Brief, directions and guidelines
The third album in the series of this band from Romania. Darkgrove the previous two designs too, so the concept was familiar. The band sends in a detailed description and a drawing for the guidance and inspiration. Also several Museum / collection photos of ancient Dacian weaponry are included.
First reaction when hearing the music
The band describes themselves as ‘Transylvanian blood stained metal’. The band hails from Romania and their sounds is brutal, but also epic with orchestrations. Some parts of the music have folkish influences. So visuals should look epic with strong colors.
Relationship to the music, lyrics and art
The lyrics deal with the ancient Dacia and the artwork should reflect this.
Inspiration and influences
Lot of research about the Dacian culture, the weaponry and the look that is needed.
Storyline and concept
The band’s description is very detailed in this case. The throne and the warrior king are the main figures, and there are lot of details to be included…
Drafts and preparation i.e. sketches, drawings, ideas, etc.
Based on the demo-sketch from the band, a plan is agreed and the first sketches are made. In this case it’s clear what needs to be done so the personal photography archives are used for reference, for example for the cave walls, torches etc.
Band or label feedback
When the first draft is ready – which usually is already more or less the final piece – the work is sent to the band. After some evaluation some suggestions may come up. In this case it’s suggested to adjust the left hand of the warrior a little as the original gesture the figure was making didn’t fit anymore. After the few minor adjustments the second draft is approved by everybody involved.
Prepare artwork for final release, formats and special requirements
When the cover was ready and approved, the focus moved to the other pages that were needed. This was a 6-panel digipak with a 12-page booklet so a lot of other artwork had to be created. For the digipak three more scenes were painted and the booklet had the lyrics and the band photos.
Feedback from public, media and final thoughts
It was quite a time-consuming project, but went down smoothly. The instructions were clear, but there was also plenty of room for artistic interpretations.
www.darkgrove.net
www.facebook.com/Syn-Ze-Sase-Tri-161102870596933
By Alex Milazzo – Copyright 2015 © Heavy Music Artwork. All Rights Reserved.
