Wildly engaging, the painting is inspired by an infectious (and deadly) amphibian disease.
Words by Luis (@HeaviestOfArt):
England's Slimelord are set to release their debut full-length, Chytridiomycosis Relinquished, and with it comes a sprawling Brad Moore illustration to lose yourself to as the band's death doom soundtrack crushes in unison. As evident in the contemporary death metal catalog, the subgenre remains king of the musical arts, which is possible through prompts that intentionally spark a creative flow in the eyes of the artist responsible. "One way to snag my interest in painting a wild album cover is when the band presents an incredible concept that needs fleshing out," comments Moore.
Chytridiomycosis Relinquished is a head scratcher on title alone, so it's only right that its visual companion be a puzzling beauty of a scene ripe with detail. For starters, it helps know what drove its creative direction. Moore elaborates, "Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease that attacks amphibians, a fungoid infestation that results in death." He continues, "The album concept concerns a giant, amphibious, batrachian beast that crawls up from the depths and dies, leaving a continent-sized corpse. Several bizarre, freakish life forms take over the reeking hulk, and establish civilizations within the 5-stomachs of this decomposing leviathan. Bacterial battle fields, subterranean heat vents, slimy liquid sources (not quite water) human-sized microbial entities, and warring factions make up this hellmouth of chaos and dystopia."
Moore's descriptions detail plenty, but still they only provide a few pieces to the expansive puzzle that took some personal investment for complete success. "I painted this giant undertaking in 9 weeks, including research, and, though it was arduous, it was infinitely rewarding to work on a project this large and important," comments Moore. "More of this type of imaginative creativity, we’ve had more than enough albums about the devil.
Like the record it represents, Moore's artwork is vastly layered and warrants multiple engagements to fully grasp its intended purpose. Slimelord hit hard and compose boundlessly to excel at delivering a comprehensive experience, one that is sure to keep listeners hooked from the initial listen. Moore felt this needed an actual hand and a human touch — a signature trait that piques the interest of those keen for a imaginative collaboration. In closing, Moore shares, "I used acrylic paint, a small bit of colored pencil (mostly in highlights), and none of this work utilized any computer graphics or AI. Get out your magnifying lenses!"
Chytridiomycosis Relinquished arrives March 8th via 20 Buck Spin (Order).
