Jump to content

FatherAlabaster's Art and Illustration


FatherAlabaster

Recommended Posts

Great work as always.....you have such a distinctive style....would you describe your style as surrealism or a form modernism or post modernism? It's very articulate and naturalistic in a sense but also fantastical and abstract in some of  your conception and highly imaginative to the point of being disturbing, but I mean that in a good way in the way film  and, of course avant and progressive metal can be gripping, thought provoking, challenging  and disturbing at the same time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, markm said:

Great work as always.....you have such a distinctive style....would you describe your style as surrealism or a form modernism or post modernism? It's very articulate and real/naturalistic in a sense but also abstract and highly imaginative to the point of being disturbing, but I mean that in a good way in the way film  and, of course avant and progressive metal can be gripping and disturbing at the same time. 

Thank you! I think of these paintings as surrealist, primarily, especially in the last few years. I've felt a kinship with the classic Surrealists since I was a kid looking at Dalí paintings, and the more I read of what they were thinking about, the more I find that resonates with me. But there were some modernists and post-modern/ab ex painters who gave me a lot to chew on when I was in school, and then on the other side of things I'm a sucker for medieval art and French neoclassical painting. I'm beginning to feel the need to work on some more overtly expressive stuff, after I get through this next tranche of ideas. I'm just sort of seeing where it goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
10 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

I've spent the last few weeks reworking this one instead of starting the one I was supposed to be doing... an unsound business choice, but I'm happier with the painting now. The new version is called "Propylaeon". Oil on canvas, 36 x 36".

Wow. Hadn't seen these posts before. Exceptional work. An awful lot of shrivelled penises for my tastes, but the style is up there with the best of anything I've seen. Will drop you a PM with more reasoned enquiry about album art....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
  • 2 months later...
3 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

"Below", 36x36, oil on canvas. Cover painting for the upcoming Rannoch album "Conflagrations".

image-asset.jpeg?format=2500w

 

This is from two years ago, but I couldn't share it until now. Really happy for these guys - they recently signed with Willowtip and this album will see a proper release.

Great stuff as always.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...