PILE OF KNIVES' "DRIVEN BY THE BLADE" EP COVER STORY

American Death Metal/Slam act, Pile Of Knives, recently released its second EP "Driven By The Blade" which features a cover artwork created by Giancarlo Bruno. The following interview with vocalist, Bryan Martinez, reveals how the artwork was put together.

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

Bryan Martinez: It all came together quite easy, It just randomly popped up in my head. I wanted our album cover to be brutal, but yet still beautiful to look at. A lot of the lyrics have to do with human beings not seeming as what they may appear. The unknown and unpredictability is what we fear the most, and I feel like this cover represents that well. It is both intense with the cutting instruments, but yet easy on the eyes with the soft background. It's hard to tell if you can trust it or not. Which is on theme with our record, "Driven By The Blade," lyrically and sound-wise. The three knives represent each of the tracks on the record that have vocals, and we have one instrumental on the album that is represented by the soft red velvet background.

How did the band get involved with cover artist, Giancarlo Bruno?

Bryan Martinez: The first thing I knew is that I wanted it to be a photo instead of having someone draw something out. I've known Giancarlo for years going back to high school. He is not only a close friend, but someone that is extremely talented when it comes to photography and filming. So he is the first person that I've thought of for this project. I've always admired his work and knew he could pull off what I had envisioned. He never did something like this before, but like I said I knew he could pull it off, and he sure did.

Do you remember the process of creating the cover photo/artwork?

Bryan Martinez: I bought the knives online and Giancarlo and I went to an arts and crafts store for the backgrounds. He took the pictures in the basement of my house, and he captured it all so easily. He had a couple lights, and he took a picture of each knife with a different color background because we wanted to release these songs one by one as singles. He then finally took the last photo which is the actual E.P. cover with all the knives and it all took him about an hour to complete. It was an easy and smooth process, and it was so amazing to see it brought to life.

Find more information about the EP's release at https://pileofknives.bandcamp.com/album/driven-by-the-blade

ILDARUNI's "DIVINUM SANGUINEM" ALBUM COVER STORY

Armenian Black Metal band, Ildaruni, recently released its second full-length, "Divinum Sanguinem." The album's cryptic cover artwork was created by Khaos Diktator Design. Guitarist and main composer, Robert Meliksetyan, reveals crucial details about this image.

What is this artwork is depicting and how it reflects the album's music and lyrics?

Robert Meliksetyan: For this album, we chose to continue the path of a conceptual release. Conceptually and musically, this album explores darker, more esoteric territories, delving into the occult aspects of Mithraic mysteries, ancient initiations, and rituals that spanned from Europe to Asia. The cover artwork captures one of the central scenes of these mysteries: the tauroctony, in which Mithras slays the bull. This act represents the cosmological sacrifice, with the bull’s blood flowing over the hierophants, who conduct the initiation rites. Through this imagery, we convey themes of transformation, spiritual ascension, apothantismos, and the profound symbolism inherent in these rituals.

Inspiration for the album’s lyrical and conceptual depth also draws from the Papyri Graecae Magicae, revealing the transformative power of the ancient occult. Every detail of the artwork is aligned with the album’s lyrical essence. The cover is not just an illustration—it is a gateway into the album’s arcane world, drawing listeners into the shadowed halls of mysteries and transformative forces.

How did the band get involved with Khaos Diktator Design for the creation of this artwork?

Robert Meliksetyan: I have long admired Khaos Diktator’s work and have followed his creations closely. I was particularly captivated by his pieces for Endezzma, Nordjevel, and Coscradh, which I consider among the most striking and powerful artworks of recent years. When I reached out to share the conceptual vision of our album and how we imagined its visual portrayal, I found that he fully connected with the theme, and he had a clear understanding and enthusiasm for the project. The subsequent communication and collaboration went seamlessly, as we both shared a clear vision of what we wanted to achieve visually.

Do you know what techniques/mediums the artist used to create the artwork?

