Promoting metal as art and culture
The mysteries of the unknown I grew up in a family rich in creative talent, but I have only had private art lessons. I went so far as studying Humanistics at McGill university but I never studied art or illustration academically, though I did end up going into illustration in my early 20’s after teaching…
“I like things that are graphically pleasing on the eye” From a very young age I was always very passionate about all things creative. Whether it be playing guitar or picking up a pencil and doodling. When I hit 18 years of age I went to study at Bournville Art College in Birmingham. After that…
Drawing form from light I actually started out, as far as higher education is concerned, as a student animation. I was mainly concerned then with character design and backgrounds, more than animation itself. Gradually, I noticed I had an eye for texture and light/dark opposition. Ultimately, I dropped out, and started pursuing a career that…
The legacy continues John Bush is a very familiar voice to metal fans worldwide, having spent more than a decade with Anthrax and being the voice of some of their most iconic tunes he has won himself a high place in the music scene. He is again leading the charge with his band Armored Saint…
Creator of Slayer eagle logo I was born in the bleak little logging town of Aberdeen, Washington, now better known as the hometown of Kurt Cobain. As a kid I also played in my own garage bands, and by the age of 13 or 14 was getting paying gigs at some local schools and dance…
Sweds Dirty rock n’ roll Death ‘n’ roll band from Stockholm, Sweden, formed in 2011. The band name is a wordplay on the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. The band features Nicke Forsberg on drums, Fredde Larsson on guitar and Robban Bergeskans on bass/vocals. In April 2013 they released their first single, ‘Killing Machine’, on…
The art studio of Caio Caldas I’d never done well at school. I had a lot of personal problems with my grades in all subjects, and art was the only thing I always had really good grades. So the education system offered some help seeing some hope and future in arts for me and helped…
The Kings of Downunder King Of The North is a hard rock duo from Australia. The band comprises Andrew Higgs (Guitar/Vocals) and Steve Tyssen (Drums/Back up Vocals). Their intense live shows and powerful brand of modern rock has blazed a new trail in the two-piece band format. The uniqueness of KOTN is created by Andrew’s…
Organic, Earthy, Imaginative, A story teller Educated in the happy atmosphere of a Dales comprehensive school. I was terrible at language studies, and in those days you got kicked out of a class you were poor at and given extra classes in something you were good at, so it was ART. I did a foundation…
Emotions at a primal level “Anybody who has ever suffered from betrayal can relate to this album”, Antimatter-main man Mick Moss states self-consciously about his most recent work, ‘The Judas Table’. “I’m singing about my experiences, but I’m a firm believer that they are everybody else’s experiences as well”. Throughout his life, Moss has repeatedly…
Designing a catastrophic future I began to do graphics as a necessity for my band. I was in a thrash metal band and we recorded our first album, so we needed a cover for it. I thought that it would be cool to design it myself. I made it and I had a lot of…
Sound with vision Hailing from the Bay Area, California Abnormal Thought Patterns is a mathematical instrumental trio that fuses heavy riffs, intricate time signatures and shredding solos. It is hard to describe with words what the trio is doing within its songs, you have to experience it with your own ears and you will be…
King of merch As I grew up my dad worked as a graphic designer, and I just loved everything about it, and knew from a young age that I wanted to be a designer too. He is now retired and paints/illustrates art full time (and recently did a giant wall mural in my studio). His…
In an October 2015 interview with In The Loop magazine, Jourgensen stated about how the idea for SURGICAL METH MACHINE came about: “You know, [guitarist] Mikey [Scaccia] died a couple of years ago, from MINISTRY, and I just figured, like, nah, it’s time to quit. I don’t want to have John Bonham’s kid playing drums for us and having replacement parts forever; that’s just not…
Surrealist or grotesque Since senior high school I knew I wanted to create images, designs, brands etc… Eventually I drew and trying to imitate what I saw and read in comics. Later on, in highschool thanks to my relationships with people that were dug up in music my decision was nailed down. After some time…
Show some fucking respect “The theme of ‘Mark of the Blade’ is a celebration of Whitechapel being together for ten years and the fans that support us no matter what,” states vocalist Phil Bozeman, and after just one exposure to the record’s 11 riveting tracks, a more fitting tribute is unimaginable. Pushing their sound forward…
Nature itself, the largest and best architect of the universe I’m totally self-taught. It wasn’t up to the beginning of my adolescence when I met Adobe tools, and that moment was when practically started everything, creating images for tapes we exchanged between friends, from this the link between graphic arts and music started. Years later,…
Dead and loving revolution When West Coast progressive heavy metallers Hammers of Misfortune are asked what took so long to follow-up 2011’s acclaimed 17th Street, principal songwriter and guitarist John Cobbett is likely to throw out a Lennon lyric “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. Mostly, the delay was…
BLUES PILLS have revealed the cover artwork for their eagerly awaited second album ‘Lady In Gold’. Bassist, founding member and main songwriter Zach Anderson comments: “The design comes from the dutch artist Marijke Koger-Dunham who already worked with us for the first album cover. We are super proud to have the opportunity to work again with such a legendary artist…
I will keep and perfect my ability to shock, fascinate and disturb I am a total autodidact, but my parents both were teachers of art and part-time painters. I started my career as a comic book artist. I painted some graphic horror and thriller stories for European ‘Metal Hurlant’ magazine and others. But my style…