Naevus, ‘Back Home’, 2025

I have worked with the German Doom Metal band ‘Naevus’ for a number of years, on t-shirt designs and the release of three records, including a re-release of their first album ’Sun Meditations’ on Rise Above Records. Here are inner and outer sleeves for firstly Back Home (2025) and then from Heavy Burden (2017).

The more recent sleeve for ‘Back Home’ was developed over several years at the same time as the music. I wanted to hand paint this sleeve a little in response to the rise in AI driven record sleeves. The imagery touches on familial and ecological themes, forward looking with a concern for the future. The subjects are intentionally depicted in a romantic style both looking backward in reminiscence and yet aware of how idealising the past can lead to problems in the future.

We are all wishing for a magical character to fix everything for us whilst knowing that doesn’t really happen. The swallows are lost souls and family in both images. They also appear on the t-shirt. The logo is my design and is also hand drawn.