Sanguivore (album)

Last updated

Sanguivore
Creeper-Sanguivore.jpg
Studio album by
Creeper
Released13 October 2023 (2023-10-13)
StudioPsalm Studios (Wiltshire, England), Rockfield Studios (Monmouthshire, Wales) [1]
Genre Gothic rock
Length42:06
Label Spinefarm
Producer Tom Dalgety
Creeper chronology
American Noir
(2021)		Sanguivore
(2023)
Singles from Sanguivore
  1. "Cry to Heaven"
    Released: 26 May 2023
  2. "Teenage Sacrifice"
    Released: 10 August 2023
  3. "Black Heaven"
    Released: 21 September 2023
  4. "Further Than Forever"
    Released: 18 October 2023
  5. "Lovers Led Astray"
    Released: 6 March 2024

Sanguivore is the third studio album by English rock band Creeper. Produced by Tom Dalgety, it was released on 13 October 2023 as the group's first album on Spinefarm Records. The album's release was preceded by the singles "Cry to Heaven" on 26 May, "Teenage Sacrifice" on 10 August and "Further Than Forever" on 18 October.

Contents

Background

The concept for an album based around vampires was inspired by the end of the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom and the return of live music. Gould explained in an interview with Rolling Stone that both are about "breathing new life into an old body and falling back in love". He also stated this sentiment was echoed in the revival of a number of aspects of the band that had not been present since the Eternity, in Your Arms cycle, such as jackets with matching back patches and songs about friendship. [2] In an interview with Kerrang! just after the album's announcement, Gould explained that "We'd always planned to do a vampire record. We'd been thinking about it for a couple of years and knew that now was a good place to go after where the last one left off. We wanted to make something darker than we'd ever made before." [3]

When the band began working with producer Tom Dalgety, the first song they brought to him was "Ghost Brigade", which had been written just after the release of Eternity in Your Arms in the same writing session as "Born Cold". The band used the track as a way of testing their chemistry with Dalgety. [1] Album opener "Further Than Forever" had been partially written and demoed by Gould as a piano led song, with a number of different verses and choruses, for years prior to recording the album. After some time, Miles introduced its pedal note introduction and eventually the song was brought to Dalgety who had his own incomplete progressive rock segment influenced by "Easy Lover". As a collective, they merged these sections, and wrote the remaining song. Then final part of the song to be written was its chorus, which was influenced by Bruce Springsteen. [2]

When first writing the album, Creeper intended for the album to be titled European Vampires: A True Story, however became disheartened by this title following Brexit. [4]

A special edition of the album, featuring two unreleased songs, a remix of lead single "Cry To Heaven", and a cover of Shadows of the Night, made famous by musician Pat Benatar was released to streaming services on 26 April, 2024.

Promotion and release

The finale of the album cycle for Creeper's previous album, Sex, Death & the Infinite Void , took place at the Roundhouse in London on 4 November 2022. During this performance, Gould was beheaded as a representation of the end of the previous album's cycle and the beginning of the subsequent album cycle, announcing they had signed to Spinefarm Records. As this happened, the band's merchandise table swapped to selling merchandise for the new album, which included a free cassette tape of the then unreleased track "Ghost Brigade", of which 666 numbered copies were made. [1] This news was announced on social media the following day once "Ghost Brigade" was released on streaming services. [5] The promotional posts on social media for this single was the introduction of a character named Darcia, a vampire familiar. [6] Darcia would go on to feature in much of the album's promotion material. [7]

After almost seven months without further news regarding new material, "Cry to Heaven" was released and Sanguivore announced on 26 May 2023. [8] That night, the band performed at the Heavy Music Awards at Wembley Arena, playing both new tracks live for the first time. [9] On 10 August, they released the album's second single "Teenage Sacrifice". [10]

Creeper are set to promote Sanguivore on the Sacred Blasphemy Tour, consisting of five UK shows, between 5 and 10 November 2023. [11]

Composition and lyrics

The albums follows the love story of characters Mercy, a violent vampire who was turned at the age of 19, and Spook an old man whom she has control over. Opener "Further Than Forever" tells the story of Spook being turned into a vampire, [2] with "Cry to Heaven" following Mercy on her ensuing murderous rampage. [3] As the album continues, Mercy regains much of her humanity. [12]

Critics have categorised Sanguivore as gothic rock. [3] The song "Sacred Blasphemy" merges "emo sensibilities... with rock'n'roll glitz", [13] while "Lovers Led Astray" is synth rock [14] and "Black Heaven" is dark wave. [15]

