Grimgotts are a folk metal band with a taste for the epic, so when it came to their album artwork, subtlety was never going to be part of the brief. The band wanted something that reflected the scale and theatricality of their music: a colossal battle at sea featuring a dragon, a sea drake, and Poseidon himself locked in a storm-torn clash for dominance.

Visually, the goal was to channel the spirit of classic late-80s metal album covers, dramatic, detailed, and unapologetically over the top. Towering waves, mythical beasts, and divine fury all came together to create an artwork that felt as loud and adventurous as the music it accompanied.

The band connected so strongly with the final piece that the project quickly expanded beyond the cover itself. I was commissioned to create an illustrated map for the album booklet, transforming the record’s themes and lyrics into a navigable fantasy world. Locations across the map corresponded to songs on the album, while mythological creatures and hidden details rewarded closer inspection.

To complete the package, I also refined the band’s existing logo. The updated design incorporated subtle nautical influences, introducing scales, fins, and flowing forms that tied it more closely to the album’s maritime setting while preserving the identity fans already recognised.

The result was a cohesive visual world that extended far beyond a single album cover, giving the record its own mythology and sense of place.