What happens when the worlds of the hardcore metal scene and domestic felines collide? A lesson in juxtaposed adorable awesomeness, that’s what. For proof, check out these preview pictures from photographer Alexandra Crockett’s upcoming book Metal Cats, out soon via Powerhouse.

Having been involved with the metal scene since she was 15 years old, Alexandra stumbled across the idea for a book project when she began to cat sit for a number of musicians. Intrigued by the marriage of metal heads and their fur-balls, she started to photograph portraits of the odd couplings up and down the West Coast.

The felines featured in Metal Cats claim honorary membership of bands like Napalm Death, Cattle Decapitation, Morbid Angel, and Municipal Waste — the latter of which would also be a great name for some sort of organic litter-box contraption targeted at urban city dwellers.

Building on the way that Metal Cats charms by showing a softer and more domesticated side to a music scene often stereotyped as invoking only dark and extreme imagery, a portion of profits from the book sales will also go to no-kill shelters based in the artists’ home cities.

Metal Cats will be published on May 6 — consider it your next vital cat-based coffee table tome.

Read more about musicians and cats:

• The 6 Coolest Instagram Cats Owned by Musicians
• Thomas Dolby, Electronic Musician and Cat Potty Trainer
• We Talk to Lisa Loeb About Cats and Cat-Eye Glasses
• We Match 5 Lou Reed Songs with the Perfect Cat Vidoes
• Lil Bub and Kelley Deal of the Breeders Make a Song Together
• Lady Rapper Kreayshawn Tells Us All About Her Adopted Kitties
• Rock Out with Cat Galaxy, the Only Radio Station for Cats

Learn more about your cat with Catster:

• 6 Tips for Talking to Your Cat
• Your Cat’s Butt Is His Health Barometer
• Should You Let Your Cat Roam Free Outdoors? Not if You Want Him to Have a Long Life

About Phillip Mlynar: The self-appointed world’s foremost expert on rappers’ cats. When not penning posts on rap music, he can be found building DIY cat towers for his adopted domestic shorthair, Mimosa, and collecting Le Creuset cookware (in red). He has also invented cat sushi, but it’s not quite what you think it is.