In March 2024, Dutch progressive death metal band Pestilence stirred controversy with the announcement of their career retrospective album, Levels of Perception. The uproar wasn't about the music, which spans an impressive 38-year career, but rather the AI-generated artwork that graced the album cover. Fans and critics alike lambasted the decision, accusing the band of prioritizing convenience over artistry, even when the band chose to defend their choice.
The backlash sort of took another turn when the band's frontman, Patrick Mameli, announced the new artwork for the release while at the same time siding with the original design with a statement that some felt was tone-deaf: "First off, let me be absolutely clear about the fact that both band and record company still love [the AI] cover… But the point I'm getting at is this: I will not risk all the work we have put into this release just to push the cover. We care a lot about our fans, and we do not want this product not to be a success just because we want to push our ideas regarding A.I. We have always stood at the forefront of game-changing events within the death metal scene, whether it's music or in this case, a cover."
Now, some months later, it seems the debate is far from over. Earlier today (December 29th), Mameli addressed the controversy once again, taking to Pestilence's Facebook page to deliver a fiery defense of AI-generated art. He argued that the technology offers an affordable way for bands to create visually striking album covers, especially as traditional budgets for commissioned paintings dwindle.
"I have to get something off my chest. This constant BS about metal bands using A.I. album covers more and more. There are a few reasons. First, huge budgets for real paintings are a thing of the past. Secondly, the idea of having mutilated bodies, zombies, and extreme gore are also a thing of the past for Pestilence."
Mameli also dismissed criticisms that AI art lacked authenticity, insisting that it aligns with Pestilence's ethos of innovation and reinvention: "When you want to survive in the nowadays industry you have to adapt and Pestilence has always been known to look ahead and never fall back into the old habits not just music style wise but every other new release has had a new approach to our own musically, unlike most acts that rely on their older legacy."
"When we released Levels Of Perception, we aimed to revisit the demo style recording, that was asked for by many fans, they didn't like the production they asked for themselves. With Portals we will, again, follow our own path and you could really dig it. As an example, this 'drawing' was considered to be amazing on my personal FB site. This is also A.I., and is an amazing piece of art. Not the album cover, by the way!!!," Mameli added in the same post, which included the picture above.
This argument draws attention to an evolving landscape in heavy metal and beyond, where digital tools are becoming as central to the creative process as guitars and microphones. Mameli's ultimate question to fans was simple: "Would you not buy an album with killer production and song just because a cover is A.I.? Then you are not listening to our compositions that are fully handmade. But rather are concerned with the 40× past you have been living in. Start embracing the future of music that is Pestilence."