The band have cited the Sisters of Mercy, Danzig, the Damned, the Cult, Jim Steinman's Bad for Good , [16] the Misfits, Meat Loaf, Nick Cave, Bonnie Tyler, Gary Numan and Depeche Mode as influences on the album. In particular, "Sacred Blasphemy" was influenced by the Misfits, "Teenage Sacrifice" by tradition heavy metal, "The Ballad of Spook & Mercy" by Nick Cave and "Further Than Forever" by Bonnie Tyler and Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell". [4] Many of the guitar riffs included on the album were influenced by Metallica. [17]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 89/100 [18]
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute 72% [19]
Clash 9/10 [20]
Classic Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [21]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [22]
Dork Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [23]
The Line of Best Fit 9/10 [24]
Kerrang! 5/5 [25]
Metal Hammer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [26]
New Noise Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [27]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [28]

Sanguivore received critical acclaim. On review aggregator website Metacritic, the album holds a score of 89 out of 100, based on reviews from seven critics, which indicates "universal acclaim". [18]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Will Gould, Ian Miles and Tom Dalgety

Sanguivore track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Further Than Forever"9:12
2."Cry to Heaven"4:27
3."Sacred Blasphemy"2:53
4."The Ballad of Spook & Mercy"4:39
5."Lovers Led Astray"4:40
6."Teenage Sacrifice"4:17
7."Chapel Gates"2:23
8."The Abyss"0:42
9."Black Heaven"4:15
10."More Than Death"4:38
Total length:42:06
Special edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Shadows of the Night" (Pat Benatar Cover)David Leigh Byron, Rachel Sweet 4:03
12."Love And Pain" 4:13
13."Phantom Fantasia" 3:07
14."Cry to Heaven - Count Dalgula's Queen Of The Night Extended Mix" 5:27
Total length:58:56

Personnel

Creeper

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Sanguivore
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [29] 10
UK Albums (OCC) [30] 29

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horror punk</span> Music genre

Horror punk is a music genre that mixes punk rock and 1950s-influenced doo-wop and rockabilly sounds with morbid and violent imagery and lyrics which are often influenced by horror films and science fiction B-movies. The genre was pioneered by the Misfits in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Subsequent bands formed in the Misfits' wake like Mourning Noise, the Undead and Samhain, solidifying horror punk's first wave. In the late 1990s and early 2000s the genre gained attention through the reunion of the Misfits and success of groups like AFI, Son of Sam and the Murderdolls. This popularity continued to the modern day with Blitzkid, Calabrese and Creeper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creeper (band)</span> English rock band

Creeper are an English rock band from Southampton. Formed in 2014, the group originally featured vocalist Will Gould, guitarists Ian Miles and Sina Nemati, bassist Sean Scott, and drummer Dan Bratton. The band independently released their self-titled debut EP in 2014, before signing with Roadrunner Records and issuing follow-up The Callous Heart the next year. At the end of 2015, Nemati was replaced by Oliver Burdett and touring keyboardist/second vocalist Hannah Greenwood became an official band member. A third EP, The Stranger, was released in 2016 and reached the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart top ten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampires Everywhere!</span> American rock band

Vampires Everywhere! is an American metalcore band from Los Angeles, California, currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The last lineup consisted of vocalist Michael Vampire and guitarists Matti Hoffman and Grey Soto. In 2021, the lead singer Michael Vampire reformed the group, and the band signed with Cleopatra Records, releasing "Witch", a single from their second EP, The Awakening, released in October 2021.

<i>Creeper</i> (EP) 2014 EP by Creeper

Creeper is the debut extended play (EP) by English rock band Creeper. Recorded in April 2014 at the Ranch Production House in Southampton with producer Neil Kennedy, it was originally released independently as a digital download on 19 June 2014. The EP was later issued on limited edition 12" vinyl by Palm Reader Records in December 2014, followed by another limited edition reissue in November 2020 by Roadrunner Records. "Gloom" and "VCR" were released as music videos.

<i>The Stranger</i> (EP) 2016 EP by Creeper

The Stranger is the third EP by English rock band Creeper. Recorded at The Ranch Production House in Southampton with producer Neil Kennedy, it was released on 19 February 2016 by Roadrunner Records. The EP was the band's first release to chart, reaching the top ten of the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart. "Black Mass" and "Astral Projection" were released as music videos.

"Black Mass" is a song by English rock band Creeper. Written by the group's lead vocalist Will Gould and guitarist and backing vocalist Ian Miles, it was produced by Neil Kennedy and featured on the band's 2016 third extended play (EP) The Stranger. The song was released as the only single from the EP on 11 January 2016, and as the first of two music videos on 28 January.

