Behind The Artworks: IA - IntiAtion (2020)

It was very important to us that the album art depicts the story of the album in a deeply symbolic way and that it resonates with the lyrical themes of the songs. We chose to work with our friend Jouko Alapartanen because he has directly worked with Saami and Siberian shamans during his artist career. He understood the philosophical themes behind the album right away. We communicated our ideas about the album art to him and he interpreted our vision into an actual piece of art.

The album art is a sort of a diagram. It shows the carnality of human existence as well as the three deaths of a shaman-to-be layer by layer. From birth to life and from death to rebirth, formed in the roots of the tree of life, where the knowledge of all the diseases as well as the cures are hidden. The thorned roots bind the shaman to his destiny and represent the path of suffering, disease and healing. The three faces - the human, the decaying corpse and finally a skeleton - is symbolic of the dying process. The empty space symbolizes the immaterial part of humanity, the spirit. The division to four segments is the annual cycle of the seasons. Opposing sides display being asleep or unconscious versus being awakened and conscious and spirit versus dead matter. The descent from spirit to matter, life and the dying process forms a secret pattern on the cover art that will reveal itself to those who seek. The hint is in the album title itself.

Jouko Alapartanen, the artist, says himself:

“Eternal lines of Leonardo da Vinci.

First, we start to planning album cover art with IA guys..just talking level. They have big idea,

where was lot of branches.

Then we start cut ideas away branch by branch.

Finally

I see whole idea on my mind. A shamanistic wheel, eternal lines of Leonardo da vinci. Spiritual level of Vitruvius human measures. Not only physical level, not only what we can see.

Who we really are?

It’s my answer on this album cover art - Too Big? I think not

It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll but i like it”