ALBUM COVER STORY: EVERGREY's "ARCHITECTS OF A NEW WEAVE"

Swedish metallers, Evergrey and fellow countryman artist Mattias Norén of ProgArt Media - Artwork by Mattias Norén have worked together for more than 20 years. Their latest collaboration is the imagery Norén crafted for the band's new album “Architects Of A New Weave," which will be released in May 2026.

This hyper-detailed vision was traditionally painted and fine-tuned digitally and reflects aspects of the album's music and lyrics. in the following interview, Evergrey's vocalist/guitarist, Tom S. Englund and Mattias Norén talk about the making of this imposing piece.

What inspired the cover concept for "Architects Of A New Weave"?

Tom S. Englund: We wanted to do something that was more traditional in a Metal sense. When me and Mattias Norén started talking I let him know what I desired and that I also wanted a lot of nuggets and hidden messages, so that it would remind myself of the days when I was totally immersed into cover art of Iron Maiden mostly. So, there is a lot to discover if you dive in and examine it. If you also listen to the music, it will make a lot of sense.

Mattias Norén: The idea was born with a figure with threads that led to pictures where each picture represented a song from the record. I bought a paper twice the size of any watercolor I had done before. I didn't even have a base big enough to tape the paper to, so I had to buy a second-hand tabletop to be able to work with the project. The plan was that the cover would only be a small part of the entire painting. I thought for a long time about how to make the best use of this. I don't know if it was the ultimate solution, but it was good enough. I divided it into six parts, of which the cover is only one of the parts."

The image on the album's official cover is just a fragment of the complete artwork.

Tom S. Englund: The cover is indeed part of a pretty huge piece. Again, the old love for vinyl covers led us further and we wanted some art to represent almost every song of the album, and on the fold out versions of the album you get it all in all its glory! It's definitely one of Mattias's proudest moments, he told me so... but also for me and also knowing it's all done for real, with brushes and watercolor, then we added some of the nuggets digitally, but I own the original painting and can't wait to hang it on my wall at home!

Mattias Norén: I guess I will have to call this my "magnum opus." An enormous amount of time, love and effort that was invested in it.

Mattias also designed other illustrations for the album's layout/booklet. 

Tom S. Englund: Each and every page has more or less dedicated art for the song. Mattias has also painted more paintings for songs like "The Shadow Self," "Call of your Lions," etc.

You have collaborated (regularly and sporadically) in different projects during the last two decades. It has been a fruitful creative relationship.

Tom S. Englund: Mattias has worked on a lot of Evergrey's covers starting with our third album "In Search Of Truth" (2001). He did a bunch of them. Mattias also worked on some of the art for my band Silent Skies and I love his sense of art direction and also layout skills. 

Mattias Norén: It's now 25 years since I made my first cover for Evergrey. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then and the older I get, the more I want to explore what can be done with an album cover. It's easy to get stuck in old habits but I'm driven by trying new things.

Pre-order “Architects Of A New Weave" at https://napalmrecords.com/deutsch/evergrey

See more of Mattias Norén's work at https://www.progart.com/

ALBUM COVER STORY MOONSPELL's "FAR FROM GOD"

Israeli artist, Eliran Kantor, designed the cover for "Far From God," the upcoming new album by Portuguese Gothic metallers, Moonspell.

"This is an idea I've had in my head for quite a few years and was waiting for the right opportunity to finally flesh out," comments Kantor, referring to the powerful visual metaphor portrayed in this artwork. He and Moonspell's vocalist, Fernando Ribeiro, "started talking about possible directions [for the cover artwork] very early in the writing, and during the process, the music took a turn toward the interplay between the dark, the romantic and the melancholic. That's when this idea found its home."

"Far From God" will be released through Napalm Records.

Pre-order directly from the band at https://www.moonspell.rastilho.com/

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

ALBUM COVER STORY: ARMORED SAINT's "EMOTION FACTORY RESET"

American Heavy Metal veterans, Armored Saint, just announced the release of their upcoming new album, "Emotion Factory Reset."

The cover artwork was digitally designed by graphic artist, DDKing. The main element of this graphic is a medieval knight that has been featured (in various guises) on the covers of some of the band's previous records. "We recognize we have an association with the imagery of a knight because we have used that on a few of our covers and even in merchandising," comments bassist Joey Vera.

"We played on the whole 'reset' aspect," Vera continues. "In my view, every time we make a new record, it's a new birth of sorts. A tearing down and rebuilding ourselves each time so that we give birth to something new or different. I was taking the idea of what Kali, the Hindu Goddess is. She destroys in order to liberate or renew. The fire you see is a representation of that destruction. The viewer is catching the knight during his shedding of old skin, and you can see he is not yet whole, and he is holding the flame as a way to show he is harnessing the change in himself. He's like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon."

