heavy metal logo

There is a musical genre that has been going viral for decades. A genre that teleports you into a world of electrifying energy and sensations. Very few know its history, therefore, many of the people who are dedicated to graphic design will understand the importance of communication that is capable of generating neither more nor less than heavy metal.

In this post, we are not only going to introduce you to the history of heavy metal, but we have also turned the tables to project you the possibility that you can design your own heavy metal logo perfectly, without leaving any detail, and above all, that has a lot of creativity and personality.

Let's get started.

Heavy metal: what is it

Heavy metal is defined as one of the many musical genres that exist today. But especially, it is a genre that has been inspired throughout its history by other genres. such as blues rock, 60s acid rock, and even much of classical music He has become very aware of his musical style.

This genre was born and started at the end of the 60s, it was highly influenced by different groups that managed to raise awareness and carry out this genre and transfer it to large scales and stages. It's a kind of music It had a lot of prominence in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States. It wasn't until the '80s when heavy metal began to get the prominence it deserved.

Some of the instruments that stand out in heavy metal are: the battery that usually has a double bass drum incorporated to offer much more power and energy in the sound, a bass, a rhythm guitar, a solo guitar and a keyboard. These instruments are very important, since they are part of the whole character and personality of heavy metal.

General characteristics

• Much of the image that heavy metal projects, derives from the covers of many of his albums, the logos are also the main elements of interest, to which is also added the staging, the clothing that many artists and singers usually wear, to represent the group in this way and some of the music videos that have been made to throughout history, and that have become very popular, especially for being artistic.
• Another element that stands out in heavy metal is it the hair or the hair of the artists, most of them use long, straight and extravagant hair. It is one of the icons that every heavy metal artist must have. This derives from the hippie subculture that many of them have been adopting throughout history and that has now become a great symbology.
• Finally, it also highlights the fact that at that time, many of the composers and groups, began to use makeup as a means of representation in his image towards his determined public. Something that surprised a lot at the time.

The heavy metal logo: ideas and tips

Step 1: Research

The first thing to do before designing a logo is to do your research. Previously we have explained what this genre is and some of its most representative characteristics. However, It is important that we also delve into other aspects, such as its history. We know what heavy metal is but not where it comes from and how it has evolved throughout the 60s to the 80s. It is also important to decipher which elements are the most important when we talk about a genre that has known how to distinguish itself very well the rest.

Therefore, it is very important and interesting to carry out a preliminary study of the logos that some groups that we know. For example Metallica. Studying the Metallica logo is quite easy. When we talk about studying or analyzing a logo we talk about, preview and draw our own conclusions from prominent elements such as typography: Do they use serious or more lively typography? Are the colors dark or are they also shared and contrasted with some light ones? etc. Before starting, it is necessary to have general knowledge that will help you with the other phases.

As a general rule, heavy metal logos are usually determined by very dark shades: black and gray. Typefaces are often quite electrifying, producing a sense of energy and power over the viewer. Therefore, you should choose a font and a color that attract a lot of attention.

Step 2: Sketch

The sketching phase is the largest phase of all. From here all the first ideas start in the form of drawings that our mind works slowly and, consequently, processes more quickly. First of all we must have a guide or reference of what the client wants, in this case, if the client is ourselves, We will have to carry out a kind of briefing with some guidelines or objectives that we want to set for that logo. 

Once we are clear about how we want to represent our logo, we will have to go on to sketch. To do it in a much neater way, We advise you to follow three different routes, the routes are a kind of exits that have different characteristics but that all of them, try to represent what you want. The first way can be to work only with the typography, without adding any other element. The second way can be to add an element that identifies it from the others, and the third can be another aspect.

Step 3: Materialize your logo

Once we have the sketches made and we have chosen one, it is important to offer it a more realistic appearance. This is when we digitize it in some programs like Illustrator or Photoshop. It is important that the logo has a functional result and has the attitude and character of a logo. In these cases it would be interesting to add a small shadow to the typography to reinforce the group's naming.

Examples of heavy metal logos

Kiss

The famous Kiss logo is one of the most prominent in the history of heavy metal. So much so, that it has become a symbol of this genre that encompasses thousands and thousands of listeners. The objective of its design was to represent a typeface that symbolized the appearance of lightning. Something that the designer had great problems since his design was very similar to that used during the Nazi era. What they were forced to modify it.

The lightning bolt is a very common element of some of the logos, since it offers electricity and energy, two aspects that are very well related to this genre.

Van Halen

The Van Halen logo is another of the most striking of all those that exist in heavy metal. It is one of the ones that has undergone the most changes as well, which makes it quite a popular band among its listeners. The first change suffered had to do with the change of the two main singers of the group, which was forced to incorporate the initial V and H in the logo. There are albums where the mythical logo is still preserved.

Led Zeppelin

Undoubtedly one of the groups that, if you ask someone about it, they would tell you that they know it perfectly. It is one of the heavy metal groups, and it is not only amazing with its numerous songs and albums, but also with its logo design.

The logo shows the image of one of the sculptures made by the American artist William Rimmer, although many of those who surround this group have associated it with the figure of Apollo, the Greek god who represents light and music.

Iron Maiden

And to end this list of examples, another outstanding example could not be missing, such as the famous heavy metal group, Iron Maiden. The logo is very similar to the Metallica logo at first glance. To do this, they have used an energizing and striking typography. They have also used a reddish corporate color range that stands out quite a bit in the logo.

Without a doubt, the design is quite functional, and according to some fans and representatives, the designer was inspired by Vic Fair's poster from the famous movie "The man who fell from Earth".

Conclusion

Heavy metal is a genre that has become very popular in recent years. In fact, there are more and more establishments that pay homage to this genre, there are even places where only this type of music is heard.

Without a doubt, what stands out the most, as we have been able to verify, are the logos or the designs of the album covers. Designs that, at first glance, turn this genre into a new way of making art.

We hope that you have learned much more about this type of music and above all, that you have been inspired by some of the logos that we have shown you.