Okay, so we have survived mid-term break here in the UK, almost, and we have Halloween upon us and the perfect time to delve into the latest offering by Brit rockers Creeper.
Now, I have never had the pleasure of seeing Creeper live myself; I know them only by reputation, and that reputation tells me that this album will be a wild ride! Their latest offering, Sanguivore 2: Mistress of Death, is their boldest yet, pushing their boundaries and creativity to the limit.
The album kicks off with an 80s-infused banger that captures the imagination, painting a picture of horror and gore —just what the doctor ordered for a band like Creeper. The guitar riffs across the album are tasty, fused with the gory storytelling and theatrical backing vocals, you can’t help but get lost in its majesty. There’s a comfortable familiarity to the melodies across the album that wrap you up in a blood-soaked warm blanket that says, You’re home, with all your freaky friends, this is your place, and you’re safe here.
I love the tasty guitar solos, cutting through the dark, emotive songwriting. It is a moment of light entertainment against a darker storyline, but the operatic backing vocals add that little bit of magic to each song that lifts the heavy veil when you need it. The pace is frantic at times, the riff’s lashing out at you so you can toss all that angst against the wall whenever you need to.
The dry, vocal style of William Von Ghould, set against the thick riffage and soaring choruses, adds another layer of theatrics that so many will love. I can only imagine the scene live, die-hard fans living their best lives at the edge of the stage, giving it their all as they pray that Will’s sweat will land on their foreheads and anoint them. As a live entity, I can only imagine what a show Creeper would put on with such a sonic rollercoaster to entertain their masses.
Creeper are everything and yet not quite what I was expecting. The band rips musically; their songwriting is highly entertaining and addictive, and I can understand their appeal within the rock and metal universe. They fill a niche that many rock and metal bands lack, with their larger-than-life personalities, visuals, and theatrics; they walk the walk and talk the talk. I will definitely need to experience them live at some stage to see how they translate this to the live stage. Creeper are doing their thing, their own way, unapologetically — and rightly so. We need more bands that capture the imagination and help us escape the daily grind.
Creeper – Sanguivore 2: Mistress of Death is out Oct 31st courtesy of Spinefarm Records.
‘SANGUIVORE II: MISTRESS OF DEATH’ is available to pre-order HERE. Physical formats are led by three vinyl products: a CREEPER purple vinyl, a mistress purple marble vinyl available through select indie stores, and a blood red marble vinyl in gatefold packaging which is exclusive to the band’s official store. The CREEPER store also offers an exclusive two-tape rave case packaging both ‘SANGUIVORE’ and ‘SANGUIVORE II: MISTRESS OF DEATH’, while a mintpak CD is available through all retailers.
‘SANGUIVORE II: MISTRESS OF DEATH’ artwork
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CREEPER tour the UK as special guest to Ice Nine Kills in December. The dates are:
DECEMBER – WITH ICE NINE KILLS
8th – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
9th – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
10th – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
12th – London, OVO Arena Wembley
Follow CREEPER:
Official site | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | X