ALBUM COVER STORY: SHABTI's "HAZE, CACOPHONY, AND WHITE LIGHT"

American Death Metal act, Shabti, will release its new album "Haze, Cacophony, And White Light" on August 21, 2026. The monochromatic cover artwork was crafted by Indonesian artist, Ibay Arifin. Below, Rob (the band's guitarist/vocalist) and Arifin himself talk about the creation of this piece.

Can you tell us about the origins of the album cover concept? 

Rob: One of the concepts that we suggested was an illustration of chaotic, ghostly forms in the mist as this reflected the title of the album, "Haze, Cacophony, And White Light." We did not give any guidance other than that, as I wanted Ibay to feel free to develop the art as he saw fit.

Ibay Arifin: "My personal inspiration for this piece comes from Gustave Doré’s [illustration] "The Empyrean." I love how Doré captures circular light, with angels swirling toward its surface. I fused this aesthetic with the core concept of the album "Haze, Cacophony, And White Light." It embodies the idea of souls fading away into a white light—though in my adaptation, I transformed that light into a black circle."

How did Ibay get involved with this project?

Rob: We reviewed Ibay's work on Instagram at the suggestion of Jon from Contemn Light, and we were impressed so we reached out to commission album art. His style fit the aesthetic of the album and I appreciated his technical prowess, compositional skill and attention to detail.

Ibay, how did you create this artwork?

Ibay Arifin: Here, I used line art and detailed dotting with white lighting behind it. This piece is a mix of manual and digital work. I started with a sketch on paper and then executed it digitally using a pen tablet, keeping a black-and-white theme for the artwork.

The cover also features the band's logo, which looks fairly distinct. Who designed it?

Rib: Our former bassist, Denis, worked at a tattoo shop in Portland and one of his coworkers (Elizabeth) designed the logo for us about fourteen years ago. I am not sure if she is still tattooing or creating art and unfortunately, I do not have any insight into her design process. I think the logo is a good representation of the band; legible but undeniably a Death Metal logo with an old school feel.

Pre-order "Haze, Cacophony, And White Light" at  https://shabti.bandcamp.com/album/haze-cacophony-and-white-light-2

See more of Ibay Arifin's work at https://www.instagram.com/shabti_official

RECORD COVER STORY: UNDER AUBURN SKIES' "DIMINISHER OF HOPE" (EP)

American Metalcore quintet, UNDER AUBURN SKIES is releasing a new EP titled, "Diminisher Of Hope" on July 17, 2026. The cover illustration was crafted by Róbert Horváth of Holo Dreamz Designs. Below, guitarist Oscar Morales talks about the creation of this image.

What or who is this shrouded figure in the artwork?

Oscar Morales: It’s supposed to represent a sort of a grim reaper figure as death is a big part of this record; not so much in a physical but in a more metaphorical sense. There are many themes of “the death” of trust, friendships/relationships and even peace. With the title being “Diminisher of Hope,” it helps tell the theme of hardships and depression that we try to express through (vocalist) Sebastian’s lyrics and my style of composing.

How did Róbert Horváth become part of the project?

Oscar Morales: Róbert Horváth runs Holo Dreamz Designs. For this record, we kind of were in a darker tone as a whole so we kind of wanted an artist that delve in that type of art that would capture that in some form of artwork. Róbert has quite a bit of versatility in his work and when we told him what we were looking to do, he nailed it on his first try. He really is something special.

The spontaneous brush strokes suggest that Robert might have used traditional mediums. However, he's a digital artist. Do you know what mediums/techniques he used during the design process?

Oscar Morales: Honestly, not a clue ha, ha. We gave Róbert context of our idea and how these songs reflect several themes of depression, forms of death and losing hope for many things and he just nailed it!

The cover features a typographic version of the band's logo. However, you also use a circular symbol that features a wolf.

