Following on from 2023’s Sanguivore, Creeper sink their fangs even deeper into the myth. On this second act, the Southampton-based band are continue riding the glittering highway of 1980s excess champagne-soaked, leather-clad, and bathed in the crimson glow of stage lights.
Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death is as enigmatically titled as we’ve come to expect. This latest release is bombastic, outrageous, and self-aware in the most delicious way a grand, blood-splattered pantomime of love, death, and rock ‘n’ roll. Naturally, it was released on Halloween the perfect time for Creeper to emerge from their coffins. Yes I know they aren’t really vampires but I’m going to commit to the bit.
From the very start the record has that clear 80’s gothic influence. The unmistakable voice of Patricia Morrison, the immortal icon of The Sisters of Mercy ushers us into Creeper’s dark cabaret, her spoken monologues framing the album like a vampire’s curse at dawn and dusk. What follows is a delirious descent into the mythos the band has built. This is a world where eyeliner meets eternity, and a vampire rock band tours through neon nightmares. Just as with Sanguivore, their lyrics have that essence of gothic poetry. Every line soaked in melodrama and allure. It’s chaotic and gloriously over-the-top and that’s exactly the point.
The band doesn’t just nod to the 80s gothic era; they resurrect it, fangs bared and guitars blaring. The Black House struts with the decadent sheen of Duran Duran, while Prey for the Night glows with a shimmering melancholy reminiscent of Flock of Seagulls’ I Ran (So Far Away). This results in an intoxicating blend of nostalgia and innovation with a demonic sacrifice serving as the centre point.
The defiant punk heart beating at Creeper’s core still burns bright beneath extravagance. Their long-standing devotion to the bombastic spirit of Jim Steinman and his high priest of rock melodrama courses through this album like blood through veins. Keyboardist Hannah Greenwood also gets a moment to shine as she takes lead vocals on Razor Wire. Unfortunately her vocals do not feature as prominently throughout.
From the ritualistic pulse of Blood Magick with a hint of thrash metal to the dream-soaked haze of Daydreaming in the Dark, and finally to the majestic curtain call of Pavor Nocturnus. The album screeches to an end with a ripping solo as a choir echoes through and Patricia Morrison brings proceedings to a close.
This album along with Sanguivore feels like a natural continuation from Eternity, In Your Arms and a blood-soaked sequel worthy of Sanguivore’s legacy. Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death dances between reverence and rebellion. The record marries the shadowy romance of the 1980s goth underground with the cinematic flair of the modern era.
Creeper might don the fangs and velvet of vampire punk royalty, but beneath the theatrics beats the same dark, passionate heart that’s always defined them. Once again they deliver a record that’s both haunting, transcendent and ridiculously over the top. The album was produced by Tom Dalgety and was released via Spinefarm Records and is available on all streaming platforms. Purchase various physical vinyl, CD and merch bundle options at the band’s official webstore.
