“Asylum Of Shadows”: Horror, Nightmares And Dreams In Metal Albums Art By Ken Sarafin

“Metal bands want to portray the opposite of a happy life on their album covers,” says Ken Sarafin, and the Vale of Pnath frontman knows from whence he speaks. In addition to creating the awe-inducing artwork for his band’s latest release, The Prodigal Empire, Sarafin has illustrated at least a dozen album covers for an array of acts, both local and national, including Axeslasher, Listen to Reason, Exotype, Acedia, Arcania, Blue Waffle and Voiceless Location, among others.

Sarafin, a part-time illustrator and metal vocalist who also works part-time at Lockheed Martin, specializes in depictions of post-apocalyptic science fiction horror, a style he eventually found through copying his dad’s old Sgt. Fury and Spiderman comics as a child.

“Typically, my paintings are very creepy and surreal, but I also love creating sci-fi and fantasy works. I’d love to illustrate for a cool graphic novel someday. I’d also love for someone to fly me out to a tropical island and pay me millions of dollars to paint fruit wearing hats. I don’t know. As long as I can be creative and make a living doing it, I’m happy,” he said.

More: Ken Sarafin, DeviantArt, Facebook h/t: wesword