Doja Cat and the German metallic hardcore band Chaver likely have a lot in common (a total rejection of normal society, for instance), but today, the gossamer thread connecting the two artists is the image of a pink spider with a gem-like drop of pink blood in its chelicerae. Slight variations of the arachnid, designed by artist Dusty Ray, appear on the covers of each artist’s new album.
Doja Cat debuted her artwork, which features the spider and no type-treatment (other than the obligatory “Parental Advisory”), on Instagram on Tuesday, teasing the release of her Scarlet album on Sept. 22. Chaver posted theirs on July 29, announcing their Of Gloom artwork. In addition to a dustier background, their cover contains a very metal moniker logo and the title written in capital letters at the bottom. The album also comes out on Sept. 22.
“The striking cover art, masterfully crafted by Dusty Ray @sloppjockey_ert (who has been with us since our first album), serves as a captivating contrast to the album’s intense music, setting the stage for a trip to a place of pain,” the band wrote.
Reps for Doja Cat, Chaver, and Dusty Ray did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s requests for comment on the coincidence.
Although it’s unclear how Doja Cat found Dusty Ray, she has a very obvious obsession with spiders. Her current Instagram avatar is an eight-legged freak, and she has a tattoo on her left arm of an arachnid inside what looks like a mystical blueprint (or maybe a Vitruvian Da Vinci wheel.)
Dusty Ray, whose typically gory style recalls Francis Bacon, has provided artwork for many heavy bands in addition to Chaver, including Defacement, TearMyself, Patricia Taxxon, Logistic Slaughter, and Drofnosura.
“I have always been obsessed with animal anatomy, particularly the legs, teeth, and eyes,” Dusty Ray said in an interview with Impeached. “The way we are versions of them, the parts we share and the ones we don’t. Our symbiosis and our exploitation. They inspire me and comfort me and my portrayal of them is always rooted in reverence.”
From Rolling Stone US