<i>Eternity, in Your Arms</i> 2017 studio album by Creeper

Eternity, in Your Arms is the debut studio album by English rock band Creeper. Released on 24 March 2017 by Roadrunner Records, it was produced by Neil Kennedy at The Ranch Production House in the band's hometown of Southampton, where the band had previously recorded their first three extended plays (EPs) – 2014's Creeper, 2015's The Callous Heart and 2016's The Stranger – also with Kennedy. The album is primarily categorised as horror punk, although it has also been described by critics as incorporating elements of pop punk, glam rock and post-hardcore into both its lyrical content and musical styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creeper discography</span>

The discography of Creeper, an English rock band, consists of three studio albums, six extended plays (EPs), 20 singles, 24 music videos and three other appearances. Formed in Southampton by vocalist Will Gould, guitarists Ian Miles and Sina Nemati, bassist Sean Scott and drummer Dan Bratton, Creeper independently released their self-titled debut EP in June 2014. After signing with Roadrunner Records, the band released their second EP The Callous Heart in September 2015.

"Hiding with Boys" is a song by English rock band Creeper. Written by the band with producer Neil Kennedy, it was featured on the band's 2017 debut studio album Eternity, in Your Arms. The track was released as the second single and music video from the album on 12 December 2016.

"Black Rain" is a song by English rock band Creeper. Written by the band, it was produced by Neil Kennedy and featured as the opening track on the band's 2017 debut studio album Eternity, in Your Arms. The song was released as the third single and music video from the album on 15 February 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Time Down Here</span> English punk band

Our Time Down Here was an English punk rock band from Southampton, England, formed in 2006. Their song "Black Ice & Bad Advice" from the album Midnight Mass gained radio play on BBC Radio. NME said, in reference to the band's debut album, "if there's a finer UK hardcore album released this year then I'd really, really really like to hear it". Vice Media referred to them as "UK punk's best-kept secret". Funeral for a Friend lead vocalist Matthew Davies-Kreye and Natives member Jack Fairbrother were outspoken supporters of the band. After the band's separation in 2013, Gould and Miles went on to form Creeper.

<i>Prequelle</i> 2018 studio album by Ghost

Prequelle is the fourth studio album by the Swedish rock band Ghost. It was released on 1 June 2018 and produced by Tom Dalgety. The album's first single, "Rats", was released ahead of the album on 13 April, and as of 28 July, had peaked at number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The second single, "Dance Macabre", later topped the same chart for two weeks as well. The album marked the band's strongest selling debut to date, landing at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 66,000 copies in its first week, with 61,000 of those being "traditional" album sales. The album's themes include medieval times and the Black Death, along with more contemporary subject matter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Born Cold</span> 2019 single by Creeper

"Born Cold" is a song by English rock band Creeper. Written by the band's lead vocalist Will Gould, lead guitarist Ian Miles and record producer Neil Kennedy, it was recorded at Wax Ltd Studios in Hollywood, California and produced by Xandy Barry. The song is the third track on the band's second studio album Sex, Death & the Infinite Void and was released as the first single from the album on 3 November 2019.

<i>Sex, Death & the Infinite Void</i> 2020 album by Creeper

Sex, Death & the Infinite Void is the second studio album by the English rock band Creeper, released on 31 July 2020 by Roadrunner Records. The album was produced by Wax Ltd's Xandy Barry.

<i>Sounds from the Void</i> 2021 EP by Creeper

Sounds from the Void is the fifth extended play (EP) by English rock band Creeper. Produced by the band's guitarist Ian Miles, the collection of acoustic cover versions was initially released in the form of two individual songs during the summer of 2020, before the full three-track EP was issued on streaming platforms on 14 May 2021.

<i>American Noir</i> 2021 EP by Creeper

American Noir is the sixth extended play (EP) by English rock band Creeper. Written and recorded with producer Xandy Barry during sessions for the group's second studio album Sex, Death & the Infinite Void, it was released on 30 July 2021 by Roadrunner Records. The EP is the band's first release since the departures of guitarist Oliver Burdett and drummer Dan Bratton, and the first since Bratton's replacement Jake Fogarty.

"America at Night" is a song by English rock band Creeper. Written by lead vocalist Will Gould with producer Xandy Barry of Wax Ltd, it is featured on the group's 2021 sixth EP American Noir. The track was released as the second single from the EP on 9 July 2021. Originally intended to serve as the opening track on 2020's Sex, Death & the Infinite Void, "America at Night" features co-lead vocals by keyboardist Hannah Greenwood, and drums by session contributor Kiel Feher.

