TOURNIQUET Explains New Album Cover

Christian metallers TOURNIQUET will release thier new album, "Antiseptic Bloodbath", later this summer via Pathogenic Records. The CD will feature guest guitar solos by Marty Friedman (ex-MEGADETH),Karl Sanders (NILE),Pat Travers, Bruce Franklin (TROUBLE) and Santiago Dobles (AGHORA).

The "Antiseptic Bloodbath" cover artwork was created by Travis Smith of Seempieces, who has previously worked with OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, NEVERMORE, ICED EARTH, DEATH and AMORPHIS, among many others.

Commented TOURNIQUET: "About the cover — the figure of Jesus: Flogging was part of the crucifixion process under Roman law. The whip used had multiple strands of leather with chunks of metal and bone embedded in each strand. As the prisoner was flogged, fist the skin would be battered, bruised and torn, and then the whip would start digging into the tissue below the skin until the flogging victim's skin was torn and hanging from their body in ribbons. The cover image is an artistic depiction, and as so a certain amount of license must be allowed for. While bones can be seen on the Christ figure on our cover, that shouldn't be misconstrued as being a rotting Christ. It's a depiction of the brutality endured by Jesus.

"Isaiah 52:14 - Just as there were many who were appalled at him, his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness.”

TOURNIQUET previously stated about the "Antiseptic Bloodbath" title track, "[It] speaks of the way our society prefers to sanitize brutality. We can have our tidy Christian faith, or continue with no faith at all, as long as we don't consider the painful bloody price that was paid for us.

"We use animals for our food, profit, and amusement, but would rather not know about the needless, often systematic suffering that is inflicted on them by a callous and greedy humanity. 'Don't upset my comfort zone — brutal truth, leave me alone.' The great news is that we have the ability to choose. This album encourages us to make good and humane choices in our daily lives that reflect these images."

TOURNIQUET's last studio release, 2003's "Where Moth and Rust Destroy" (Metal Blade),featured special guest appearances by guitarists Marty Friedman (ex-MEGADETH) and Bruce Franklin (TROUBLE).