Promoting metal as art and culture
Introducing Amok Studio I’m a fully self-taught. I always loved drawing and painting since I was a child. I remember, other than papers, i used to draw on anything I had on hand, like school-bag, desks, walls etc. all the time. Growing up however, I lost a bit my interest in doing it, also due…
More from the Next Generation of Dark Royalty Let’s have a chat about New Years Day. They’re a band that was formed back in 2005, who’s first tracks appealed mostly to a younger audience, and with lyrics that played on a filmy, Halloween-y ‘darkness’. And look at them today… From a humble start on MySpace…
RAM it down RAM is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in 1999. They boast uncompromised, no-frills approach to their music. Throughout 2015 the continued a metal crusade destroying stages across Europe. At the wake of the devastation, RAM entered the studio to record their fourth album “Svbversvm”. The album “is another step upon the…
Dark and gritty I was born in the middle of nowhere, Alberta, in 1991. My passion for illustration first developed at the early age of 10. At that age, I was into fantasy imagery, and then went into rather morbid and demonic imagery later on. I was into art first, then music a little while…
Path of light Known as Arryan Path until March 2011 when the band changed the name to Arrayan Path. “Arrayán” (Luma apiculata) is a type of plant that grows in the American continents, so an Arrayan Path would be some sort of an alley. The band was formed by Nicholas Leptos and Clement Fung in…
The hidden and uncomfortable After my diploma at the Artistic High School, which wasn’t the best place for self-expression, but surely a good way to learn techniques, I improved by myself looking at great affirmed artists in fantasy and horror genres. My first artwork was for black metal one man band Mortis Mutilati (FR). Macabre…
Outsider and outcast Rhine is a progressive metal band from Seattle that started as a solo project in 2011 by singer/guitarist Gabe Tachell. Now joined by Alex Smolin on guitar, Carlos Delgado on drums, and James Porter on bass. HMA: Welcome to Heavy Music Artwork. What can you tell me about ‘An Outsider’? Gabe Tacehell:…
Feelings should emit creativity I have been into digital/graphic arts since sophomore year in high school. I eventually ended up loving sitting in front of a computer all day and just creating. I have also done 5 years of graphic design college, yet never got my degree. I decided that I wanted to try on…
I have synesthesia I do not have any academic training, all my knowledge has always been through research, observation and reading. During my last eight years of work I always sought to perfect and always to improve. Back when I started I played in a band, and it was hard to find good artists. So…
Dark and evil aesthetics I’ve been a freelance artist and designer working within the black metal underground since 2008. I’ve always had a fascination for art and its relationship with music and how the visual and aural elements are amalgamated cohesively to create a desired aesthetic. My first piece of album art was conceived under…
Art is the basic expression per excellence Actually I am an engineer in computer graphic design. After completing my studies, I started working as a freelancer, from 2009 we decided with my best friend and partner to establish our brand ‘Triple Seis Design’ to offer graphics solutions for the world of music at national level…
The King and his Legendary Lineup are back with a new album The world of rock has never known a performer like Michael Monroe. He’s the very definition of a rock legend. He’s stood on the biggest stages, side by side with the biggest names and recorded dozens of albums that people have loved and…
Vision is always beyond execution I am a self-taught and drawing since the age of 6. At kindergarten they wanted to change from left to right hand, but after visiting a psychologist I found out that I have the talent so I stayed with my left hand. After 20 years since then I can say…
It’s Just a Ride Well, I studied at the University of Applied arts to become an art teacher, graduated as well, but never worked in the field. Somewhere along the way I decided freelancing is more suitable for me. I honestly can’t remember how I got involved in metal artwork, must have been something through…
Every art is a constant journey I’ve always dabbled in drawing from the young age, but not so much in the “professional” way. I’ve graduated graphic design here in Belgrade, thus gaining additional experience in drawing and painting though classes in my course. Designing and creating artwork for metal bands came to me almost accidentally,…
Intense and stimulating I have been studying scenic painting at the Art School of Dresden for 4 years. Initially I designed band covers and t-shirts as well as large backdrops. Within my studies I got the opportunity to improve my skills and create large scale artworks by using innovative techniques. I use oil and acrylic…
Rotten to the core Despite numerous band changes and one album hiccup, Aborted have been highly regarded by the death metal community. In 20 years of career they have always manage to deliver a good dose of brutal metal dashed with enough gore. The band seems to be in excellent shape and their new album…
Swimming in the pool of creativity I’m was born in France 1974. I discovered rock ‘n’ roll soon after that with old heavy metal records (Alice Cooper, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, etc.) and then with punk and thrash metal. I started drawing around the same time or just before. I’ve no art school background, I…
I draw it so you don’t have to I started off working for bands that I was friendly with such as Manchester’s sadly missed The Freezing Fog for whom I provided the artwork to their last release, the magnificent Challenger EP. I then expanded this by asking friends if they knew of any bands that…
Exploring your inner-self and expressing what you find in there I’ve been drawing my whole life essentially, from an early age of 8 or 9 I kind of knew that it would be my future. My earliest drawing or artwork that I remember was a stick-figure drawing of the Backstreet Boys (my favourite band at…