The cover of Journal For Plague Lovers could offend customers, it is claimed.
Manic Street Preachers have been forced to cover up the cover of their album, it has been reported.
Speaking to BBC 6 Music, frontman James Dean Bradfield revealed that supermarkets believe the artwork for Journal For Plague Lovers is "inappropriate", leading to the record being shipped in a plain slipcase.
The record's cover feature a portrait by artist Jenny Saville, which raised concerns that it looks like the sleeve is splattered with blood.
Bradfield told the broadcaster: "We just thought it was a beautiful painting. We were all in total agreement."
He also claimed that people familiar with the artist's work will recognise that she uses distinctive brushwork and lots of ochres, browns and reds, which people could interpret as the band trying to be "more provocative than we are being".
The news provider also revealed that four of the main supermarkets - Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons - are among the shops using the plain cover to avoid potentially upsetting customers.
Last week, Manic's bassist Nicky Wire told the Guardian that he wanted to "dig a hole and bury" the new album, to make an art statement.
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