Aug
Sepultura covers (albums and singles) by Michael Whelan. Michael’s comments are in italics.
NIGHTMARE IN RED (1981) - Cover for Beneath the Remains, the band’s third studio album. The image was originally the cover illustration for Tales from the Nightside by Charles L. Grant.
ARISE (1990) - Original painting for the band’s fourth studio album. The single Dead Embryonic Cells and Under Siege use a detail from the painting for their covers.
CACOPHONY (1992) - Original painting for Chaos A.D., the fifth studio album. The cover of the single Territory was an early digital piece.
I took a class in NYC to learn how to use Photoshop way back when [I think it was Photoshop 4 we were using!]. While I waited for some of the newbies to learn how to press cntl/alt/click or whatever, I stayed in the back and worked on this piece, which ended up being used for the “Territory” cover. I had painted the “S” logo and the rocks but then I scanned them in and fiddled around with filters and cloning and stuff to make the firey background.
ROOTS (1996) - A digital painting for the band’s sixth studio album.
The concept for ROOTS was largely Max Cavalera’s idea. He wanted me to paint the face off of a denomination of Brazilian paper money [I don’t remember what bill it was] and just put in some kind of background. I tried to digitally paint the face off the bill, then fooled around with some photos I had taken of tree branches and stuff till I came up with a background I thought might work.
Aug
From our in the studio feature from last summer
MEATLOAF ASCENDANT (1997) by Michael Whelan
Along with the science fiction and fantasy cover art I was sorting through in the studio, I stumbled on album artwork as well. Here’s Michael’s original painting for The Very Best of Meatloaf.
Thematically, the painting follows Michael’s iconic cover for Back Into Hell. You can see an echo of that cover in the clouds above the bat demon.
Michael was asked to make a myriad of changes and additions during this assignment, which prompted him to insert a “kitchen sink” among the debris (see the zoom of the foreground) as his own wry commentary on the difficulties experienced trying to please all parties involved.
Art direction by committee is never a good idea, and I think he found a good outlet for his frustration. What do you think?
Jun
it’s ain’t due out til Friday, but it’s metal monday and that rag Decibel posted the customary pre-release full album stream of Tomb Mold’s hotly anticipated sophomore LP Manor of Infinite Forms
couple of the songs from the Cryptic Transmissions demos have been reworked for this release, and they sound unreal. it’s crazy how much this band has grown since 2016 when they formed as a duo. their first demo was a great listen, but since expanding to a four piece and really expanding their sound they’ve transformed significantly.
this is a twisty turny slab of death metal that is simultaneously technically proficient (like early Gorguts) and knuckle-draggingly brutal and heavy. it’s a big ugly pice of work that really takes the listener on a journey through this From Beyond like realm and leaves you a puddle of mush, absorbed into a bubbling mass of useless flesh
May
GPOY
Mar
Mournful Congregation Longsleeve. T-shirt also available. Artwork by Karmazid.
Feb
(via gravy-slut)
Jan
Mournful Congregation - The Incubus Of Karma (03.23.2018)
Jan
– Craig J Spearing
Nov
Artwork for TANITH. Featuring the mighty Russ Tippins of Satan! Rocking fantasy songs and entirely analog recordings. Single coming soon on vinyl.
Ink and watercolor.
(via chipsandbeermag)