Oscar Morales: The wolf emblem and logo were a fun thing we did to try and rebrand ourselves. The very first logo we had as a band was more "cursive-ish" and was a hard play on the older Parkway Drive font (big influence back in the day). When we were working on our second EP ("Invention Of Reason") we evolved as not only a band but our whole sound to compete and try our hand on the more modern/progressive style that Metalcore has turned into. So, the logo went towards that type of style like Volumes, Structures, Hollow Front, and bands like them. 

The emblem regarding the wolf really sat with us with our band name. We were all big fans of blood moons (at the time of forming) and the tale of two wolves. So, we kind of just carried on with it, you know? We all have dark and light sides of ourselves and figuring them out yourself helps tell the story of one or the other. These songs might come from dark places in our lives, but we also see the light and good of releasing these emotions and finding peace and closure of letting it all go.

Pre-order "Diminisher Of Hope" at https://underauburnskies.bandcamp.com/album/diminisher-of-hope

RECORD COVER STORY: MOTHS' "CROWN JEWEL" (SINGLE)

The cover for the single "Crown Jewel" by Puerto Rican Doom/Progressive Metal band Moths was designed by fellow countryman artist, Ricardo Sanchez. Below, bassist, Weslie Negrón, talks about the creation of this monochromatic graphic.

What inspired the cover concept and what is this artwork representing?

Weslie Negrón: “Crown Jewel” was written as the theme song for Puerto Rican wrestler, Gema. Since “Gema” translates to “Crown Jewel,” the concept was inspired by her name and overall character. The crown symbolizes that idea directly, while the chains reflect elements that are part of her wrestling persona and aesthetic.

We wanted the artwork to incorporate all of these elements. After explaining the concept to Ricardo, we gave him complete creative freedom to interpret and bring the vision to life in his own way.

How did Ricardo Sanchez become involved in this project?

Weslie Negrón: We’ve worked with Ricardo before. He’s one of the best artists in Puerto Rico when it comes to capturing gruesome, grotesque imagery with incredible attention to detail. He previously created the artwork for our second T-shirt back in 2017, the artwork for our cover of Black Sabbath’s "Hand of Doom" released in 2020, and poster artwork for our "Space Force" album release show in 2022. It’s always a pleasure working with an artist of such a high caliber.

This image seems to be created through traditional techniques/mediums. 

Weslie Negrón: Ricardo worked with pencil and ink on paper. He also incorporated India ink and white ink to add contrast and highlight certain details. The piece was created using techniques such as pointillism and cross-hatching, allowing him to build depth, texture, and shadows throughout the image.

The logo featured on this cover has appeared on other releases. What can you tell us about its origins?

Weslie Negrón: This particular logo was designed by our guitar player, Omar González, who is also a very talented artist. He pitched the idea of creating a logo for the band a long time ago, and it ended up working out perfectly.

Omar has mentioned that he didn’t have anything extremely specific in mind when designing it. His main goal was to reflect the darker and more extreme roots of our latest album ‘Septem’ in this version of the logo. He was also inspired by the logo used by Lamb of God for their album "Wrath," particularly the way the letters in the acronym appear in different sizes. Along with that influence, he wanted the logo to have a sharp, pointy aesthetic to match the aggressive feel of the band.

"Crown Jewel" is available at https://mothspr.bandcamp.com/track/crown-jewel 

See more of Ricardo Snachez's work at https://www.facebook.com/rs.grafiko

RECORD COVER STORY: BLACKSTAFF's "DROWNER" (EP)

Blackstaff is the brainchild of American multi-instrumentalist and dark fantasy aficionado, Dustin Cleary. This Blackened Doom Metal solo project is releasing its new EP, "Drowner " in July 2026. Its blue tinted cover artwork distills a brooding atmosphere that allures listeners into the concept of the record, which is inspired by the Will-o'-the-Wisps or ‘hag lights’, the atmospheric ghost light seen by travelers at night, especially over bogs, swamps, or marshes. Below, Cleary talks about this mysterious vision.

This artwork basically reflects the main theme of the EP, "Drowner." Can you tell us more details about this concept?

Dustin Cleary: The cover concept was a dark, moody swamp setting with a creature lurking beneath the surface of the water, and glowing balls of light dancing above. This is the theme of the record. It was very much inspired by the "will o' the wisp" that hypnotizes and leads travelers to their death in the swamp.

