Words by David C. Obenour
While the settings are as varied as the creative reaches of human curiosity, heavy metal has long thrived in an environment of epic fantasy. From the outermost orbits in space to the deepest delves of dungeons, metal’s intensity and passion provides a sonic cinema for lyricists to howl their tales. But these environments aren’t built solely in sound. The art that wraps around the music ignites the minds of listeners before they can even drop the needle.
Atlanta’s progressive metal band, Tómarúm continue the tale of their narrator on Beyond Obsidian Euphoria. Existing on a plane of depression and despair, through strength and vulnerability they seek to ascend for a life beyond tragedy and defeat. Offering a short but precise interpretation of this vision along with lyrics, the band handed over creation to Ukrainian / Italian artist, Mariya Popyk. Storms of swirling oil paint sweep in across the valley of the path ahead. The adventure won’t be without struggle but what glory would there be if there wasn’t?
Off Shelf: Metal music can be so vibrant in the worlds that it creates for listeners. The music and lyrics are the strongest source, but the album art is another powerful gateway. Can you think of some of your favorite album covers, in terms of the narratives that they helped to create?
Kyle Walburn: Some of my favorite album covers would be Emperor – In the Nightside Eclipse, Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper, Dimmu Borgir – Stormblast, Satyricon – Dark Medieval Times, and Paysage d’hiver’s self-titled demo. I am also a huge fan of cheesy black metal covers that just have the members in corpse paint – such as Astarte – Doomed Dark Years, Mütiilation – Black Millenium (Grimly Reborn), and Eerified Catacomb’s self-titled album.
Brandon Iacovella: Album artwork is one of the biggest things that draws me to an album or release in general so it definitely creates a huge impact. In terms of favorites, I would say Aquilus’ “Bellum I,” Augury’s “Fragmentary Evidence,” and Arckanum’s “Kostogher” are among some of my favorites. All different in their execution but so fitting and hard hitting for their respective styles.
Mariya Popyk: Music is one of the most arcane and powerful forms of art because it speaks directly to the unconscious, bypassing the rational filter and resonating with those primal strings that define us. Visually translating a musical work is almost a ritual process: it’s not simply about illustrating, but about deciphering another language — often dark — and reshaping it through one’s own sensitivity.
In painting, it becomes even more complex: even just evoking a color scheme that’s faithful to the spirit of a track can be a challenge. My most successful works have emerged where I’ve received complete trust from the band — when I’ve been given total freedom, with only fragments of lyrics as starting points, as if they were relics from which to invoke the entire visual ritual. It’s in that freedom that I can enter the heart of the work, empty myself, then fill up with its essence, and return it in my own language.
OS: What do you think it is about this style of art that can be so inspiring? What makes for a good piece of album art for you? What does it and doesn’t it tell you?
KW: I’m a huge fan of things that are huge/epic in scope, as well as imagery that is mystical or otherwordly, for lack of better words. This also manifests itself in my love of RPGs and fantasy novels, which in turn have influenced the way that Tómarúm presents its ongoing narrative, both sonically and visually. To me, the best album covers give the listener a good idea of what the vibe of the album is – that is, above all, the most important part.
MP: I’m convinced that an album cover should be simple but powerful, able to dig deep and spark curiosity. It should encourage you to play the record, as an invitation to discover something hidden. I belong to a generation that bought records without knowing anything about the band, without having ever heard a song. The cover and lyrics were everything: they were enough to ignite the desire to explore. I believe that adding too much distorts the message. The cover should be mysterious, captivating, and powerful. It should leave room for imagination.
BI: I think it has to be striking and detailed – most of the time – for me. I love when there’s a lot to catch your eye. Different shades, fine details, landscapes, vibrant colors – or lack thereof with certain black metal albums, etc. If it relates to the overall theme of the record and has lyrical connections too that’s even better.
OS: Can you remember how you first became aware of Mariya Popyk’s art? What about their style resonated with you?
