All things point to Death- Album Cover -Slayer

So i wanted to do a cover for Slayer that had the meaning of Death all over it but in a semiotic and visual way that is undoubtedly a bit of a transgressive theme. by sketch quite afew vanitas style lay outs i decided to work towards that style for this image.

Here are a selection of my roughs/sketches done to help me work out what layout and items to included in the image. As it was focusing of the death theme it had to be a Skull as the most focal point. Using other objects such as symbols like the inverted pentagram and cross which to some represent evil and satanic values.

 Using broken glasses to suggest some frome of indulgence in the booze as as its broken could mean a good time or a good time turned bad.

On here i have used a shell to show the exotic travel/tour a band might take on in the journey to metal fame. Also added a snake to suggest the snake in the garden of eden as it sums up all sin,  some inner storytelling like Bosch within the over all image. 

With these I started playing around the the idea of putting a coffin shape in the image as this is the last resting place for the majority of people. I like how it works with the semiotic value it brings but im just dont like the feel of the composition everything is in in these mockups.