Both Steppenwolf the band and Steppenwolf the book provided the thematic inspiration for this design. The book follows Harry Haller, a man searching for balance in a life full of extremes. His character embodies these extremes as he deals with questions of life and death, the spiritual and material, and what it means to be human. The story blurs the lines between reality and hallucinations as Haller seeks for stability in the battle between his uniquely human thoughts and his undeniable animal instincts.

The band Steppenwolf also embodied these themes, balancing approachable radio hits with guttural rock that led them to coin the term “heavy metal”. They acted as a voice for the youth of the 1960s, bringing attention that era’s social, political and philosophical restlessness. In the unpredictable world of music, in which the lifespan of most bands can be measured in terms of a few months, Steppenwolf have emerged as one of rock’s most enduring and respected bands, making music for more than three decades.

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