Robert Meliksetyan: Honestly, I am not familiar with the specific techniques Khaos Diktator used in creating our artwork, but he could fully grasp and capture the conceptual vision we had for the album. From the initial sketches, it was clear that he had delved deeply into the central topic; he could depict the mystical and esoteric aspects of the theme. It is a glorious manifestation of the album’s visual essence.

"Divinum Sanguinem" is available through Black Lion Records. Order at https://ildaruniblacklion.bandcamp.com/.../divinum-sanguinem

See more of Khaos Diktator Design's work at https://www.facebook.com/KhaosDiktatorDesign

AMONGRUINS' "ADVENT OF CHAOS" ALBUM COVER STORY

Greek Death Metal act, AmongRuins, are releasing a new album titled “Advent of Chaos." The cover was designed by Nikos Stavridakis of VisionBlack. Below, the artist talks about the process of creating the artwork.

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

Nikos Stavridakis: The cover concept is directly connected to the title, and it is my interpretation of the depiction of Chaos. Chaos is surely perceived differently by many out there. It is interpreted in multiple ways and expressed in even more. I have always perceived chaos as a pandemonic collage of various things telling a nightmarish story and even personified in one single entity. The band gave me the chance to realise my vision of those two interpretations combined. The Advent of Chaos here is personified as a "faceless" dark entity, directly connected and surrounded by the more obscure aspects of nature, the fierceness of the animal kingdom, and the fall of man. A redeemer Among the living, leaving the world of man behind, in Ruins.

How did you get involved in this project?

Nikos Stavridakis: I have been friends with the band for quite some time now. It is always a pleasure for me to work with Sverd and the guys on artworks because they give me total artistic freedom to deliver my own interpretation of their concepts. I am a fan of their music and we stand on the same page when it comes to artistic aesthetics, so our cooperation has always been smooth and enjoyable. Freedom in creating artworks is crucial and of huge importance to me. Of course ,I need to have an initial direction from the band, a title, a rough concept and where we are heading, artwork-wise. But from then on, I prefer to work with total freedom and produce drafts along the way. This "recipe" has worked perfectly with AmongRuins so far and I am very happy to have contributed to another album artwork for them.

What techniques/mediums were used to design the cover?

Nikos Stavridakis: The original centerpiece "butterfly" theme and various bits and pieces in the background are parts of photographs by amazing Russian photographer Sergey Vinogradov, of course used after his permission and transformed accordingly to match the concept. His work is amazing and worked as a canvas and a huge inspiration for the overall composition. Everything is done in Photoshop using dozens of layers, NO AI is used whatsoever; I never use AI in my work. Everything was meant to look like a chaotic collage of images, but overall, telling a story and matched the concept of the album to the maximum extent.

“Advent of Chaos” will be released on February 20, 2026 through Theogonia Records. Pre-order at https://theogonia-records.com/product/amongruins-advent-of-chaos-cd/

See more of Nikos Stavridakis' work at https://www.facebook.com/VisionBlackArt

DREAMLORD's "ARTIFICIAL IMPRISONMENT" ALBUM COVER STORY

Greek Thrash/Heavy metallers, Dreamlord - Official - recently released their new album "Artificial Imprisonment" which features a cover artwork designed by fellow countryman artist, Vaggelis Petikas of Revolver dart. He combined traditional drawing and digital illustration (including Procreate and Photoshop) to create this graphic.

"The cover portrays the birth of Artificial General Intelligence," reveals the band's vocalist/guitarist, Babis Papleogiorgos. "The figure inside the metallic womb represents the creation of a new kind of consciousness. The two faces opening up symbolize the human mind itself, showing that AGI is ultimately a product of our own imagination and creativity. But there’s also a warning there: what’s born from human brilliance can also turn against its creator if it’s misused. That’s why you see the skulls at the bottom, representing the possible downfall of humanity. The mother and child watching this moment stand for mankind witnessing the birth of its own creation — both in awe and in fear of what comes next."

