Famed Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco paints Valley of Chrome’s new album, Victorious.

Famed Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco paints Valley of Chrome’s new album, Victorious.

by rick olivares

In the history of recorded music, there are those famed cover artists whose work has adorned some of the most popular if not landmark records of our time.

There’s Hipgnosis that has done cover art for Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, and Peter Gabriel among others.

There’s Peter Saville whose abstract designs adorned albums by Joy Division, New Order, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Pulp among others.

There’s painter Roger Dean whose fantastical art has graced albums by progressive rock bands Yes and Asia.

And there’s Marcelo Vasco.

The Brazilian painter is known for his extreme art that given the metal and extreme music scene arresting images. Vasco’s work can be found on Slayer’s Repentless, Soulfly’s Enslaved, Hatebreed’s The Concrete Confession, Kreator’s Gods of Violence, and Machinehead’s Bloodstone & Diamonds to name a very few. Slayer’s Final Tour poster also featured Vasco’s work.

And now, his work can be found in Philippine metal band Valley of Chrome’s fourth album, Victorious, that will initially be launched on compact disc this February, and on vinyl this April. 

Valley of Chrome manager Jeff Keenan related that his vision is to help raise the level of his band’s music to international standards. “Performing in the Hammersonic Festival in Indonesia last year was a game changer for us,” he related. “We want to get our music out there beyond our shores. We want to also improve and we can see that now in our live performances by being even more technical and conscious of the sound.”

“And one other thing was to get someone like Marcelo to paint the band’s album cover.”

Keenan bared that as a fan of metal music, he has come across Vasco’s work. He reached out and didn’t expect much of a reply. “I was wondering if he’d want to work with a band from the Philippines considering he works with big bands. I was really surprised when he replied and was amenable to doing the cover.”

For the Brazilian’s part, he asked many questions about the band so those insights could find their way into the work. Then he listened to the music.

“Actually, Marcelo provided us with three different designs,” added Valley of Chrome’s manager. “All three were very impressive. But the one with the skeleton king riding on what seems to be the four horses of the apocalypse was the most striking one.”

Said Vasco of his collaboration with Valley of Chrome, “Doing this artwork for Valley of Chrome was an awesome experience. They are my very first Asian band in my client list.”

“I was excited to do this. I think people have this impression that I only do work for major bands and that isn’t true. While working with these big bands constitutes a big part of my body of work, it is important for me to work with bands and artists from around the globe.”

Regarding Valley of Chrome, Vasco had this to say about their music. “They are a talented band and I am happy to have my work as a part of this release. It works both ways – their music will reach new audiences while my artwork will also do the same. And that is fantastic.”