In the mid-’90s, Metallica’s image, and to a lesser extent, sound, were polarizing topics for fans. In the midst of the alternative and grunge music movements, the band cut their hair, changed their logo and took a slicker, less-metal approach to things with the “Load” and “Reload” albums. The artwork for both albums, done by Andres Serrano, were especially points of conversation among fans. “Load” featured a photo called “Semen And Blood III” consisting of cow blood and Serrano’s own semen between two plates of Plexiglas. “Reload” had a similar photo called “P*ss And Blood XXVI.” Serrano said in a new interview with Metal Hammer of the album covers: “I think the images were a hit. I read a review once where the ‘Load’ album was named No. 1 on a list of best album covers. We know Lars [Ulrich, drums] and Kirk [Hammett, guitar] were happy with it but James [Hetfield, guitar/vocals] was not. I think James is still fuming.”
Hetfield previously told Classic Rock Magazine: “The whole ‘We need to reinvent ourselves’ topic was up (in the mid-to-late ’90s). Image isn’t an evil thing to me, but if the image isn’t you, it doesn’t make much sense.” Hetfield said Ulrich and Hammettt were “after a U2 kind of vibe, Bono doing his alter-ego. I couldn’t get into it. I would say at least half the pictures that were to be in the booklet, I yanked out. The cover went against what I was feeling. Lars and Kirk were very into abstract art, pretending they were gay. I think they knew it bugged me. I think the cover of ‘Load’ was just a piss-take around all that. I just went along with all this crazy stupid sh*t.”
Ulrich previously told Maxim about the covers: “I’m not much for favorites … the ‘Load’ and ‘Reload’ albums with the amazing pieces by Andres Serrano. They will always hold a special place in my heart. I love him as an artist. I love the imagery. I love the fact that we saw Serrano through as the cover art for those two records. Those are probably my two favorites.”
