At first glance the cover looks like an image from National Geographic or a still from an Animal Planet documentary. On closer inspection you see that the animals are in-fact taxidermy, most likely shot in a public museum. The cover and inside imagery are the work of New York photographer Seth Smoot. Most of the images are staged in a dry or cold landscape and depict harsh scenes from the animal world.
Somehow the artwork seems to make sense when listening to the album. I’m sure there was a lot more thought put into the concept other than the fact it looks really cool. Interpol’s traditional black, white and red colour scheme is gone (which could reflect the bands move to a major record label) but a bleak atmosphere is still prevalent.
There is also some beautiful typography provided by David Calderley.
