Archive for May 14, 2026

…And Justice For Art: Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers – Ultimate Edition Limited Run Hardcover Book Out Now ~ Featuring Black Sabbath, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Neurosis, And More

Posted in books, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal merch, metal music, Music, music news, news with tags , , , , , , , on May 14, 2026 by Metal Odyssey

The new hardcover book, …And Justice For Art: Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers – Ultimate Edition, is now available.

…And Justice For Art: Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers – Ultimate Edition includes 372 color pages, 700 graphics, and more than 120 exclusive interviews about the making of hundreds of iconic metal album covers. This epic journey through the art of heavy music features stories about the sleeve artworks for albums like Black Sabbath’s Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden’s Killers, Metallica’s …And Justice For All, Cynic’s Focus, At The Gates’ Slaughter Of The Soul, Slayer’s Reign In Blood, Opeth’s Heritage, Darkthrone’s A Blaze In The Northern Sky, Suffocation’s Effigy Of The Forgotten, Tiamat’s Wildhoney, Neurosis’ Times Of Grace, among many others.

The stories behind these iconic artworks are told through hundreds of exclusive comments and interviews with metal icons like Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Nailbomb, ex-Sepultura), Jeff Walker (Carcass), David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel, Vltimas), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Esa Holopainen (Amorphis), Fenriz (Darkthrone), Tom Angelripper (Sodom) and many others. The book also includes insightful interviews with legendary illustrators such as Eliran Kantor, Dan Seagrave, Travis Smith, Valnoir, and Costin Chioreanu, who also designed the book’s cover.

“This hardcover book features 372 glossy color pages, more than 700 images and firsthand information about hundreds of graphics, which are presented in extremely high quality,” author Ramon Oscuro comments. “This is a complete reinvention of the original …And Justice For Art book published in 2015, which have been out-of-print for almost a decade. Instead of just reprinting the original volume, I decided to rewrite, redesign and update every page. I also added 108 new pages featuring new chapters, new interviews and hundreds of new graphics. It’s a completely new book, an epic journey through heavy music imagery from 1970 to 2025.”

According to Vltimas/ex-Morbid Angel frontman, David Vincent, who penned the book’s foreword, this is “a historical document about the importance of Metal album covers.” Soulfly’s Max Cavalera has thanked the author “for helping to keep alive the ritual of the album cover.” Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan assured that “this is exactly what the music world needs to remind us how important album covers have been to all of us that grew up surrounding ourselves with physical media.”

Watch a trailer for …And Justice For Art: Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers – Ultimate Edition HERE.

This is a limited edition of 500 copies. It’s only available at THIS LOCATION. Use the discount code AJFA15GOOD to save 15% on your purchase.

Journalist/musician, Ramón “Oscuro” Martos García, was born in Cuba in 1975. His interest in heavy music started at a very early age after discovering the music of bands like Queen, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Sepultura, among others. He graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Santiago de Cuba before emigrating to the Dominican Republic in the early 1990s, where he played in several metal bands, including Necro, Divinis Invocat, and Los Recalcitrantes, and founded the country’s first rock/metal fanzine, Esperando El Final. After moving to the United States in the 2000s, he started writing for publications like MetalUnderground.com, This Is Metal Magazine, PureGrainAudio.com, among others.

In 2011, Ramón formed the Metal art community …And Justice For Art, which is the result of his longtime obsession with visual arts, especially heavy music art. This community and the book series ...And Justice For Art – Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers (which has spawned five volumes during the last decade) have provided exclusive information about the making of thousands of metal album covers, the work of hundreds of graphic artists and other related topics.

https://www.andjusticeforart.com

https://andjusticeforart.bigcartel.com

https://www.instagram.com/officialandjusticeforart

https://www.facebook.com/andjusticeforart

Source: EARSPLIT PR

CRIMSON STEEL Release Lyric Video For “No Absolution” ~ Announce New Album: Show No Fear

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, music news, news with tags , , , , , , on May 14, 2026 by Metal Odyssey

An explosive offering awaits from the Raleigh, NC, based ensemble CRIMSON STEEL. As the band gear up to unveil their forthcoming full length album, Show No FearCRIMSON STEEL present their first single release in “No Absolution“. Show No Fear is set to arrive on October 2nd, 2026, via Heaven and Hell Records

“No Absolution” showcases the dynamic characteristics of CRIMSON STEEL‘s sound. While inspired by traditional styles, progressive metal and power metal, the single delivers a modern feel. “No Absolution” provides haunting melodic moments alongside ferocious rhythms. Throughout the track, emotional vulnerability is entwined with heavy power. 

Lyrically, CRIMSON STEEL delve into themes surrounding guilt, condemnation, and spiritual isolation. The imagery evokes a sense of a being who is trapped with their own internal suffering, unable to atone or make amends for past actions. “No Absolution” explores an inability to escape from the torment that exists within oneself. 

CRIMSON STEEL focus on storytelling through their music. Each track across the album contributes to the larger emotional narrative experience. At its core, Show No Fear explores the human experience often drawing on fantasy and mythical imagery to convey the central themes of fear, transformation, power, and perseverance.

Show No Fear – Track List: 

  1. As Above, So Below 1:11
  2. Dark Rider 4:39
  3. No Absolution 5:53
  4. Purifier 4:18
  5. Final Phase 5:44
  6. Prelude to the Blade 0:45
  7. Century Sword 5:18
  8. Bleed into One 6:30
  9. Show No Fear 4:52

Show No Fear was produced by Wendy Brancaccio and recorded and mixed at Vintage Noise Studio with Wendy Brancaccio and Bill Spears. The album was mastered by Anthony Focx. Cover artwork and design for Show No Fear is by Johnathan @gerardster. 

Guest vocals on “Bleed into One” were provided by James Rivera, recorded at Hombre Malo Studio and engineered by Larry Barragán

About CRIMSON STEEL:

With a style rooted firmly in classic metal, Raleigh, NC based CRIMSON STEEL combine elements from traditional metal and power metal to produce a high octane sound with a modern feel. Initially formed in 2022 by bassist Joel McGee, the quartet draws influence primarily from the likes of JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, SAVATAGE, CRIMSON GLORY, and QUEENSRŸCHE. 

Alongside McGee is vocalist Tina Langevin, both of whom performed together as teenagers before unexpectedly reconnecting in this new musical endeavor. The line-up is completed with David Ryan on guitars and backing vocals, along with Will Adkins delivering percussion in addition to backing vocal duties. 

Entwining story-driven songwriting with the intense energy of crowd-participation and the live stage, CRIMSON STEEL is preparing to unveil their debut album Show No Fear on October 2nd, 2026, via Heaven and Hell Records

Connect WithCRIMSON STEEL:

Official Websitehttps://thecrimsonsteel.com/
Bandcamphttps://crimsonsteel.bandcamp.com/album/show-no-fear
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/CrimsonSteelband/
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/crimsonsteelband/
TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@crimsonsteelband
YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@thecrimsonsteelband
Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/2gHclPS8FUD52MeTo5ryX7?si=EiKPhLYVT2GSEPI4FNC1_Q

Source: C Squared Music