MAJESTICA's OTHERWORDLY TRAIN STATION

Jan "Örkki" Yrlund of Darkgrove Design created the cover artwork of "Power Train," the new album of Swedish Power Metal act, Majestica.

Exclusively for And Justice For Art, the artist reveals that vocalist/guitarist Tommy Johansson "had searched some artworks that depict steam trains and as I had done some he liked, so he contacted me. We got along right away, and I felt this was exactly the kind of stuff I like to do. There had to be magic in it, fantasy, science fiction even. He had great ideas for details. All kind of things I actually like myself. And he had crazy ideas for some easter eggs too, not to mention the actual band members being featured too."

Yrlund started the design process "with some reference photos of old locomotives and once I found a nice angle that I had in my mind I started to build this fantasy town around it. I actually used some miniature train set props for inspiration, you know those old wild west train houses, stations etc. I also used some 3D environment for the perspective, shadows and lightning as it had to an evening scene"

The artist confesses that "this was actually a very challenging cover to make. And there were a lot of trials and errors. There were so many layers, sometimes even a single window or a rooftile was a layer on its own. Once my composition was ready, I started coloring and drawing with my drawing tablet, which took a while actually. I made everything to match. So, it’s a combination of 3D, fantasy photos, drawing and painting, digital art if you like. In the end I just color graded everything."

Majestica's "Power Train" is available through Nuclear Blast and can be pre-ordered at: https://majestica.bfan.link/powertrain-album.fpo

See more of Jan "Örkki" Yrlund's work at www.darkgrove.net

A VISION OF PAIN

American artist Caelan Stokkermans Arts illustrated the cover artwork for “Punishment," the new album of American Brutal Deathcore band, Crown Magnetar.

"We wanted to go with a bleaker and darker composition than the previous releases," Stokkermans says. "[We wanted] to capture a feeling of desolation and pain. Brutal punishment in a forgotten place, lit by a cold sun."

"Punishment" will be released on March 7, 2025 through Unique Leader Records.

See more of Calen Stokkermans' work at https://www.caelanstokkermansarts.com/

TYR's NORDIC TALES

Faorese metallers, Týr, recently released their ninth full-length studio album "Battle Ballads." Its cover was designed by Gyula Havancsák of Hjules Illustration and Design, who has designed most of the band's album artworks.

"The idea for the 'Battle Ballads' cover was born during a conversation with [singer] Heri, when he mentioned the title of the album," Havancsák says. "I immediately thought of the Viking singers who sang these heroic epics at celebrations and feasts. Around them, the members of the tribe: the elderly listen to the singer with a smile, the children are amazed and interested, while the warriors are filled with pride when they hear the heroic songs. My original concept was that only the faces of the listeners are visible as the fire illuminates them and the stories rise above from the flames. Since I made a cover with a similar composition for the Swartsot band a long time ago, I started zooming out of the image (to reach a totally different composition) and added additional details and characters to it."

The Hungarian artist placed the members of Týr "in the center of the picture, they are the singers. With cold and warm colors, I sharply separated the outside world, the fairy tale depicted in the upper half of the picture, which takes place in the world, and the lower half of the picture, which is the interior of the Viking house. These two worlds (real and stories) are connected by the smoke rising from the fire."

The artwork also features "the Midgard Serpent Jörmungandr (Miðgarðsormr in Old Norse) as the edge of the known world. The Viking ship crossed and leaves the 'border,' emerges from the smoke while the wolf Fenrir is absorbing the sun at the 'twilight of the gods.'"

"Battle Ballads" is available through Metal Blade Records athttps://metalblade.indiemerch.com/collections/tyr

Follow Týr at https://www.facebook.com/tyrband

See more of Gyula Havancsák's works at https://havancsak-art.com/

Follow And Justice For Art's Facebook at www.facebook.com/andjusticeforart/

MAJESTIC WATERFALL: BOKRNAGAR's NEW ALBUM COVER

Norwegian Black/Prog Metal legends, Borknagar, just unveiled the cover of their upcoming new album, "Fall." Its cover artwork was designed by Israeli master artist, Eliran Kantor.

"We wanted to portray the grandeur of nature," Kantor comments. "I went through the lyrics and immediately found several references to what I felt when listening to the music. It takes you to being alone and witnessing the loud pulse of nature, and since I wanted to portray something that won't repeat the mountain of [the band's previous album] 'True North' or any old Borknagar covers, I thought about the thundering thump of water. I thought about standing at the bottom of a waterfall, looking up at the evening sky when the rays of light color the sky in unique tones for a brief moment just before the sun sets, and all you can hear is the constant force of the water crashing down. Streams and drops hitting against the rocks, and below, we see a hint of wooden wreckage, clearly man-made, and nature takes its time to overcome it, drop by drop with the years it break down man's proud creation."

Borknagar's "Fall" will be released through Century Media Records and can be pre-ordered at https://borknagar.lnk.to/Fall

See more of Eliran Kantor's work at https://elirankantor.com/

Kantor and Borknagar are featured in the book series "And Justice For Art: Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers," exclusively available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

MYSTICAL UNDERWORLD

Italian Symphonic/Power Metal act, Winterage just released their new album, "Nekyia." The front cover artwork was designed by Greek artist, Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design.

