SUNY NEW PALTZ GRAPHIC DESIGN THESIS SHOW 2017

Distorted Identity // Matthew Butryn

 

Distorted Identity is a book that serves as a chronological history of heavy metal band logos. As a fan of the genre, I’ve always been intrigued by the way logos help us tell what a band might sound like before even listening to them. The sound of metal music has progressed from its roots in blues-rock to the deafening onslaught that we hear today. I wanted to display several band’s visual identities to observe how these sonic changes align with the formal qualities of the letter forms that represent them. This book is designed with fellow metalheads in mind, specifically the ones who have spent hours in class sketching the logos of their favorite bands instead of taking notes.