BI: I had seen her art a few times before online without knowing it was her and absolutely loved it. Wen I joined Theurgy a few years back I was shown the artwork for our debut album Emanations of Unconscious Luminescence and I was immediately enthralled with the color palette and detail and surreal style she brings.
OS: When working with them for Beyond Obsidian Euphoria, what did you share to help guide the art? Songs or demos? Lyrics?
KW: We sent Mariya a list of ideas that Brandon and I had brainstormed, as well as a rough sketch, the lyrics to the album, and our first album’s artwork as a reference.
MP: Kyle was extraordinary. He sent me a simple draft, but one full of meaning, with the lyrics and a clear explanation of the band’s overall vision. Every detail was precise, both in content and style. The album title immediately struck me, an invitation to explore a hidden abyss. Overall, I hope I managed to capture that force in the cover. I chose to emphasize a dramatic atmosphere on the back cover, aiming to convey a sense of emptiness that only reveals itself once the album is opened and both sides are revealed. A profound silence, like a revelation that slowly emerges.
OS: Outside of your own source material, was there any other inspiration you shared? Either visually or conceptually?
MP: I was very inspired by John Martin, a 19th-century English romantic painter, known in the metal world for his epic and apocalyptic visions. His ability to blend light and shadow influenced me, driving me to seek that same visual and symbolic drama.
OS: Did anything about what Mariya brought back surprise you? Either in that it was maybe not what you had expected or maybe that it gave you a different way for thinking about this world as a new shared artistic vision?
KW: I wouldn’t say I was surprised since I knew how incredible of an artist Mariya was but I was certainly at a loss for words seeing our vision brought to life. She perfectly captured everything we wanted.
BI: The swirling, almost “melting” aspects of some portions of the piece were a very cool addition that I wasn’t expecting. I also loved how brooding and red the valley in front of the fortress was. Really nice choice of color there. The runes on the coffin as well were unexpected but the fantasy nerd in me absolutely loves them.
MP: They’re more like seals than runes. I’ve always loved studying and creating seals, and the context was perfect for placing them. Each seal is a powerful symbol, a portal to the unknown, capable of invoking hidden energies and deep meanings. A link between the visible and the invisible, a visual ritual.
OS: The entire illustration is a much larger piece – extending fully onto the back cover. Is there a narrative to the decision of that layout too?
KW: We knew that the album’s vinyl pressing would be packaged in a gatefold sleeve, and we wanted the front and back cover to be one continuous piece. In addition, we feel that the extra space allows for more ideas and a more impactful painting.
BI: I personally love when artwork wraps around the back of an LP or a CD booklet. We wanted to continue the narrative/visual elements of the first album and it seemed like a good opportunity to do that with the coffin and cliff as well as get the two panel art concept knocked out too.
MP: This was my first time working on a fold-out layout, and I saw it as a new challenge. It wasn’t easy but it gave me the chance to think about the illustration as a journey that unfolds gradually.
As I mentioned before, I aimed to create two different yet interconnected environments, like two faces of the same coin, talking to each other. Every fold, every section had to be a revelation, a piece of a larger narrative that grows and expands. I hope I’ve managed to capture this visual tension and meet the expectations, creating a universe that evolves and reveals itself in every detail.
OS: Have you worked on other items for bands before? How do you find those jobs to be unique in what they require as opposed to a cover?
MP: Yes, I’ve had the opportunity to work on various other projects, such as t-shirts and concert posters. These works are fascinating in their own way but they have a different nature compared to creating an album cover. An album cover is a visual condensation of an entire experience, an introduction to the world of the album, and it carries a certain solemnity. It’s an entryway, a statement. While in projects like T-shirts and posters, the challenge is to condense a powerful message into a smaller space, but with an immediate impact, designed to grab attention in a visceral way. Each type of project has its own uniqueness, but the album cover, in a sense, is the most complete work because it must embody the heart of the album itself.