cover is uncomfortable to look at all combine.

Your work is awesome man, this one just isn't sitting well with some people. We at VC are hardly an accurate cross-representation of the band's entire fanbase (I hope, haha).

Can't wait to see the rest of this album though. I won't buy it from Metal Blade at that price, but I will surely buy it from the band.

[brianmorgante]

I can't believe there is this much hate over the cover....I opened this thread, saw the cover and was immediately thinking YES THIS IS AWESOME, having no idea it was Charlie - which makes it EVEN better.  I just designed a shirt for them the other day to be printed with the new line of merch for this album, and I wasn't even shown the cover, but I figured it may be something along these lines.  Everything Charlie has ever done is golden.  I've yet to come across one design that I don't drool all over, and this is no exception.  I will forever fan boy over any Wagers talent.

 

This is going to have WAY more impact when holding in your hands, that invisible type is going to be perfect, and when it's all said and done, it's going to make perfect sense with the whole vibe and aesthetic of this album.  Soak in the bleakness of that cover, it's just too beautiful.

 

Also, this is the shirt coming your way soon.

 

 

 

Stoked on this album, stoked on this band, and STOKED on the album cover.  Excited to add this to the collection.

[pemulis]

I'd be wiling to bet that the iceberg field is Jökulsárlón Lake on the south coast of Iceland. It is magnificent. I like the fact that I couldn't recognise it from just the original cover but needed hints from charlie. I love everything about this release so far (aside from MB price point), the new song is great. It seems like a song that would generally be toward the end of one of their records, I'm glad to see it is the opener. The euro variants are a perfect match with the cover. 

[mattisr1984]

Bitching would be ordering the record, receiving it, and crying that the packaging or design isn't up to snuff. (See also: crocodile tears over mockups that vary from the product itself.) So far I've just seen a bunch of people voicing their opinion on design choices and pricing. I don't think it's all that ridiculous, but whatever.

If someone determines that the cover alone will prevent them from checking out the release or ordering – assuming they're otherwise cool with the price – I'll be among the first to point and laugh. But I genuinely don't think that's what's going on here.

Metal blade has never exactly sold cheap records. See BTBAM, black dahlia murder, etc. I'm not sure what people are surprised about here.

Id describe the cover as pretty standard fare for a post rock band. In anycase, being on a board full of people who are generally about "listening to the music" I find such heavy criticism of artwork or font choices to be somewhat hypocritical. If this was a design nerd forum - sure, fine. I'm gonna assume people don't like the price so they're just looking for anything to take a jab at. If this was a $15 2xlp (ala temporary residence), I'd bet nobody would even bat an eye lash at the cover.

[shamrocks]

the cover is great the album will be great, people just dont want to pay around $40 with tax/shipping for a basic black LP, i cant blame them.

[Bladewillisisdead]

The price definitely sucks but remember, people are paying $25 for a two song lathe on the mewithoutyou/Say Anything tour.

[shamrocks]

The price definitely sucks but remember, people are paying $25 for a two song lathe on the mewithoutyou/Say Anything tour.

 

if you told people this was numbered /300 i think theyd have no problem paying $35+ for it

[Sad Heart]

The price definitely sucks but remember, people are paying $25 for a two song lathe on the mewithoutyou/Say Anything tour.

I'm sure as fuck aren't one of them. That's ridiculous.

[The Vool]

I bet everyone of us has paid more for a 2xLP before...100% sure!

I'm happy that I'm finally getting a PO I really want at a decent price

[Gumbo72203]

I can't believe there is this much hate over the cover....I opened this thread, saw the cover and was immediately thinking YES THIS IS AWESOME, having no idea it was Charlie - which makes it EVEN better.  I just designed a shirt for them the other day to be printed with the new line of merch for this album, and I wasn't even shown the cover, but I figured it may be something along these lines.  Everything Charlie has ever done is golden.  I've yet to come across one design that I don't drool all over, and this is no exception.  I will forever fan boy over any Wagers talent.

