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The Mystery Man Behind Metallica’s Metal Merch

March 13th, 2019
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You may not recognize the name Brian “Pushead” Schroeder, but there’s absolutely no question you’ve seen this renown artists work if you’ve ever pressed play on a Metallica song. Pushead was one of the most influential artists in music during the late 80s and early 90s, known for creating visually stunning designs that most-often included skulls and skeletons. 

Pushead has been the man behind the scenes creating the iconic Metallica artwork fans love. Here’s some fascinating history (and art) behind this perfect pairing of metal and skulls. 

1. Damage Ink

Pushead’s work with Metallica began in 1986 with Master Of Puppets, the metal masterpiece that would propel the band to superstardom. Metallica brought in Pushead to design the artwork used for the Damage Inc. Tour that followed the release of Master of Puppets, and the legendary artist delivered. 

The fanged skull and spiked bat artwork Pushead created fit perfectly with the hardcore metal image Metallica was creating, becoming one of the earliest fan-favorite designs. 

2. …And Justice For Art

Pushead's work with Metallica took off exponentially with the release of their fourth studio album …And Justice For All. Schroeder didn’t design the album cover, but did provide illustrations for the booklet artwork. Most notable is his take on the “Doris” Lady Justice statue. 

…And Justice For All’s cover concept was built around the idea of society revolting and tearing down a Lady Justice statue with ropes. Pushead put his own spin on it, turning the statue into the iconic skeleton design that has since become one of Metallica’s most iconic pieces of original art. 

3. One of a Kind

Not only did Pushead design the …And Justice For All booklet illustrations, he also created the cover artwork for the VHS release of Metallica’s “One” music video. “One” is not only one of Metallica’s most famous songs, but is also the first song the band ever shot a music video for. 

The 2 of One VHS cover is a direct translation from the song. It features one of Pushead’s infamous skulls as the head of a mummy-wrapped torso. The torso is limbless, tying back to the song telling the story of a man who lost all of his limbs and face after stepping on a land mind during war. 

4. Short Straws and Skulls

…And Justice For All was truly Pushead’s coming out party as a recognized artist. His illustrations inspired by Metallica’s “Shortest Straw” have also gone on to become classics. The song, which is a critique on the rich and powerful controlling the lives of the less fortunate, became the perfect canvas for Pushead. 

The eerie skull, straws and eyes primary design is one of the best in Metallica’s vault, but the additional “In Vertigo” skull art is also iconic. The straws poking out of the skull’s head in place of its brain is a brilliant translation of Metallica’s message.  

5. Damaged Justice

Metallica hit the road again after releasing …And Justice For All, and once again looked to Schroeder to create the eye-catching visuals for the tour. Pushead’s “Damaged Justice” design is unique in Metallica’s collection as it’s one of the few designs that heavily uses the color purple, making it stand out. The original design for this was used to promote “Harvester of Sorrow,” using red instead of purple in the color palette. 

Another notable visual created by Pushead is the Metallica gavel design, also originating from …And Justice For All. It’s a very cool visual of the band forming a gavel being swung down, crushing those being hit with metal-fueled justice. Fitting to say the least.

6. Thrashing With Metallica

Pushead is famously known for working with Metallica, but he’s also done design work for The Misfits, Travis Barker and many others. He also created numerous visuals for Thrasher magazine, making him one of the biggest pioneers of the 80s and 90s thrasher scene. 

It’s only fitting that Pushead would bring both of those worlds together to design some of the most sought-after Metallica collectors items available. Pushead designed a handful of Zorlac Metallica branded skateboards in 1988 that are still relevant decades later. The original set of Zorlac-Metallica decks are still selling for over $1000 each on auction sites. 

7. St. Anger

Pushead worked with Metallica for decades, but it wasn’t until 2003 that he designed his first (and only) album cover for the band. Pushead created the St. Anger album cover artwork, using bold reds and oranges to add to the visual perception of what anger looks like. The tightly-balled fist, strapped by the wire that wraps around the wrist, definitely provides great visual context for what’s inside the album. 

It’s also worth noting that Schroeder didn’t lean on his knack of creating the most metal skulls around for his Metallica album cover debut. He also designed the illustrations inside of the album cover booklet. 

  1. A legacy of influence

Pushead had an extremely strong influence on “thrasher” and metal culture. His ability to create an array of designs, across multiple mediums, make him one of the most prolific artists in music history. Brian Schroeders art has been featured on magazine covers, posts, skateboard, action figures, album booklets, t-shirts, and he’s even designed his own shoes with Nike.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Pushead’s one of the most beloved artists in music. His artist stylings of skulls and skeletons have been “copied” time and time again. Look no further than one of the more recent designs that Metallica added to its collection for proof of this. At first glance, the “Four Horsemen” design looks directly out of a Pushead sketch book. The art was actually created for Revolver magazine in 2011, however, but Metallica’s James Hetfield loved it so much he bought the original illustration along with licensing rights so they could get this amazing Pushead inspired art out to their fans.