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It didn’t take long for Creeper to outgrow punk. The Southampton gang emerged in 2014 with a sound indebted to AFI and Alkaline Trio, but even then, something more ambitious lurked below the choppy riffs and gang-chanted choruses. After all, this is a band who spent years building paranormal, spooky lore with their early EPs and faked their own disappearance as part of the promo campaign for their 2017 debut, Eternity, In Your Arms.
They’ve since experimented with each album. 2020’s Sex, Death & The Infinite Void drew from Britpop, Nick Cave and 70s rock. Meanwhile, 2023’s Sanguivore was a metal-fuelled, 80s epic about two vampires on a blood-splattered joyride, in the vein of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman. Brilliant from start to finish, it felt like the album the band had always been destined to make, and was awarded Hammer’s album of the year.
Well, it turns out Creeper had not one, but two rock operas in them. Sequel Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death is every bit as fun, hooky and thrilling as its predecessor, and should cement their position as one of the most exciting metal bands in the country. This next chapter in the story introduces a ruthless vampire huntress to the narrative, and Mistress Of Death sets the tone: equal parts gore, camp and lust, throwing out high drama vocals, duelling guitars and a frantic pace. Think Judas Priest leading The Black Parade.
And the bangers keep coming. Genius single Blood Magick (It’s A Ritual) invokes thrash metal, Belinda Carlisle’s Heaven Is A Place On Earth and Bon Jovi’s You Give Love A Bad Name in one chorus. And if you think that doesn’t sound particularly goth, Will Gould’s fiendish ‘MWHAHAHA!’ laugh and intonation of ‘Swallow it darling, drink the blood’ will prove you gravely mistaken. It’s a riot.
Creeper have long proven they can write an arena-ready anthem with their eyes closed. Sanguivore II arms them with another host of instantly memorable choruses, with the Meat Loaf-esque Headstones leading the charge. Prey For The Night sees the band ruminate on demonic sacrifice over sneering, Billy Idol leather-clad rock, while Parasite will latch itself into your brain for days.
There are hints as to where the band might go next, too. Daydreaming In The Dark opens to the icy chill of synths and echoing drums, and The Black House is a full 80s cobwebby, The Sisters Of Mercy-style electronic moment with… you guessed it, another huge chorus.
If there is one bone to pick, it’s the underuse of vocal powerhouse, keyboardist Hannah Greenwood, who only takes lead vocals on Razor Wire, where she teases decapitation over a saxophone-fuelled knees-up, and on the chorus of Nick Cave-esque death ballad and closer Pavor Nocturnus. But as that track ends with a squealing solo, a grandiose choir, Patricia Morrison (ex-The Sisters Of Mercy) and gospel vocals, it’s difficult to feel hard done by. This is another killer album from a band who are yet to put a foot wrong. We can’t wait to see where Creeper’s dark path takes them next.
Pre-order your exclusive Metal Hammer x Creeper bundle, featuring a magazine cover unavailable in shops and new album Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death on purple vinyl
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