New Work Published: Indoctrinator by Brain Dead!

One of the things that made me want to get into the art business in the first place was the art on '80's rock albums.  Richard Corben blew my doors off with his cover for Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell", and Derek Riggs made sure they stayed blown off with his art for the various Iron Maiden albums.  Ever since, I've been fascinated by the art and design of album covers, especially for the heavier styles of music, as they seem to have more fantastic elements.
I still have, somewhere in my sketch archives, a few of the pencil reproductions I've done of some of Derek Riggs's work,, as well as variations of pieces of art I've done for local bands like Urgent, Innocence and Marshal Law.  Somewhere in there, there's also a few pages for a very early comic book called "Warriors of the Metal World" that did fantasy/horror comic adaptations of heavy metal songs.  The less said about that the better.
All that is but preamble to tell you why I'm so proud to be part of this current project.  A while back, the thrash band "Brain Dead" invited me to design a piece of art for their demo CD and T-shirts.  This led to me designing their mascot, "Billy Brains" (no Iron Maiden influence there...nope, no sir), and later to the current project, the cover for their debut album "Indoctrinator".
I've been keeping the full version of this under wraps until the band was ready to release it themselves.  Now, as of midnight last night, they've released the art along with the first track from the album, "High Value Target".  The track, indeed the entire album was funded through a Kickstarter project to bring producer Bill Metoyer on board.  If you'll take a look at Bill's website, you'll see that his credentials read like a who's who of heavy metal.  With those kind of productions values and talent like Brain Dead's at the wheel, you know that "Indoctrinator" is going to one wild ride!
You can hear "High Value Target" right now over at ReverbNation.  Crank those speakers up and rock out with some of the best new metal tearing up the net.  And while you're there, be sure to check out the eye candy on that cover.
Thanks to Adam and Rez and all the rest of Brain Dead for inviting me to be part of this project, and I hope (wink wink) we get the chance to work together again.

Update:  The full album "Indoctrinator" has now been released.  You can find it at their BandCamp page or search it on iTunes.  Go get it now!

New Work Published: Lovecraft EZine #28

Available online right now is issue # 28 of the Lovecraft EZine.  This one's a bit of special issue, in that it's a tribute to Lovecraftian author Willum H. Pugmire.  Pugmire is an author and personality who has been active in the genre since the early 70's.  From Wikipedia:

"Pugmire is a self-proclaimed eccentric recluse, "the Queen of Eldritch Horror, "^[13] as well as a self-identified "punk rock queen and street transvestite".^[9] He has worked in various theatrical capacities, sometimes appearing at parties as characters including 'Count Pugsly', a vampire.^[14] In the documentary film, The AckerMonster Chronicles!, about Forrest J Ackerman, Pugmire describes how he was influenced by Ackerman's magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland and shows the audience the issue in which his photo appears in 'Count Pugsly' makeup."

 My piece for this current issue uses that "Count Pugsly" photo as a springboard to illustrate a poem by none other than Jessica Amanda Salmonson, an author whom I've long admired, and whose work I am thrilled to have a chance to decorate with my doodlings.  

Head over to the 'zine's page to read the current issue today.  It's free to read online, and as always, will be available later in mobile and audio formats.  It's time well spent.

And in the meantime, here's my illustration from Issue #27's story "He Knew Not the Month Was October" by Zach Shepherd, possibly the only existing portrait of a kangaroo of the apocalypse.  If this one strikes your fancy, you should know it's available in various printed sizes and formats from my DeviantArt print store. Enjoy!