The Chaos - The Futureheads
'The Chaos' (2010) is the fourth album by British post-punk revival band, The Futureheads. It is the band's second album released on their own independent record label, Nul Records. The 4-panel digipak consists of the audio CD and booklet.
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| Front Panel |
The front panel presents the image of a globe ripping apart with block arrows placed around the entire circumference, representing the idea of the world being constantly torn in different directions hence the album title, 'The Chaos'. The fact that the globe is splitting to reveal the earth's inner core may signify how humanity is slowly destroying the planet. The band were inspired by 2010 political events and this album is full of allusions to being disaffected with the society and government of Britain. Guitarist Ross Millard exclaimed: 'There's a certain responsibility to address to what's going on.' In addition to the music, the eye-catching, statement image depicted on the front cover definitely encapsulates the band's urgent 'warning' to re-examine the state of Britain.
Unlike the Red Hot Chili Pepper's 'I'm With You' (see RHCP digipak/album artwork analysis: here) which opts for a discreet presentation of the album title/band name, The Futureheads make their title and band name as striking and bold as the focal artwork. The black sans-serif font reiterates the idea of a 'warning' (a motif) and the subtle destroyed/decaying effect that adds a touch of decoration/serif appearance to the font, reflecting the world's metaphorical deterioration.
The motif of astrological diagrams appears inside the digipak and in the booklet (concealed in the left tube pocket). This recurring imagery is quite foreboding and reinforces the point that the world is heading towards 'chaos' sooner than expected. Each astrological image serves as a 'warning signal' which constantly highlight the band's message and makes them seem most relevant to British culture. Furthermore, the product adheres to the conventional digipak format with a plastic tray to hold the CD. Although digipaks are viewed as a more creative alternative to jewel cases (with numerous artwork panels), a disadvantage of digipak plastic trays are the brittle teeth of the hub which can often break. Additonally, plastic trays aren't environmentally friendly and in all honesty, The Futureheads should perhaps have opted for a tray made from sugarcane or egg carton to reflect their 'concerns' about the state of the earth! 
Another disadvantage of digipaks are that they are less resistant to abrasion that jewel cases. I definitely found this to be true as this Futureheads album appears quite tattered at the corners and the spine is beginning to weaken. |
| Back Panel |
The back panel of the digipak illustrates the tracklisting in the same statement font which features on the front panel, maintaining a sense of continuity and avoiding tackiness. The barcode is placed at the top-centre and the production information at the bottom-centre along with the band's website and record label logo; Nul Records. A 'central alingment' creates a strong impression of order - contrasting with the themes explored on the album, i.e. corruption.
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