Vera reveals that the original cover sketches were created with AI. However, he assures that DDKing created the definitive artwork digitally "until we were happy."

"Emotion Factory Reset" will be released on May 22 through Metal Blade Records. Pre-order at https://www.metalblade.com/armoredsaint/

ALBUM COVER STORY: W.E.B.'s "DARKNESS ALIVE"

Greek Symphonic Extreme metallers W.E.B. just released their powerful live record "Darkness Alive" through Metal Blade Records. The cover artwork was crafted by the talented Jon Toussas of Graphic no Jutsu, who has worked with the band in other projects.

"We decided to have almost zero input on the artwork...only a bit regarding the layout," the band reveals to And Justice For Art. "The concept is a man who is suddenly consumed by demons, while desperately tries to escape, all of us know he won’t make it. We always call our fans as “Demons” and maybe this guy is to become one of them."

The group's members assure that Toussas is "an artist we trust. He delivered something unique in his own way. He understands the band’s vision and it is easy to trust him with visualizing our music. Most of the times we just like to give him just a very brief description of what we want and he delivers something great with it."

"Darkness Alive" is available at https://webdarkmetal.bandcamp.com/album/darkness-alive and other streaming platforms.

See more of Jon Toussas' work at https://www.instagram.com/graphic_no_jutsu

ALBUM COVER STORY: OUTSHINE's "TRUTHSAYER"

Swedish Dark Alternative Metal band, Outshine,will release its fourth album "Truthsayer" through Eclipse Records on June 26, 2026.

The inspiration behind the cover is "a 'burning' world we live in," comments the band's frontman, Jimmy Boman. "Biased media and politicians are pushing so common people fight each other than rather questioning the system and the people in power. Elite agendas are pushed from celebrities to 'educate' common people how to think. This is dead wrong and the cover is representing that 'Truthsayer' is coming with common sense and that we should unite among common people. Truthsayer could represent you when you wake up and see the insanity with clarity."

The artwork was designed by Bowman using Photoshop to blend pictures taken by him, with other elements.

Pre-order "Truthsayer" at https://ffm.to/otstru

"MASTER OF PUPPETS" TURNS 40

Metallica's Thrash Metal masterpiece "Master Of Puppets" was released on March 3, 1986—exactly 40 years ago. The cover of the American band's third studio album features an artwork painted (apparently in three days) with acrylics, airbrush and paintbrush by late American illustrator, Don Brautigam. He was inspired by a concept provided by the band and by a sketch drawn by vocalist/guitarist, James Hetfield.

The original version of this piece featured feminine hands, which were later replaced for the "master hands."

The finished artwork doesn't include the band's marbled logo, which was added later. It was acquired by Metallica's former manager, Jon Zazula and his wife Marsha, who also owned Megaforce, the label that released Metallica's debut album, "Kill 'Em All" (1983). Years later, Christie's Auction House sold it for $35.000.

Don Brautigam's work has also appeared on the covers of Metal albums like Testament's "The Ritual," Metal Church's "The Dark" and Anthrax's "Among The Living," "State Of Euphoria" and "Persistence of Time." See more of his work at

ALBUM COVER STORY: MESSTICATOR's "TOTAL MASTERY"

German Death Metal band Messticator is releasing its new album "Total Mastery" on March 13, 2026 through Testimony Records.

The cover artwork was designed by Andreas Christanetoff of Armaada ART. According to Messticator's drummer, Maik Weinhardt, the cover's central character is based on the group's name. "We created the entity known as the 'Messticator'—a kind of deity that stands above everything and everyone, luring all that is evil toward its doom," Weinhardt says. "We had the title 'Total Mastery' in mind for quite some time, as it best describes the Messticator’s ultimate ambition: absolute control over everything and everyone."

The drummer remembers that they "gathered many ideas on how the cover could best convey the title, how to portray it in a powerful way, and how to create the right atmosphere. We created mood boards, collected inspirations, and wrote down how we envisioned the scene. A concept sketch was also developed as a visual guideline. As far as we know, the artwork was created digitally using Photoshop. The first step was a rough sketch by Andreas, and then he completed the artwork in three stages based on our feedback."

Pre-order the album at https://messticator.bandcamp.com/album/total-mastery

See more of Andreas Christanetoff/Armada Art's work at https://www.facebook.com/armaadaArt

INTERVIEW WITH DESERT COLLIDER ABOUT THE COVER ARTWORK FOR DEBUT ALBUM, "GENERATION SHIP...."

