Dark FuneralDark Funeral's newest offering on the black metal market, 'Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus,' will be released Nov. 18 on Regain Records, and something may strike you different about the album cover.

"First of all, it is a digital painting," designer Daniel 'Morbid' Valeriani told Noisecreep. "Plus, a matte painting technique, how some cinema artists do." The method makes for a realistic, smooth, and clear rendering -- not typical for metal artwork.

Valeriani wanted to create an entire landscape of what Hell might look like. "I've used software like Photoshop, 3D Studio Max and the revolutionary ZBrush software, which is incredible. Plus, I've added in particularly for the background some pictures I've made of monuments here in Rome, with a professional digital camera."

Zbrush is an application that allows digital artists to apply color and textures to images more effectively, and with striking realism and clarity. The demon head and hand are wonderful examples of what this program can do.

"I was influenced by the book 'God's Demon' by the well-known artist Wayne Barlowe," Valerani said of his inspiration. "For the textures there are details reminding me of Beksisnki, too. Those are artists I worship, together with [H.R.] Giger and [Hieronymus] Bosch, of course."

Dark Funeral will play two shows at the end of December and the beginning of January to support the release.

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