The group's members had been "fans of Vagelis Petikas for years. His work has that balance of storytelling and intensity that fits perfectly with what Dreamlord stands for. When we started working on the album, we reached out to him with the concept and lyrics, and he immediately connected with the idea. From there it was a smooth collaboration—he took the theme and turned it into something powerful and unsettling, exactly what the record needed visually."

"Artificial Imprisonment" is available at
https://dreamlord.bandcamp.com/album/artificial-imprisonment

See more of Vagelis Petikas' work at https://www.behance.net/RevolverDart 

MY DOMINION's "EXTINCTION" ALBUM COVER STORY

German Death Metal band, My Dominion, recently released its new album, "Extinction." The cover artwork was digitally created by Dominik Plaßmann, a friend of the group's members that have collaborated with them in previous projects.

According to the artist and vocalist/guitarist, Martin Rätzke, this image with Lovecraftian overtones was "created through a close collaboration between the artist and the band. After several initial sketches and concept ideas, we collectively agreed on a core direction and then refined it through an iterative process until the final motif emerged. The main goal of the artwork was to visually support the atmosphere of the music and reflect its emotional themes. The album title 'Extinction' is represented symbolically: a vast sea of blood suggests annihilation and irreversible loss, while the central entity embodies a force capable of immense destruction."

The album is available at https://mydominionofficial.bandcamp.com/album/extinction

SPECIES' "CHANGELINGS" ALBUM COVER STORY

 

"Changelings" is the title of the second album from Polish Technical Thrash Metal trio, Species. The cover illustration was crafted by Aleksandra Pawłowska, a surrealist painter and tattoo artist based in Warsaw that had collaborated with the group in previous projects. 

"The cover art is simply Aleksandra Pawłowska’s abstract vision of our music." the band's members commented. "It depicts two mysterious extraterrestrial figures in an otherworldly scenery. Since 'Changelings' tells stories of eugenics, body horror and alien terror but with almost fairytale like atmosphere, we thought that perfectly fits the concept."

Pawłowska used acrylics on canvas to paint the original artwork. Later some digital color correction was applied. "We didn't have a particular concept in mind, our only suggestions were to use a different color palette and, unlike the cover of our debut record, to make the painting asymmetrical. Aleksandra came up with a sketch creating her own visions but also incorporating objects and beings described in the lyrics. We loved the idea and suggested only very minor changes."

"Changelings" is available at https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/species/

SHIVERED's "CHAINS" COVER ARTWOK STORY

Iranian Gothic/Doom project Shivered has released a new album titled "Chains." This concept record that explores themes like mass suicide, psychological collapse, the quiet end of civilization, grief, disillusionment and loss of self.

The sleeve artwork was designed with Photoshop and Blender by Shivered's mainman, Mohammad Maki. "I had this vision of an apocalyptic landscape, where humans hang from chains, a mass suicide marking the end of humanity," Maki says. "'Chains' became the embodiment of that vision: a collision of fiction and reality, where grief mutates into madness and ultimately leads to destruction."

"Chains" is available at https://shivered.bandcamp.com/album/chains

Watch the video from the album's single, "Ruins Of Memories" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_jPeqqcKk4

BLOODBOUND's "FIELD OF SWORDS" ALBUM COVER STORY

Swedish Power Metal band, Bloodbound, will release its new album, "Field Of Swords" next November 21, 2025 through Napalm Records. The cover artwork was designed by the group's frequent collaborator, Peter Sallai of Mortpaintgraphics.

"Bloodbound’s own mascot character, Nosferatu, is usually the main character on their album covers. This time, the band requested that they want a more militant, warlike scene," Sallai comments. "He has to wear knight’s armor and shall fight against orcs on a dark battlefield. I always go by the band’s request, which they came up with a specific idea."

The artwork was created digitally. "I usually work with Photoshop and a digital drawing tablet/screen," the Hungarian artist reveals. "My work has always been characterized by a kind of mixed media or digital painting and it is always important that hand painting shall dominate. This image also reflects my visions, more direct and it’s like a fantasy movie poster."