Italian Psychedelic/Stoner Rock quartet, Desert Collider, is releasing its debut album "Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity" on March 6 through Small Stone Records. The cover illustration (which portraits an alien world reminiscent of Dune's Arrakis) was created by Francesca Santini. In the following interviews, the band's guitarist/vocalist, Federico Costanzo, shares important details about this vision.

Please, tell us about the origins and development of the cover concept.

Federico Costanzo: The artwork of the album went through several iterations, as we wanted it to truly represent the band and the themes developed throughout the record and its cosmic narrative. The first inspiration came from the band name itself. We envisioned a particle accelerator as a living, active entity, which led to the idea of the mechanical worm collider, a picture both liminal and transformative. Building on this, the artwork idea revolved around a lone voyager stranded on a deserted planet, facing the unknown and confronting the very core of his existence. Francesca (Santini) brought this concept to life. In the artwork, the stranded voyager faces a mountain from which the giant mechanical worm-collider arises, pointing toward the sky and embodying the unknown and inner struggle of the voyager, while its connection to the collider reflects transformation and self-discovery. Together, the voyager and the collider capture the album themes of isolation, exploration, and the inner journey.

How did Francesca Santini become involved in the project?

Federico Costanzo: Francesca is an old-time friend. She is a professional illustrator and an avid listener of heavy music. Moreover, we have a great cultural connection so from the very beginning we knew she was the right person to pursue this kind of goal and the right person to put fruitful discussions on the table when it comes to finding the best fitting solution for the artwork. Having similar foundations, it was easy and pleasant to collaborate.

What techniques/mediums Santini used to create this artwork?

Federico Costanzo: She develops her visual work through both analog and digital workflows. She usually performs her sketches either on paper (e.g. pigment inks) or directly on Procreate using digital interfaces. For the album artwork, we had a long conversation in front of a beer and a table full of sketches. From this foundation she developed the final visuals (characters, landscapes, color palettes, elements) using Adobe Photoshop. Her process spans the full visual pipeline, from ideation and illustration to composition and final production She is a 360-degree artist.

The album is available for pre-order at https://smallstone.bandcamp.com/album/generation-ship-endless-drift-through-infinity

FORMATION AND DISSOLUTION: THE MAKING OF OSMIUM GATE's "CANNIBAL GALAXY" ALBUM COVER.

Instrumental Metal duo, Osmium Gate, will release its debut album, "Cannibal Galaxy" on March 13, 2026. The lysergic cover artwork was designed by guitarist/bassist, Drew Ehrgott, who also produced and mixed the record. In the following interview, he talks about the creation of this cosmic vision.

This album cover portrays a very peculiar graphic. What is this image depicting?

Drew Ehrgott: The cover art for "Cannibal Galaxy" draws visual inspiration from elemental forces and cosmic phenomena, particularly the vast, shifting presence of nebulae. It is meant to feel less like a literal image and more like an environment, something forming and dissolving at the same time. The artwork reflects the album’s core idea of consumption and transformation, where matter, energy, and scale lose clear boundaries. Like the music, it exists in a space where beauty and destruction are inseparable, and where forces far larger than humanity quietly shape everything beneath them.

What techniques/mediums were used to create this artwork?

Drew Ehrgott: The artwork was created using a layered photographic and digital process that incorporates organic textures and abstract forms. While the final image is digital, it was approached with an emphasis on erosion, movement, and density, rather than clean precision. The piece evolved gradually, much like the compositions themselves, allowing forms to emerge through repetition and distortion. The result is intentionally ambiguous, inviting the viewer to interpret it as elemental, cosmic, or somewhere in between.

The band's logo seems to have symbolic overtones. Who designed it?

Drew Ehrgott: I designed the Osmium Gate logo. It was designed as a typographic system rather than a decorative mark. It began as a hand-lettered composition rooted in blackletter traditions, chosen for their inherent weight, darkness, and historical gravity. The structure was carefully planned, with the A in “Gate” intentionally functioning as a portal, reinforcing themes of passage, threshold and transition.

From this rigid framework, tendrils and energetic extensions were introduced to create a sense of controlled chaos. These elements suggest motion, expansion, and energy while remaining anchored to the underlying letterforms. Once the balance between structure and instability was resolved, the logo was digitized and refined to preserve its legibility and intentional tension. The final mark reflects a deliberate interplay between order and disruption, mirroring the band’s sonic approach.

The album is available for pre-order at https://osmiumgate.bandcamp.com

Follow Osmium Gate at https://www.facebook.com/osmiumgate