In the story, these lights lead unwitting travelers deep into the swamp and into a certain pond where something waits for them. Some are pulled down and consumed or made undead; others are delivered to the swamp's true master, to suffer and be harvested for parts. 

The creator of the cover Putra Satria, an underground artist from Indonesia. How did you discover his work?

Dustin Cleary: I first discovered the artist on Instagram, which is how my relationship begins with most artists I hire for my project. His account is @putrasatrianug. I saw a piece that stood out to me, and his style seemed like a good fit for my ideas. Putra has also done a t-shirt design for me, the "hungry wizard." 

Do you know how Putra created the artwork?

Dustin Cleary: His mediums are ink and digital coloring. He has some cool in-progress videos he makes on his profile to showcase his method.

The cover also features a logo you've been using for a relatively long time.

Dustin Cleary: Similarly, the logo was a commissioned piece, this one by a person who solicited me in my DM's back when I first started. In those days, I had just been making instrumental riffs to post on Reddit and had recently begun to get more serious about my craft, and this was one of my first decisions to begin collaborating with artists. We talked concepts (I wanted something that looked more retro than brutal, and I wanted a certain kind of staff in the logo), and the logo you see today is what came of that correspondence. I wish I could direct you to the person that did the piece for me, but a look back into my DMs has yielded several "deleted_" account names where I would expect that conversation to be.

"Downer" EP is available at

https://blackstaff.bandcamp.com/album/drowner-ep

See more of Putra's work at 

https://www.instagram.com/putrasatrianug/

ALBUM COVER STORY: TELOCH VOVIN's "TOWARDS THE INEVITABLE"

American Black Metal provocateurs, Teloch Vovin, recently unleashed their new studio album, "Towards The Inevitable." The artwork featured on the cover of this sonic maelstrom was designed by Eam XI, an artist that specializes in creating darkly symbolic visions. In the following interview, Eam XI himself and Grigori (Teloch Vovin's guitarist/vocalist) talk about the origins and creation of this obscure piece. 

This piece seems to occult/esoteric overtones and apparently depicts some sort of cosmic event.

Eam XI: The cover concept of this artwork represents a black hole—a gateway where identity, cosmic order, and perception dissolve into the unknown. It represents the Nightside, the anti-cosmic void, and the initiatory descent into hidden consciousness, often associated with chaos, inversion, and transcendence through darkness.

Rather than illustrating a literal scene symbolizing mere destruction, the black hole in this artwork is viewed as a transformative vortex: a womb of gnosis, devouring the material vessels of limitations where spiritual rebirth occurs through ego dissolution and confrontation with the abyss. Across these traditions, it embodies the idea that true illumination is found not through ascent into light, but through immersion into the fertile darkness beyond creation and conventional understanding.

Grigori: Eam XI and I talked over the ideas and concept that I had for the cover art, which was inspired by a recurring dream where I saw all the universes in the multiverse existing on the event horizon ov a super massive black hole and thru a withdrawal ov the aeonic and Pranic energies that sustain the universe/multiverse liberation is found. The cover art is a visual manifestation ov the Grand Mahapralaya I witnessed in my dreams!!! Which, as Eam XI so eloquently stated above, relates to more than just the physical death ov the Universe.

Eam, how did you become part of this project?

Eam XI: Grigori contacted me through social media platforms. after seeing my past works, the collaboration happened through a mutual understanding of aesthetics, philosophy, and atmosphere. There was already a shared appreciation for esoteric traditions, sacred transgression, and the visual language associated with occult and metaphysical art. Because of that alignment, the process became less about “commissioning an image” and more about translating a current into visual form.

It seems that you had several creative and philosophical exchanges before Eam crafted the artwork.

Eam XI: The discussions around the artwork were centered more on concepts, energies, and symbolic resonance rather than strict visual instructions. The goal was to create something that felt timeless and unique—an image that could stand not only as an album cover, but also as a portal into the psychological and spiritual world surrounding the music itself.

