Megadeth Demanded Sampul Designer Album The Sick, Theusing... And The Dead!

Dave Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro (Instagram @davemustaine)

JAKARTA - The artist who created artwork for Megadeth's latest album, The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! filed a lawsuit against the thrash metal giant. He claims he has not received any payment for his work.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, in a lawsuit filed on February 3 at the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, New York-based illustrator and designer Brent Elliott White said he was contacted in early 2020 about drafting design concepts and artwork for Megadeth's upcoming studio album, which later became Megadeth's third full album involving him in designing and producing artwork.

White previously worked with Trivium, Job For A focus, Death Angel, and Arch Enemy.

In mid-April 2021, Megadeth established the concepts and artwork that will form the basis for the cover of their current album entitled The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead! Around this time, White said he was asked to create cover artwork for the EP release, which he is also working on.

On June 22, 2022, 5B Artists + Media (and Megadeth manager) CEO Bob Johnsen told White that Megadeth has been working on costumes for future tours and requires additional rendering of the artwork selected for album covers as stage decorations for the tour will be based on album cover art, the lawsuit said.

Through text, White reminded Johnsen that he still does not have a written contract with Megadeth and has not been paid for his work.

"I know the album release time is very tight but I have to say that every shipment, including album art, depends on compensation and contract. So we have to finish it immediately," White said.

On June 23, 2022, without an agreement signed with White and without paying anything to him for his work, Megadeth released White's artwork and a shocking" White, according to the lawsuit Giving credit to Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine for the album's "Art Concept".

White sued Megadeth, Universal Music Group, and others for copyright infringement. He asked the court to decide to stop Megadeth and record labels from using the artwork.

Not only that, White also demanded compensation and disbursement of profits.