#electric messiah

Another poster that made its debut at @fullbleedexhibition :

High On Fire- “Drowning Dog”.

18x24”

9(?) color screenprint on French whitewash paper

Edition of 50 Artist Proofs

Printed by Ben LaFond

This is 1 of 2 posters I made for @highonfireband US-tour, that unfortunately had to be canceled twice due to Matt’s medical problems.

Hope that Grammy they’ve won has some healing power & HOF will be back killing it at every show around the globe.

This poster was based on the song Drowning Dog:

THE WORSHIP OF INFERAE TOMBS

A COMMUNION OF SYCOPHANTS

HOW LONG IS THE LINE TO OUR DOOM

DECEIVERS AND LYING CHANTS

CHORUS;

AND GOD DAMN YOU

YOU’RE THE SHADOWS OF MAN

AND GOD DAMN YOU

FOR IT’S KILL OR BE KILLED IN THE END

THE NUMBERS CROSSED LINES IN THE SAND

THE POOLS OF HUMAN RATS

THEIR TAILS ARE TWISTED AND TIED

EAT OF THY POISON DIVINE

CHORUS;

THE TORTURER SLOWLY BROUGHT DOOM

IRREVERANT THE INGRATE LAUGHED

MENDACIOUS AND FULL OF BLACK RANTS

DARK GRINS AND KNIVES IN BACKS

CHORUS;

END CHORUS;

TAKE WHAT IS GIVEN TO YOU—DEATH SURROUNDS YOU

STUCK LOW WITH SOULS FOR THE MOON-DEATH SURROUNDS YOU

BLACK GARBS THE HOSTING OF TWO—DEATH SURROUNDS YOU!

Having recently lost my own dog, I wanted to somehow work that wound in the art. Initially i wanted to stay away from a literal approach & asked Des if there was a deeper meaning behind the lyrics. This was his response:

“Drowning dog was actually one of my stories. An old roommate of mine had a friend who had a dog. The dog bit someone and he knew it had to be put down. So instead of taking it to the vet and having them give it a shot he decided to take the dog to the beach, walk out into the water and drown the dog. He felt the dogs life should be taken by his own hands. Pretty trippy huh? He said he wrapped his arm around the dogs neck and submerged his head watching him squirm. Once he stopped squirming he looked him in the eyes and waited for his soul to leave his body”

So that threw all my plans of using metaphors right out of the window & I just went for a full on literal approach.