Grigori: As soon as I saw some ov Eam XI’s artwork I just knew he was the one to turn my dream's vision into a manifested reality. I knew that he and I would connect on a deeper spiritual level and once we talked, I was proven correct. Eam XI just totally understood the deeper levels and concepts I was trying to convey with the cover art. Our shared Spiritual viewpoints allowed us to communicate the ideas expressed within the cover art rather easily and then I just let him get down to his work. Cover art is supposed to paint you a picture of what the album you are about to listen to feels like and did Eam XI fucking nail it!!! 

This illustration combines different aesthetics, mediums and techniques. Can you comment about it and the overall creative process?

Eam XI: The artwork was executed primarily through mixed media painting techniques, using watercolor, acrylics and ink strongly rooted in classical Tenebrism methodology while incorporating a more contemporary ritualistic atmosphere. Much of the visual language was influenced by the traditional layering approach.

Layering, glazing, and controlled texturing were essential in building the luminous darkness within the piece. The shadows were treated not as empty space, but as living substance—something dense, immersive, and almost metaphysical. The illuminated areas were intentionally restrained so the light would emerge from the darkness in a more spiritual and dramatic way. The fog-like diffusion and distressed textures were also important elements, helping the image feel simultaneously ancient, decayed, and visionary. Timo Ketola's works were a major influence in terms of composition and monumental atmosphere, particularly in how the figures and symbolic structures interact with negative space and overwhelming darkness.

The official cover also includes an ominous red eye, the album's title and Teloch Vovin's circular logo/symbol. What can you tell us about this symbol?

Grigori: The round Teloch Vovin Sigil logo is inspired by the Sigil Magick of Austin Osman Spare and is made up ov the 11 English letters in the name Teloch Vovin and the 5 Hebrew letters in Death’s Pentagrammaton arranged in a sigillic representation ov the Tree ov Death.

"Towards The Inevitable" is available at  https://telochvovin288.bandcamp.com/album/towards-the-inevitable-2

See more of Eam XI's work at https://www.instagram.com/theartofeamxi

ALBUM COVER STORY: EVEALE's "ENTER THE WOODLAND REALM"

Transcontinental Black Metal collective, Eveale, just released its latest album, "Enter The Woodland Realm." The cover of this imposing aural experience features an old painting by Dutch artist, Jacob van Ruisdael. Below, the group's members talk about the selection of this piece and how it represents the world of the record.

The artwork that graces the cover of "Enter The Woodland Realm" is a painting titled "The Forest Stream" and was created around 1660. This naturalistic vision perfectly encapsulates the peaceful vibe of the opening track ("The Beckoning'). However, its cloudy skies seen to anticipate the metallic tempest Eveale unleashes throughout the rest of the album.

Eveale: In terms of Eveale’s inspiration and representation, we have a love of the natural world. The artwork we have chosen marks a representation to the entrance of The Woodland Realm, the fictional world in which much of the album is set. 

How did the band discover the works of Dutch artist Jacob van Ruisdael and particularly, this piece?

Eveale: In terms of the artist, it is thought that this painting was created in around 1660. The artist, Jacob van Ruisdael, had a deep love of Scandinavian landscapes, and although likely painted in Amsterdam, this will have been a big inspiration for the scene depicted. 

We knew from the start that we needed some kind of woodland scene, something that at first glance looked inviting, but also with an air of mystery and melancholy. When we started putting together the theme of the album, we didn’t have a budget for art. Eveale has a policy of absolutely zero AI used anywhere in our work, so we looked at the plethora of amazing paintings in the public domain via The Met Museum. 

We spent hours poring over the various works of art depicting nature, forests and the like until we found “The Forest Stream”. An oil painting by renowned Dutch artist Jacob van Ruisdael from around 1660. It fit Eveale’s, “Woodland Realm” vibe perfectly, and we knew immediately that we wanted to use it for our album cover. Eva Darron, the artist who handled the design of the vinyl, CD, and cassette tapes, drew further inspiration from the piece in how she designed each of the physical formats for the album, both in terms of the color palette used as well as other nature-inspired ornamental touches.

