We’ve recently had the pleasure of working with Himalayas, a fast-rising rock band from our home city of Cardiff, Wales.
Having already shared stages with the likes of Foo Fighters, Stereophonics and Manic Street Preachers, Himalayas are known for their explosive blend of powerful guitar riffs, sharp hooks, and electric live shows. Ahead of the release of their second album, the band approached us to help refine and evolve their visual identity to better reflect their new creative direction.
Working closely with the band and their management team, our task was to transition their raw, grungy aesthetic into something more refined.
At the heart of this transformation is a newly crafted logotype, designed to reflect the band’s energy while steering clear of genre clichés. We explored a number of dimensional treatments, extruding and simplifying letterforms until we landed on a design that felt right: a bold, block-style typeface defined by sharp negative space, angular cuts, and strong geometric clarity.
As part of our design process, we explored six distinct creative directions. After much debate, the chosen concept – with its stripped-back geometry and structural focus was chosen.
For the final refinements, we collaborated with typographer Rob Clarke to finesse the letterforms further. The result is a visual mark that feels architectural, confident, and minimal – clean, yet grounded in the grit and force of the band’s music.
We were also commissioned to design the cover art for Himalayas’ second album, Bad Star, which centers on the theme of disaster. A partially destroyed sculpture of a head is set against a clean, contrasting backdrop, creating a striking visual focal point. We approached the design with subtlety to ensure that the other graphic elements didn’t distract from the main image.
Bad Star was realsed on 25th April, 2025.
Credits: Sculpture by JSL7 Studio. Photography by Andy Ford
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Himalayas are: Joe Williams (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), Mike Griffiths (lead guitar, backing vocals), Louis Heaps (bass) and James Goulbourn (drums).
