INVOCATION I is presented by D.B. Think Tank at 7518 and 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046 (next door to, and inside of Meltdown Comics) from November 2nd – November 18th, 2012. The opening party will be at 8PM on November 2nd, 2012, Antichrist Kramer and Peter Beste will be in attendance signing. DJ Jonbenet (Dominick from Ash Pool/Prurient) will be doing a special 7″ only black and death metal DJ set. The closing party is at 8PM on November 17th, 2012 and Alexander Brown will be in attendance from New Zealand signing an exclusive print with other events TBA.

Our inaugural show, INVOCATION I, is an exploration of darkness and esoterica from five artists who, with work featured on top black, death and doom metal records and in occult and art publications, create the aesthetic that helps to define the modern fringe of extreme art and music.

Antichrist Kramer is a painter, musician and record label owner who is influenced by nightmares and dreams, esoteric ritual, mind expansion and above all else his hatred, disgust and rage towards this world/paradigm and the majority of its inhabitants. His work has been on releases from many modern legends of black and death metal such as INQUISITION, VASAELETH, PSEUDOGOD, NYOGTHAEBLISZ, HELLVETRON, THE TRUE WEREWOLF, GOATPENIS, ABSURD, EMBALMED as well as his own musical projects DEATHKEY and INTOLITARIAN; and labels such as Osmose, Nuclear War Now, Hells Headbangers, No Colours and his own labels – Satanic Skinhead Propaganda and Audial Decimation records. His labels have releases from all the aforementioned bands as well as BLASPHEMY, SARCOFAGO, SETH PUTNAM/ANAL CUNT, SATANIC WARMASTER, CONQUEROR, REVENGE, PRURIENT, FELDGRAU and GRUNT. This is Kramer’s first gallery show in 10 years and we are honored that he chose us to bring his dark masterworks to an unsuspecting public.

Peter Beste is an American documentary photographer best known for his work documenting subcultures. His first book True Norwegian Black Metal (Vice Books 2008) is a seven-year exploration into the dark world of black metal music in Norway.  The country’s largest musical export gives birth to this notorious subculture- an obscure mix of Occultism, Nordic mythology, and extreme heavy metal which aggressively forsakes Norwegian mainstream society. Beste’s unprecedented access and insight results in a stunning and honest visual testimonial and has been exhibited in over 12 countries. Beste’s next venture was to return to his Texas roots to investigate the infamous world of underground Houston rap with writer Lance Scott Walker. Known around the world for its original sound, it’s gritty, violent and drug-promoting lyrical content, Beste presents an honest and compassionate look into the homes and personal lives of Houston’s rappers, and everyday inner-city citizens of the Houston neighborhoods. Through integrating himself into their world for over seven years, Beste’s photos give his audience an honest look rather than the exaggerated commercial-friendly facade commonly presented. This project has culminated into two books to be released in March 2013. Beste has had solo exhibitions in London, New York, Tokyo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Los Angeles, Madrid, and others. His work has appeared in American Photo, Arkitip, Juxtapoz, British Journal of Photography, Dazed and Confused, London Observer, Modern Painters, VH1, MTV, NRK (Norway), XXL and many others.

The Black Ink Warlock, a.k.a. Justin Bartlett, applies boundless visual style to depictions of the arcane. His developed portfolio representing clients of various trades exposes an illustrative language often derived from the occult, where theology and religion meet strife. Here he has mastered visual manipulation of his equally imaginative clients within several genres of extreme music. With pen and ink, Bartlett renders visions unseen by the naked eye, awakening apparitions as ambiguous as those creatures created by Edgar Allen Poe or ideas fostered by Aleister Crowley. Self-taught, the illustrator/designer has developed a style that’s equally recognizable as it is versatile. Bartlett’s work has been selected for worldwide exhibitions and his illustrations have cloaked the pages of Vice Magazine and he has been featured in Illustration Now! and 3X3 Magazine.

Alexander “Bad News” Brown is a New Zealand based illustrator whose finely detailed work has graced the albums and shirts of top metal bands such as MITOCHONDRION, IMPIETY, CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS, NAILS, VASAELETH, ALDEBARAN, PSEUDOGOD, DIOCLETIAN, HERESIARCH and his own roaring black/death metal machine WITCHRIST. This is Alexander’s first gallery show and we are proud to have his world class illustrations here.

Denis Forkas Kostromitin is a master painter from Moscow, Russia. Growing up in Russia he was initially a self-taught artist. When he was still in his twenties, Denis frequently visited China as an interpreter and a journalist and eventually came across the opportunity to study traditional Eastern painting techniques. His research of philosophy and the occult – both ancient and modern – coupled with the unique sense of aesthetics produce beautiful and bewitching works, which grace the covers of records from HORSEBACK, CASTLE, RIDE FOR REVENGE, DEAD REPTILE SHRINE, WRATHPRAYER, FUNERARY CALL and AVE MARIA. This is the first exhibit in the United States to feature Denis’ work.

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