The original painting "The Forest Stream."

Although this piece was crafted around 1660, its look and mood seem to have a lot in common with the landscapes Romantic artists painted centuries later.

Eveale: The original painting is oil on canvas. It is thought that van Ruisdael used a technique of applying heavier paint than similar artists who had come before him. The realism of the foliage and trees that he was able to produce with this technique was considered unprecedented at the time and really helped his work stand out amongst a slew of other prominent Dutch artists. 

The band's logo also features naturalistic elements which enhances the ethereal elegance of the finished cover.

Eveale: The logo was one of the very first pieces of the puzzle. At the time, the plan for Eveale was for us to both remain anonymous, only crediting ourselves under the guises of Monarch Of The Hillside (MOTH) and North East Wizard Tyrant (NEWT). That being the case we needed a personality to our visuals. We reached out to one of our favorite logo artists at Moonroot, and they helped to bring our logo to life, complete with the Newt and Moth in prominent placement. We think it’s a very unique logo and we are delighted that it has come to represent our work.

"Enter The Woodland Realm" is available at:

https://hypaethralrecords.com/collections/eveale 

https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/enter-the-woodland-realm

…AND JUSTICE FOR ART INTERVIEWS THE METAL PILGRIM

The Metal Pilgrim has become fairly popular YouTube channel during the last few years. Led by a Ukrainian metalhead, this channel features thoughtful analyses, interviews and news related to the world of heavy music. In recent times, they have released some merch showing cool imagery. Their latest item is a t-shirt titled "No Fear Of The Dark" that includes the colors of the Ukrainian flag and a character that seems to be inspired on iconic Metal imagery. In the following interview, the Metal Pilgrim himself talks about the origins of this t-shirt and the channel's history and current trajectory. 

The Metal Pilgrim with the "No Fear Of The Dark" t-shirt.

The Metal Pilgrim YouTube channel has more than 75,000 subscribers. Your videos have reached thousands of people in recent years and have become a reliable source of information for many metalheads. How did you come up with the idea of creating this channel?

Metal Pilgrim: It started as a way to reconnect with my lifelong passion—Heavy Metal. A few years back, I was constantly working and traveling for my day job, and I missed that connection. So, I started small—posting short album reviews on Instagram. Then COVID hit, and with all that extra time, I thought, why not try YouTube? I randomly reached out to Jason Bittner (Overkill’s drummer at the time) and asked if he’d talk on camera, even though I didn’t even have a channel yet. And weirdly enough… he agreed, and it took off. Initially, it was just my way of unwinding. Now it’s grown into something bigger than I ever expected.

You're based in Ukraine. What are the main challenges of running a YouTube channel from a country immersed in war? 

Metal Pilgrim: It’s tough, no sugarcoating that. In Ukraine, the war is always looming. Honestly, when missiles fly overhead, a YouTube schedule is the last thing on your mind, especially when you have a family. But weirdly enough, this channel has become my anchor. The amazing Metal community helps me get through some of the hardest days during the war. That said, it’s incredibly difficult to plan. We deal with blackouts, air raid sirens and attacks—so recording, editing, and releasing content often get thrown off track. You do what you can, when you can.

The "No Fear Of The Dark" t-shirt. Front and Back.

Your latest t-shirt, titled “No Fear Of The Dark” features the colors of the Ukrainian shirt. However, given the title and the color palette, this could be a direct reference to a band you love—Iron Maiden. Plus, the main character has elements from iconic Metal imagery. Can you comment on the origins and inspiration for this t-shirt?

Metal Pilgrim: This design was born during the blackouts we faced here in Ukraine. It’s a play on Iron Maiden’s “Fear of the Dark,” but here we say, “No Fear Of The Dark.” The message is simple: we’re not afraid, no matter what. Even if we have no electricity due to bombings and we live in darkness. And visually, it’s a mashup of mascots and elements from my favorite bands—Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead and Metallica, set against the skyline of my city Kyiv, with some of the most iconic landmarks seen there. It blends my love for Metal with my love for my city.

