I am analysing the cover of Amon Amarth’s album, Surtur Rising. The first thing I notice when I look at it is the vast amount of fire

in the image, and this could be connected with Hell and the Devil. The fire makes the cover very bright and it attracts a lot of

attention on the shelves in shops because of how much it stands out. The key signifier is the person/devil in the middle who is

bigger than everyone else in the image.

Heavy/death metal music/albums are typically associated with rebellion and the devil – this cover represents both, hereby

sticking to these conventions.

CULTURAL CODEThe album could be linked to the Cultural Code because of the

horns in the helmet which are a reference to the devil and therefore suggest rebellion – going against religion and society.

RECEPTION THEORYPreferred reading: People who listen to death metal music will

be used to this kind of edgy artwork and like it. Negotiated reading: Some people may be unsure about what the

cover represents.Oppositional reading: Religious people may be offended by the

cover because of the devil.

SYMBOLIC CODEThe key signifier is wearing a helmet with large horns on,

therefore he symbolises the devil. The red tones in the image represent the devil as it is stereotypically a colour of danger.

As they are surrounded by fire, it suggests that it is set in hell. The flame sword he wields implies he is symbolising the devil

because the hell is always represented as being consumed with fire and the devil as being red and having horns

KEY SIGNIFIERThe key signifier is the person who is much larger than everyone

else in the image. This makes him look very powerful and threatening. He also looks like he is about to attack what look like soldiers, suggesting violence, war and anarchy. The people at the

bottom are all much smaller than him and less important because they are smaller.