 

This is going to have WAY more impact when holding in your hands, that invisible type is going to be perfect, and when it's all said and done, it's going to make perfect sense with the whole vibe and aesthetic of this album.  Soak in the bleakness of that cover, it's just too beautiful.

 

Also, this is the shirt coming your way soon.

 

 

 

Stoked on this album, stoked on this band, and STOKED on the album cover.  Excited to add this to the collection.

That shirt is amazing, and I want that right now.

I've listened to Solstice a bunch more the last few hours, and this song is fucking killer.

I love how they play with the accents, alternating between the down and up-beats, shifting the beat around to kind of throw you off. Very well written.

And that lead line in 6/8 keeps getting stuck in my head.

This will sound huge on vinyl, for sure.

[The Vool]

They never disappointed with great openers for even greater songs to follow...

[The Butcha]

Sweet shirt design, Brian!

[adamha21]

They never disappointed with great openers for even greater songs to follow...

That's my favorite part of their work. Their openers often leave you breathless.

Malabar Front and From Roots to Needles...man.

[fizio59]

It seems that the EU and US black variants won't be different only for having different etchings but also because only the one from EU seems to be on 180g vinyl, but who knows..

 

 

Ps: The OP is now updated with the infos we have for now. Let me know if something is wrong or missing.

[mrewest]

Solstice definitely gets better with each listen.

Is anyone here in the UK and can help with the Euro black? I have a 10% off EMP voucher for the UK website. But I obviously can't put in the order being in the US.

[fizio59]

Solstice definitely gets better with each listen.

[TheGhostOfRandySavage]

I'm all for people changing their minds if they actually DO change their minds...but this thread seriously went from entirely negative about this to entirely positive after homeboy said the band reads this shit.

I personally thought the new song was pretty decent and didn't love or hate the artwork, but I just want to make sure nobody is just trying to appease the band by being extra nice.

You're all entitled to an opinion and allowed to express it. The band isn't going to stop making music because a bunch of assholes on one site weren't crazy about one of their songs, and Charlie isn't going to stop making art because we hurt his feelings

[The Vool]

I'm all for people changing their minds if they actually DO change their minds...but this thread seriously went from entirely negative about this to entirely positive after homeboy said the band reads this shit.

[shamrocks]

I personally thought the new song was pretty decent and didn't love or hate the artwork, but I just want to make sure nobody is just trying to appease the band by being extra nice.

 

uh what

[Bladewillisisdead]

I'm all for people changing their minds if they actually DO change their minds...but this thread seriously went from entirely negative about this to entirely positive after homeboy said the band reads this shit.

I personally thought the new song was pretty decent and didn't love or hate the artwork, but I just want to make sure nobody is just trying to appease the band by being extra nice.

You're all entitled to an opinion and allowed to express it. The band isn't going to stop making music because a bunch of assholes on one site weren't crazy about one of their songs, and Charlie isn't going to stop making art because we hurt his feelings

I will say I thought the font looked bad in the initial mockup but the actual jacket the artist posted looks dope.

That shirt looks good too.

I don't really listen to this band anymore so my opinions don't really matter though.

[radiatorhums]

I will say I thought the font looked bad in the initial mockup but the actual jacket the artist posted looks dope.

 

Same here.  The photos Charlie posted look significantly better than what Metal Blade has up.

[TheGhostOfRandySavage]

uh what

Sime people with negative reactions to the initial mock-up and the single significantly changed their tune when they heard the band reads this shit.

There's no reason for them to change their tune just to appease someone they've never met.

That said, I don't expect you to understand what I'm saying since apparently you think it's ok to charge ridiculous prices based solely on the number of records pressed.

[Gumbo72203]

Solstice definitely gets much better with repeat listens.

The Metal Blade mockup cover still looks atrocious, but the pictures Charlie posted look sick. You can see the photograph!

The Metal Blade shirt that is offered looks dumb (IMO) but the shirt posted in here looks SICK.

Honest opinions. I can't wait to buy t his from the band.