Death Metal Band Receives Backlash For Their Magazine Cover Photo, Band Blasts Back

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Tomb Mold photos by Colin Medley
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The Canadian death metal band Tomb Mold recently made their Decibel Magazine cover debut for the publication’s November 2023 installment. Last week on September 15th, the band released a new album titled The Enduring Spirit; the record marks the band’s fourth studio album and brilliantly shows off their captivating blend of doomy death metal.

While Decibel is proud to showcase the band in their magazine, some folks have voiced complaints about the band’s appearance on the publication’s cover. Specifically, these individuals are not fond of the clothes the band is wearing.

What is it about these clothes that have some up in arms? Well, below you can see for yourself:

It’s literally just a death metal band looking like a death metal band. But apparently, some are not fond of their look.

Per one user over on X (formerly Twitter): “I like the new Tomb Mold record a lot. But death metal bands really need to understand that getting your picture on a magazine cover fucking means something, and meet the moment. Death metal needs more Akercockes, and fewer examples of…this.”

Alongside their comment, this user also shared another photo of the band, this one featuring them in some really nice dressed-up attire.

Another user wrote in response to the cover: “these dudes look like they wanna lecture me on chainlink or some other crypto”

Coming across these comments themselves, Tomb Mold members Max Klebanoff and Payson Power chimed in and defended themselves.

Per Klebanoff: “We are literally wearing just tshirts and shorts in that photo. Why does anyone care. Wait until you see the whole feature”

Directly responding to the user who made the “Akercockes” comment, Power wrote, “Why would I want to be something that I’m not?”

Retweeting the initial criticism, Power adds: “If this is how you feel about Tomb Mold after seeing what we look like, by all means, stop listening to our band

“That cover photo is a completely authentic portrait of who we are. Why would you want us to be anything but? This is no judgment towards the mighty Akercocke, one of the most interesting and ambitious extreme metal bands of our time. I believe they’re just as sincere as we are”

Standing by the band, Decibel also got involved in the conversation. The magazine shared a screenshot involving a post written by KEN Mode, who defended Tomb Mold and wrote the following, “People talking shit on Tomb Mold’s clothes on @dbmagazine, what the hell is actually going on here? Y’all are mad they look like regular people? Like actual fans of music and not laughable comic book characters?”

In response to KEN Mode’s post, one user replied and wrote, “Name 5 people you know that have handlebar mustaches. They do not look like regular people.”

In awe of this comment, Decibel wrote in response to the interaction, “The ‘name three songs’ thing taken to its stunning conclusion.”

Alongside Decibel and KEN Mode, others also came to the defense of Tomb Mold. Below you will find each of the aforementioned posts. What do you think of the criticism the band has received regarding the clothes they wore on their Decibel Magazine cover?

You can also purchase a digital copy of Tomb Mold’s The Enduring Spirit today via 20 Buck Spin’s Bandcamp; physical pre-orders are also live.