Order "Field Of Swords" at
https://bloodbound.bandcamp.com/album/field-of-swords

See more of Peter Sallai's work at
https://www.mortpaintgraphics.net 

1914's "VIRIBUS UNITIS" ALBUM COVER STORY

Ukrainian Blackened Death Metal act, 1914, just released their new album "Viribus Unitis" through Napalm Records. The cover artwork was crafted by Vladimir 'Smerdulak' Chebakov, who collaborated with the band in previous projects.

"We met about ten years ago, when I created an alternative version of the cover for their 2015 debut album 'Eschatology Of War,'" Chebakov says. "Later, 1914 signed with Napalm Records and invited me to continue our creative collaboration. This is the third album for the label on which we’ve joined forces."

According to the Czech artist, the cover concept was "inspired by the vast and inexhaustible theme of the Great War. And, of course, by the unstoppable enthusiasm of 1914’s frontman, Ditmar Kumamberg. Sometimes, I get the feeling he actually was there on those battlefields. This time, the album’s concept is based on the story of Ivan Pišta, a Ukrainian from Lviv who fought throughout the entire war as a soldier of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So, we decided to build upon the painting 'Karpathenwacht' (Carpathian Watch, 1914–1915) by the Austrian artist Alois Hans Schram, which is still kept in Vienna today. The Carpathian Mountains, of course, also lie partly within modern-day Ukraine. In Schram’s original, the central figure is the Guardian Angel of the Carpathians, holding a flaming sword—a clear allusion to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden. We decided to shift the focus slightly by adding the figure of Death—the silent presence behind every event, always coming to reap her harvest. And the years of war are always fruitful ones for her. The Angel and Death stand as allies, brothers-in-arms, perhaps even accomplices in the same crime."

The artwork was "created entirely on an iPad Pro using Procreate," Chebakov reveals. "Some elements, such as the logo, title, and tonal adjustments, were added in Photoshop—so it’s a fully digital piece. Tablet, stylus, electric charge and hands—that’s all it took.

"Viribus Unitis" is available at https://napalmrecords.us/collections/1914 and https://x1914x.bandcamp.com/album/viribus-unitis

See more of Vladimir Chebakov's work at https://www.instagram.com/vladimirchebakov

The painting 'Karpathenwacht' (Carpathian Watch) that inspired the cover of Viribus Unitis. It was created in 1914–1915) by Austrian artist Alois Hans Schram.

DEFIGUREMENT's "ENDBRYO" ALBUM COVER STORY

Avant Death/Grind collective, Defigurement, recently released their debut album, "Endbryo" through Nefarious Industries. The cover was designed by guitarist, Kevin Fetus. "I've been doing art in some form most of my life," he says. "I've been a Graphic Designer for the last 20 years or so, working for various labels and tons of underground bands. Our singer Matt saw some of my paintings and wanted to use this specific piece for the cover art."

According to Fetus, "the inspiration for the monsters was actually Eric Wood and his noise band Bastard Noise. I was trying to add a 'body' to his trademark skull...but I got lost in a haze of smoke and the image took on a life of its own. I kept adding layers and shapes started to form, so I went with it. During this time, I was also working on the guitar parts for the Defigurement songs. Once our vocalist caught wind of my paintings, he expressed interest in using this image as the cover art. Matt had requested some extra elements to be added to the final image, so I worked that out and in the end everyone was happy with this image being the cover art. We could have gone the digital art route, but Matt wanted an actual painting, the way album covers used to be done."

The guitarist used "oil-based mediums and a bit of Photoshop at the end to tighten up a few things I wasn't able to do with the paintbrush. My hand isn't that steady...too much coffee and anger coursing through my veins."

Order "Endbryo" through Nefarious Industries
at https://www.nefariousindustries.com/.../defigurement-endbryo

Stream the album at https://defigurement.bandcamp.com