Behind The Artworks: Karcius - Black Soul Sickness (2026)

The cover art for BLACK SOUL SICKNESS was created by Montreal-based artist and tattooist Michael Cloutier, who previously designed the artwork for THE FIRST DAY (2012) and GREY WHITE SILVER YELLOW & GOLD (2022). Having already collaborated with him, bringing him back for this album felt both a privilege and essential.

The visual direction grew out of ongoing conversations at his studio while I was getting tattooed. We wanted something that felt both abstract and psychedelic, yet still anchored in an organic, physical reality.

At the core of the concept is a protagonist haunted by generational trauma—“family ghosts” that linger beneath the surface. The image represents a descent into that darkness: a passage through a suffocating, root-covered tunnel, where the earth itself becomes both obstacle and catalyst. The struggle is visceral—clawing forward through resistance, pain, and buried memory. But the movement is not downward—it’s transformative.

Emerging on the other side symbolizes reconstruction: a painful but necessary rebirth. The protagonist reconnects with himself, with others, and with the world around him. What begins as psychological decay evolves into confrontation, and ultimately, healing.

The result is an image that doesn’t just illustrate the album—it embodies its emotional and psychological core.

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