Paradise Lost Unveils "The Plague Within" Album Artwork

Returning with opus number fourteen, Paradise Lost's "The Plague Within" (set to be released June 1st in Europe, June 2nd in North America), was produced by Jaime Gomez Arellano at London's Orgone Studios.

The cover artwork was created by the Polish artist Zbigniew M. Bielak, best known in the musical realm for his record cover illustrations, which among others include meticulously handcrafted artworks of Watain, Ghost, and Entombed A.D. Zbigniew comments:

"Since their late 80's inception, through somber abrasiveness of their debut and harrowing tristesse of groundbreaking 'Gothic', the unparalleled icons of gloom, Paradise Lost grew deep into all things murky and dreadful in modern music. Let alone Duncan Fergado's artwork for their 'Lost Paradise' debut remains one of my fave covers, so having heard that with 'The Plague Within' the band harks back to days of old, was - to say the least - a thrilling incentive to pick up the commission.

"It was also a rare joy to see how preliminarily calm and reflective Arcimboldian artwork, kept becoming ever darker and more sinister past each of Nick's and Greg's scrutinies, to finally become what one can see on the actual cover. A portrait of hopeless decrepitude of mental illness - which is what 'The Plague Within' deals with thematically - where the tormented Sisyphus struggles to push his burden back up the slippery walls of a long frozen illusion."

Check out the artwork below, and see the band live on these dates:

May 29, 2015 - Rockavaria - Munich - Germany
May 30, 2015 - Der Ring - Grune Holle Rock - Nurburg - Germany
July 18, 2015 - Castle Party Festival - Bolkow - Poland
August 15, 2015 - Summer Breeze - Dinkelsbuhl - Germany