How Player Vs Environment Turned “Catacombs” Into a Comic

There are songs you listen to.
And then there are songs you live in.

Player Vs Environment’s latest release, “Catacombs,” doesn’t just land — it reverberates. It’s a narrative buried beneath sound and bone, a visceral collision of music, myth, and supernatural dread. But Catacombs isn’t meant to stop at your speakers — it demands to be read.

Today, we invite you deeper — into the story beneath the city, into the lyric comic that transforms a heavy track into a haunting visual legend.

A Song That Became a Myth

Catacombs is not just another metalcore song. It’s a narrative told across centuries — through silence, remembrance, and the ghosts that refuse to stay buried.

When you press play, you aren’t just listening. You’re stepping into a world where the past was never gone, only waiting.

The song explores themes of legacy, loss, reclamation, and the inescapable persistence of history. Through the lyric comic of the same name, those themes bleed off the track and into every panel, expanding the story beyond sound alone.

This isn’t an adaptation.
It’s an extension.

From Song to Comic

Catacombs began as a song, but it was always intended to exist beyond audio. The goal was to create a physical lyric comic — a visual narrative meant to be read alongside the track, expanding the story through imagery rather than explanation.

The project faced real challenges. Translating a heavy, layered song into sequential art required the right collaborators and a shared belief in the vision. The original artwork was illustrated by El Grande Basterdo (Rob Howell), whose understanding of the project made him essential to its creation. When Rob passed away before the comic was completed, Catacombs was left unfinished.

What exists now is the result of persistence and collaboration — a song turned into a comic through loss, determination, and the efforts of multiple artists who stepped in to complete what Rob helped begin.

Honoring the Artwork and the Artists Behind Catacombs

The artwork for Catacombs carries a deeper weight than what appears on the page. The original artist commissioned for the comic, El Grande Basterdo (Rob Howell), passed away before the project could be completed. Only a portion of the comic was finished by him, with the remaining pages completed by various artists who worked to honor and preserve the original vision.

Rob wasn’t just an artist — he was a collaborator, a creative partner, and a believer in the project when few others were.

Poltergeist reflects on their relationship:

“Rob was the only person who could actually see my vision and take me seriously. Every artist I approached before him treated it like a joke. This was before platforms like Fiverr existed. He believed in what I was building. He was a good friend, and when he passed, it felt like I lost my partner. He completed six full comics and several pages of Catacombs. Unfortunately, he never got to see this one finished.”

The artists who completed Catacombs stepped in with care and respect, carrying forward a foundation Rob helped build. This comic exists not only as a piece of storytelling, but as a tribute — to creative trust, collaboration, and the lasting impact of an artist who believed when it mattered most.

Completing the Vision: The Artists Who Finished Catacombs

Following the passing of Rob Howell, Catacombs was completed by a collective of artists who stepped in to carry the project forward with respect and intention. Illustrations for the comic were completed by Danny Argote, Brandon Larkovich, Denny Art, and Nomme777, each contributing their own visual language while staying true to the atmosphere and narrative foundation already in place.

Color work throughout the comic was handled by Caylee Christine Shore, whose palette and tonal control helped unify the pages into a cohesive visual experience. One page of Catacombs was both illustrated and colored by Yaumi Azka, standing as a singular contribution within the finished work.

Together, these artists brought Catacombs to completion — not by replacing what came before, but by honoring it and ensuring the story could exist in its full form.

The Music Behind Catacombs

The song Catacombs was written, recorded, produced, and composed by Poltergeist, shaping the track’s atmosphere from its foundation to its final form. The narration is performed by Professor Grim, whose voice anchors the story and gives the song its haunting presence. Guitar composition was written by Christian Logaglio, adding tension and weight that drives the track forward. The Native American vocal elements were performed by Emmet Anaya, a Native American artist and tribal member, whose contribution brings authenticity and cultural depth to the song’s spiritual and historical themes.

Where to Experience “Catacombs”

Whether you’re a music fan, a horror reader, or someone who lives for stories that don’t fit neatly into one medium, Catacombs gives you two ways in:

Stream the song “Catacombs”
Available on all major platforms — Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more — the track is the heartbeat of the experience.

Read the physical lyric comic
Exclusively available through the BurnTheWorld.com webstore, this collectible edition

Read Catacombs Digitally Available On Amazon Kindle, Webtoons, Tapas, and more

This isn’t just a release — it’s a ritual. A convergence of sonic and visual worlds that demands participation.

Experience the track. Read the comic.
Explore Catacombs at Burn The World.

Explore Catacombs — Physical Horror Lyric Comic
Stream the song now: http://PvE.Band