"We wanted an abstract and mystic location which could describe visually the evil sound of the album, but remaining in the Power Metal context," the band's members comment. "The artwork represents a mystical underworld: the Nekyia was an Ancient Greek ritual when you could descend in the underworld to talk with the spirits obtaining from them wisdom and advices, but in our concept there was also the descending into our most terrifying subconscious, with the purpose to better know yourself. So, our ideal underworld for this album is both frightening and luminescent because, you'll pass through the arduous path of the self-knowing, but you will reborn complete as human being."

Winterage's "Nekyia" is available via Scarlet Records at https://winterage.net/shop/

See more of Giannis Nakos/Remedy Art Design at:

https://www.instagram.com/remedyartdesign/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the "And Justice For Art" books, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES

This is the cover artwork for the upcoming new version of the book, "Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult The Restored, Expanded & Definitive Edition." Written by Dayal Patterson, this volume offers an unparalleled level of detail about the development of the Black Metal genre, from the early 1980s through to its resurrection in the 1990s and onwards to the fascinating scene we see today.

This new edition contains 22 new chapters, 30 updated chapters and a new cover art courtesy of French artist, David Thiérrée.

"We are very proud to have another piece of David's artwork for the cover of the definitive and expanded edition of 'Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult,'" Dayal Patterson comments. "This is the 4th book cover that David has created for us and as a longtime friend and comrade it is always an easy and enjoyable process to work with him. On a personal note it is hugely rewarding to have a cover I am proud of and that I could commission after almost a decade, since neither I or any of us at Cult Never Dies liked the original cover and it was the only release I've been involved in where I didn't have a hand in the decision over the cover art, aside from the fonts used. Finally this book, my first and probably the best known, feels like my own again!"

The new edition of "Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult" can be pre-ordered at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=311989057895341&set=a.221196280307953

FLYING TERROR

Canadian extreme metallers, Cryptopsy, will release their first album in ten years, "As Gomorrah Burns” on September 8, 2023 via Nuclear Blast.

The magnificently apocalyptic cover artwork was painted by Paolo Girardi using oils on pasteboard and tries to reflect the themes of the album's songs. "Conceptually, 'As Gomorrah Burns' pits the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah against the modern-day Internet," the band's members collectively comment in a press release. "[The] idea was to show how it’s both the birthplace of invention and a cesspool of exploitation. The stories are based on real-life incidences—online stalkers, cults, misinformation, isolation, and intimidation—but ornamented deviously to enhance their potency. Cryptopsy commissioned Paolo Girardi to complement the old-world lyrical themes."

"Cryptopsy wanted the monster from [the album] 'Whisper Supremacy' flying in an European classic landscape with a burning town below," the Italian artist explains to And Justice For Art. "The colors are also taken from Baroque/Renaissance tradition with their cool/warm contrasts. I developed the monster as a more horrifying creature, but without changing its original nature/shape, of course." See the original artwork (without band logo or album title) below.

"As Gomorrah Burns" is available for pre-order at https://Cryptopsy.bfan.link/in-abeyance.fpo

See more of Paolo Girardi's work at https://www.instagram.com/paologirardipainter/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

A FOREST VISION

American post-Black Metal act, Botanist, recently released their new album "VIII: Selenotrope" via Prophecy Productions.

According to the album's press release, "the title 'VIII: Selenotrope' refers to plants that flower in moonlight" which is partly what the cover illustration portrays. That artwork created by Benjamin König of Sperber Illustrationen. "Benjamin König is no stranger to album covers, particularly for Prophecy Productions' releases, for whom he's done several very notable ones," comments Botanist's main man, Otrebor. "He's a consummate professional that delivered the exact demands, even exceeding what we thought would be a strict deadline."

"VIII: Selenotrope" is available at https://verdant-realm-botanist.bandcamp.com/

See more of Benjamin König's work at https://sperber-illustrationen.blogspot.com/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

CLASSIC METAL ALBUM COVERS WITH AN AI TWIST

Brazilian designer, Beto Ferris (who has plenty of experience working in the graphic arts field) is using AI, digital illustration techniques and 3D modeling to create peculiar rendition of classic Heavy Metal album covers. "As a huge fan of the genre, I realized that my passion for Metal could be combined with my design experience to create something special," he says.

See some of those image in the gallery below and find out more at Ferris' Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betoferris

UNIVERSAL MOTHER

Multi-national hard rockers, Woyote recently released their new album, "Mother Of The Universe." Its cover artwork was designed by Italian artist, Enrico Zappalà Castorina.

"I reached out to Enrico and explained I wanted a concept of a Mother like figure' this mother is the mother of all mothers, The Universe, Mankind, humanity," explains Woyote's guitarist, Mikey Doling. "We humans' should make here proud as life is a gift... But we as humans are unfortunately falling short of our potential. She is looking over us and loving us anyway unconditionally! Like a Mother does!"

"Mother Of The Universe" is available now. Check it out at linktr.ee/woyote

See more of Enrico Z. Castorina's work at https://www.instagram.com/MontDoom/

Discover more stories about Metal album covers in the book series, And Justice For Art, available at www.andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com