Who designed this illustration? 

Metal Pilgrim: It was crafted by the amazing Ukrainian artist Ivan Parkhomenko. I worked with him on the Metal Grinch t-shirt design a couple years ago, and it was just natural to continue working with him on this one. Ivan does everything old-school—no AI, just sketches and drafts that we refine together. He has this magic touch, so I implore others to check out his work.

Other Metal Pilgrim t-shirts.

You have released other merch items. Most of them feature eye-catching illustrations combined with the Metal Pilgrim logo. Who designed the logo? 

Metal Pilgrim: I did. I found a font I liked, played around with it, and there was the logo. I actually had another logo professionally designed afterwards, but after I asked some of my

subscribers which they preferred, they stuck with my original, so that’s what we kept.

What's your opinion about the role of visual imagery (especially album covers) in the development of Heavy Metal aesthetics? 

Metal Pilgrim: Visuals are massive! In the early days of Metal, people bought albums based on the cover alone. Even as a kid, I discovered so many bands that way. In my opinion, visual elements are at least 30% of an album’s impact. Look at Iron Maiden’s “Somewhere In

Time” or Judas Priest’s “Sad Wings Of Destiny.” You can lose yourself in those artworks,

and what is most important—they go extremely well with the music. So, I honestly do not

understand why some bands today in 2026 do not dedicate much attention to it. In my

opinion, it is the most important element of post-production, and I wish more bands would

understand that.

Visit the Metal Pilgrim at https://metalpilgrim.net

Join Metal Pilgrim's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@MetalPilgrim 

Purchase the "No Fear Of The Dark" t-shirt and other Metal Pilgrim merch at https://metalpilgrim.net/collections/all

See more of Ivan Parkhomenko's work at https://www.facebook.com/ivanparkhomenkoart

ALBUM COVER STORY: REEKING AURA's "ON THE PROMISE OF THE MOON"

Atmospheric Death Metal band, Reeking Aura, recently unleashed its second album, "On The Promise Of The Moon" through Profound Lore Records. The cover of this imposing sonic experience features an artwork crafted by Moldova-based visionary, Ion Carchelan. Below, the American group's guitarist Rick Habeed, reveals how Carchelan's fairly abstract vision complements the record's musical/lyrical material. 

The cover for "On The Promise Of The Moon" has a surreal flair. It's a piece titled "Owls In The Tree" created by Ion Carchelan around 2024. 

Rick Habeed: This is a case of seeing an already-completed work of art and knowing that it would be perfect for an album. We found this piece on Mr. Carchelan's Instagram, and we felt it represented the music and themes of the then-upcoming record. A cold, wintery scene both visually and sonically.  

Carchelan also painted the cover of your previous album, "Blood And Boneneal." 

Rick Habeed: Our vocalist, Will [Smith] thankfully found Mr. Carchelan's Instagram one day while searching for potential artists for our debut album's cover. We found that cover among his many masterpieces. Pretty much the same for this one. 

The original "Owls In The Tree" artwork.

Do you know how this piece was created?

Rick Habeed: I only know that it is watercolor on paper which came rolled in a tube. The original is 22 x 30 inches and hangs in my apartment. 

All of Reeking Aura's record covers feature the same logo, which looks slightly complex but easy to read. 

Rick Habeed: We hired the very awesome Jon Zig to handle our logo. He also did the cover for our debut cassette, which we considered our demo at the time...demo/EP, what have you. So, when we went into the logo creation, we threw out some band logos to him and told him to combine them and come up with one for us. I believe the bands we used were Celtic Frost, Venom, and there was one more which is escaping me right now!

Order Reeking Aura's "On The Promise Of The Moon" at these locations: 

Profound Lore Records

https://profoundlorerecords.com/product/reeking-aura-on-the-promise-of-the-moon/

Bandcamp

https://reekingaura.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-promise-of-the-moon

See more of Ion Carchelan's work at https://www.facebook.com/ion.carchelan/