Alexandre Goulet’s graphic design and his band APES’ music are perfect companions to one another. Dark and twisted, they evoke the same foul feelings. Things won’t be alright and that’s absolutely fine. As a designer, he’s worked with the likes of ALL OUT WAR, DOPETHRONE, DESPISED ICON and DESTROY THE MACHINE, putting out incredibly well composed and lively visuals. As a singer with Apes, he brings the finishing touch to a truly punishing sound.
https://www.facebook.com/alexandregouletdesign/
-Ben F.
Who is your favorite artist of all time?
I like a lot of different stuff from a lot of different designers. A designer who influenced me a lot in my approach for bands artwork is Pol Romano. He has done a lot of designs for bands like ANIMOSITY, THE RED CHORD and stuff like that. He uses several mediums (collage, painting, computer, photography) and he manages to reinvent himself every time. He knows how to give life to a band through his art, and I find it very inspiring.
Otherwise, I must say that Dan Seagrave is also a big influence. He is a real legend. He is behind some of my favorite artworks of all time (SUFFOCATION – Effigy of the Forgotten – BOOOM). Recently, he’s worked with XIBALBA and I thought the fit was perfect!
Top 5 best album covers?
It changes from week to week, but basically
IRON MONKEY – Our problems
SUFFOCATION – Effigy of the Forgotten
DYING FETUS – Destroy the Opposition
THE RED CHORD – Clients
SLEEP – Dopesmoker
Special mention for the last EXHUMED record.
Best unusual/novelty vinyl packaging?
Let’s be honest here, saw blade shaped vinyls are one of the most badass thing in this world. Exhumed actually released one recently. It’s pure genius for this type of band. Might not work for most genres though!
What artist or band do you believe has achieved the most well thought out aesthetic, as a whole?
CONVERGE. No doubt about it. With someone like Jacob Bannon in your band, you are sure to keep an excellent continuity in your visuals. On top of that, the visuals follow the evolution of the band so well through their different albums. We can see that the group has an overall vision of the aesthetics they want to present, and it’s great!
Most odd/disturbing piece of artwork?
Definitely Our Problems from IRON MONKEY. I rarely saw anything so disturbing that managed to pass the test of being available in the bins, uncensored. I know that many other covers are extremely disturbing, with blood and guts, but often they’ll stay on the shelves for 2 days only before being removed (e.g. «dead babies» cover of the BEATLES). But the one from Iron Monkey was actually made by one of the most controversial cartoonist of all time, Mike Diana. It’s really on another level. Genius!
Do you have a technique that you prefer when it comes to albums covers (eg. drawing, picture, collage, etc)?
Personally, I work a lot with photomontage but i try to bring it in different ways. It’s a bit like the stencil style that reminds you of the 70’s-80’s punk albums or the photomontage, which is more inspired by what the movie artists did in the 80’s with airbrush. This method allows you to try several options quickly, which is handy sometimes. Personally, there is no technique that I like more than another. Each one brings different things. But the opposite is also true. Some techniques are more difficult to handle than others.
Which decade has produced the best artwork?
The end of the 80’s and the beginning of the 90’s produced a lot of beautiful work. I’m thinking of Dan Seagrave’s early career, with projects that almost all became cult. Everything was done by hand (painting, collage, airbrush) and it gave a special aura to the art pieces. And besides music, the art that revolved around the cinema (which is undoubtedly my biggest influence) was at its peak in my opinion. All horror B-movies had visuals made by incomparable artists who gave an interesting aesthetic to the era.
Do you remember the first time you were truly amazed by a piece of artwork?
As cheesy as it sounds, Follow the leader by KORN. When I saw the artwork, I thought it was so great. Doing business with Todd MacFarlane (Spawn’s illustrator) assures you quality! The illustration is amazing.
What are some of the best artwork that any of your bands put out?
Definitely APES’ last album, Lightless. I wanted to do something different and get out of my usual zone. When I showed it to the other guys in the band, they all agreed that it did required no change haha. What I like about this visual is its simplicity and the painting effect that I managed to achieve. Funny thing, 2 weeks later, our good friends in FULL OF HELL released their new album, also with a faceless nun on the cover. As Dylan from FOH told me then, “great minds think alike!”
Is there a recent piece of artwork that blew your mind by its originality?
Lately, I really liked the artwork for the latest JESUS PIECE. Simple, effective and reminiscent of the hay days of bands like MACHINE HEAD, PANTERA etc. Shout out to my boy Dominic Pabon for the nice job!
Any final word?
I would just like to highlight the fantastic work of some of my designer / illustrator friends in the business. Shout out to my boy Branca Studio (We both started around the same time, with the same style and I am very proud of everything he has accomplished. He’s an excellent designer). My man Dominic Pabon, who works with all these new bands like Jesus Piece, Vein and Year of the Knife. And finally Heavy Hand Illustration which is really the best of the best in the game of illustration right now.
The design community in the music industry is small. I believe that it is important to recognize the work of those dedicated to it, who give their time to make sure that your band looks great.
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