Superunknown , Soundgarden
Date
Credits
- Kevin Westenberg Photographer
- Kelk Designer
Soundgarden's 1994 album Superunknown is defined by a dark, surreal, and heavily distorted aesthetic that reflects the album's themes of alienation, depression, and introspection. The visual identity is best known for its "Screaming Elf" cover, which was designed to show a cold, organic, and nightmarish atmosphere.
The design was intended to be the opposite of the "lush colors" and "flowers" previously associated with the band, creating a stark, cold, and dark visual. The photo was taken by Kevin Westenberg.
The cover features a heavily distorted, blurred photograph of the band members. While often misinterpreted as a single entity, the image shows the distorted faces of band members cropped out. The band image is superimposed over a black and white, upside-down photograph of a burning forest.