RWAKE's NATURAL OFFERING

American metallers, Rwake, are releasing "The Return Of Magik" (their first new album in over 13 years) on March 14, through Relapse Records.

The cover and layout artworks were created by Loni Gillum of Minerva's Menagerie. These graphics (including the cover shown below) were "all handcrafted using authentic natural elements, ethically sourced, of course," reveals vocalist, Brittany Fugate. "We wanted to build something real and then photograph it. Every stick, mushroom, flower and grain of sand were all hand placed. No computers were used except where Relapse Records added in the text. Even the pieces of metal were electro formed by Loni."

The band had been collaborating with Arkansas-based jewelry artist, Loni Gillum "on a couple of jewelry pieces," Fugate comments. "The way she crafted and displayed her pieces was always very inspiring, so we asked if she would work with us on creating the art for the record. After many conversations and a vision quest to both of our favorite spot in the Ozark Mountains, Loni conjured up these beautiful works of art. I photographed them and made some contributions, but all the credit belongs to Loni Gillum."

Loni Gillum also created the back sleeve artwork and the layout/booklet images. See them above. According to Fugate, "the symbols on the back cover were hand crafted with metal and bone." She assures that "the artwork perfectly mirrors the music. It’s dark and evocative with elements of death, yet hauntingly beautiful and delicately soft at the same time. Both the artwork and the music are born from the earth, shaped by its rhythms, textures, and spirit. I believe that conveys to both the listener and the viewer."

Rwake's "The Return Of Magik" can be pre-ordered at https://rwake.bandcamp.com/album/the-return-of-magik and https://www.relapse.com/pages/rwake-the-return-of-magik

See more of Loni Gillum's work at https://minervasmenagerie.co/