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Chroma is the debut album by American rock band Cartel, originally released on September 20, 2005. In its first week, the album sold over 3,000 copies, making it the most successful release in The Militia Group’s history at the time. Driven by the breakout single “Honestly,” Chroma quickly gained traction, debuting at number one on SoundScan’s Alternative New Artist Chart and landing in the top 20 of over 50 independent record store sales charts. A second single, “Say Anything (Else),” continued to fuel the album’s momentum. Following its initial success, Chroma was re-released through Epic Records in 2006 and has since sold over 250,000 copies.

To celebrate the album’s enduring impact, Cartel announced a 10th anniversary reissue of Chroma on vinyl—limited to just 1,000 copies. We were invited back by the band to reimagine the packaging, having worked closely with them on the original 2005 CD release. This time, with the freedom of a larger canvas and fewer production constraints, we revisited a concept that had been left on the cutting room floor the first time around: a die-cut sleeve.

For the anniversary edition, the band and album logos were thoughtfully reworked as stencils, forming the foundation of a custom die-cut jacket that reveals layered artwork beneath—mirroring the album’s emotional depth and sonic texture. Every design element, from type treatment to color palette, was refined for vinyl format, honoring the original aesthetic while elevating it for a new generation of listeners and collectors. The result is a package that not only celebrates a milestone in Cartel’s career, but also stands as the definitive visual expression of their most critically acclaimed work.