A research into Digipak conventions and features.

1. VISUAL KEI
DIGIPAKS
&
ALBUM
COVERS

2. Conventions of a Digipak
Digipaks depending on the genre of music
consist of similar codes and conventions
that have certain structure designs and
orders, especially with the way an image
is presented to make sure the Album is
professional and appealing.
Conventions often include a main dominant
image (Splash image) on the surface of the
cover either showing the artist, or an image
relating to the content of the Album or the
style of music the album is offering.
On the reverse side of the Album/Digipak, a
track list is often shown to inform the
audience what content remains inside and
are features.
The Artist’s name is usually less significant as
the title of the Album as consumers
recognise the Album’s title more than they
do the artist, but the artists name appears
on the surface displaying who it is by and
the importance it withholds.
Various images of the artist or band is often
used, however in Visual Kei conceptual art is
often used to express their movement and
style, although this is not apparent in all
Visual Kei album covers because some rely
on the musicians/band/artist for an iconic
effect.
Requirements are: Barcode, Labels of Record
companies, Copyright information and
Parental Guidance (However this optional
depending on the country and classification
board.)

3. The use of a Distinctive design yet with an
Ambient feeling is conventional of Visual Kei
album covers. The use of three dominant
colours suggest this as it is engaging yet
simple. This “splash” image, the destruction
of Roses gives away what genre of music it
is. A metal genre, due to the destructive idea
it has given us and that idea is usually
related to that form of music.
The lack of a Dominant image of a musician
shows the significance of each individual of
the band. They are all equal so they do not
appear on the album cover, only through the
band name are they shared on this cover.
This can suggest mystery and alienation as
we cannot see the band, although this is
down to individual interpretation (As the
image emphasized) which the band have
clearly thought about.
The destruction of the roses fits the album’s
title “Crush” showing the visual link between
the text and the image, showing this
relationship to brand the identity of the
album itself. The crushing of “Love”.

4. The blank background increases the
importance and shock value of the mashed
up and grotesque artistry that is centred in
the middle for that sole purpose. This is to
increase awareness on such nuances, and
following the conventions and motifs that
many Visual Kei bands use to make their
digipaks appealing.
The grotesque imagery is the main dominant
image on the album cover “The splash
image” in which this draws the audience and
target audiences attention by using an
extreme form of art that is morbid as it is
eye catching. This will appeal to gore, artistic
and hardcore Dir En Grey fans as they
understand the hardcore artistic visual style
that are implementing within their band.
The title of the album “Average Blasphemy”
consists of subliminal messages that are not
directly visible and may have a more obvious
meaning with the music in the album. There
is conceptuality relating between the album
cover itself and the text. It should also be
noted that the bands name is bolded in black
for a more obvious effect in versus to if it
wasn’t, this creates importance for the band
and suggests this to us through the sizing
and bolding of text.