Megadeth is the name of an American band, preforming a heavy-metal music. It was created in 1983 in Los Angeles by ex-Metallica member Dave Mustain and David Ellefson. The group is a part of the Thrash Metal Big Four and is one of the legends of the heavy-metal culture.
The band’s name is derived from the word ”megadeath”, which means one million deaths (usually used in nuclear warfare). It is a very strong and impressive naming, which is accompanied by a strong and impressive logo.
The Megadeth logo is a recognizable wordmark, that hasn’t changed much for years. It features a bold serif font with elongated and sharp angles of the letters, which adds a gothic feeling to the nameplate.
The color palette of Megadeth is usually composed of a monochrome combination, but sometimes the white lettering is replaced by silver three-dimensional version. Same thing with framing — depending on its placement, the logo may be framed in a rectangular, executed in the same color and the letters. On one of the band’s latest albums the wordmark is in gold.
The Megadeth visual identity is composed not only of the logotype, but it also has an instantly recognizable emblem, which appears near the logo from time to time, on posters and album covers.
The Megadeth emblem is a graphical image of the band’s mascot, Vic Rattlehead. It is a skeleton with visor-covered eyes and his ears with metal caps on them.
The emblem was sketched by Dave Mustain and first appears in 1984 on the cover of Last Rites.
Vic Rattlehead is the symbol of Megadeth and has been with the group since the first days. It is a perfect example of how the mascot can become a central and essential part of the visual identity.