Support the black arts
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Some of today’s most forward-looking black metal bands have gotten visuals to match. Frenchmen Merrimack have unveiled the cover for Grey Rigorism, out September 15 on Moribund/Osmose. Two new tracks up on the band’s Myspace show an almost geometric sense of space. It’s a welcome progression from previous relentlessness. Seldon Hunt‘s artwork looks to be a good fit. Other marquee names involved are Necromorbus Studio’s Tore Stjerna (recording, mixing, mastering) and Converge’s Jacob Bannon (MySpace page design).
French design house Metastazis, whose clients include Averse Sefira, Nachtmystium, Antaeus, and many others, has done the cover for Secrets of the Moon‘s Privilegium, out September 14 on Lupus Lounge. It’s more “Satanic” and striking than the usual Baphomets and pentagrams. I reviewed Secrets of the Moon’s amazing last record here. The band is offering a limited edition t-shirt/European concert ticket combo at a bargain price here. This October and November, the band invades the US and Canada — see dates here.
The cover for Code’s Resplendent Grotesque, out recently on Tabu, is instantly recognizable as Stephen Kasner‘s. I have not heard the album yet, but I have heard good things about it. The MySpace clips sound strong, mostly. I’m not sure how I feel about that singing.
Pantheon I‘s digital single “Serpent Christ” also has quite a cover. It’s a painting by Kjell Åge Meland, who has done other artwork for the band. I am not familiar with their music, but they have associations (1349, Koldbrann, Black Hole Generator) that I’ve reviewed here. Their Worlds I Create full-length is due out soon on Candlelight.
Buy:
Merrimack (pre-order)
Secrets of the Moon (CD, MP3)
Code (MP3)
Pantheon I (MP3 single)