Salem are a British punk rock band from Southampton. Formed in 2019, the group consists of vocalist Will Gould and guitarist Matt Reynolds. For live performances, the core duo are joined by bassist Ranny Ransom and drummer Aaron Graham. Initially conceived as a side project in the summer of 2019, Gould, Reynolds and Graham recorded five songs which they did not originally intend to release. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic meant that Creeper were unable to tour, the tracks were released as Salem's self-titled debut EP in 2020. A second five-track EP, Salem II, followed in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghost Brigade (song)</span> 2022 single by Creeper

"Ghost Brigade" is a song by English rock band Creeper. Written by the band's lead vocalist Will Gould, guitarist Ian Miles, frequent collaborator Neil Kennedy, and producer Tom Dalgety, it was released on 4 November 2022 as a standalone single. The song was announced and published on streaming services at the end of the band's show When the Sun Comes at the Roundhouse in London, which marked the conclusion of the band's Sex, Death & the Infinite Void promotional cycle. "Ghost Brigade" is Creeper's first release on Spinefarm Records, with whom they signed in 2022, as well as the first to feature drummer Jake Fogarty, who joined in 2021.

<i>Under the Midnight Sun</i> 2022 studio album by The Cult

Under the Midnight Sun is the eleventh studio album by the British rock band The Cult, released on 7 October 2022 through Black Hill Records. The record was produced by Tom Dalgety primarily at Rockfield Studios, where the band had recorded their debut album Dreamtime in 1984.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Petrarca, Valentino. "A 'Happier' Record Created in Old Churches? Yup, Creeper Tells Us About 'Sanguivore'". The Aquarian Weekly . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Porter, Sophie (11 October 2023). "Creeper on third album 'Sanguivore': 'This is our most realised version'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Law, Sam (30 May 2023). "Creeper: "We wanted to command a sense of majesty with this record. We want to take you to another place..."". Kerrang! . Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 Wilson-Taylor, James (28 July 2023). "Creeper, "Sanguivore" The Album Story". RockSound . Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. ↑ Hollingsworth, Ashley Perez (4 November 2022). "Creeper Launch New Era With 'Ghost Brigade'". Genre Is Dead. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  6. ↑ Rogers, Jack. "Creeper Release Glorious New Track 'Ghost Brigade'". RockSound . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Taylor, Ims. "CREEPER "Sanguivore"" . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  8. ↑ Carter, Emily (26 May 2023). "Creeper return with new single Cry To Heaven, from upcoming album Sanguivore". Kerrang! . Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  9. ↑ Clare, Katie (29 May 2023). "Hello Wembley! The Heavy Music Awards 2023 Has Its Winners". Flick of the Finger. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Jamieson, Sarah (10 August 2023). "Creeper Share New Track 'Teenage Sacrifice'". DIY . Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Johnson, Laura (26 May 2023). "Creeper Announce New Album 'Sanguivore' And The Sacred Blasphemy UK Tour For November". Stereoboard. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  12. ↑ Jamieson, Sarah (12 October 2023). "CREEPER: DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN". DIY . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  13. ↑ Wilkes, Emma. "Album Review: Creeper – Sanguivore". Kerrang! . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  14. ↑ Alderslade, Merlin (10 October 2023). "Sanguivore is a magnificent, goth-punk rock opera that confirms Creeper as one of the most vital British bands of their generation". Metal Hammer . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  15. ↑ "Album Review: Creeper – Sanguivore". The Soundboard Reviews. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  16. ↑ Law, Sam (30 May 2023). "Creeper: "We wanted to command a sense of majesty with this record. We want to take you to another place..."". Kerrang! . Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  17. ↑ Ian Miles, Will Gould (11 October 2023). 'I love Kirk!' Creeper On New Album Sanguivore And Meeting Kirk Hammett (Radio broadcast). Event occurs at 4m5s. Retrieved 17 May 2024. Ian Miles: There were a few ideas I had kicking around for another project that I was gonna start years ago, I was gonna start a Metallica-esque kind of band and I thought about putting them forward for Creeper and I was like 'Uh... no it's not there'. Because, at that point we'd just gone into writing for Sex, Death and the Infinite Void and I was like 'Oh, it's definitely not gonna fit anywhere on that record. But this time around, they managed to get in there.
  18. 1 2 "Sanguivore by Creeper". Metacritic . n.d. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  19. ↑ Amen, John (18 October 2023). "Album Review: Creeper – Sanguivore". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  20. ↑ Greer, Vicky (13 October 2023). "Creeper - Sanguivore | Reviews". Clash . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  21. ↑ Beaumont, Mark (12 October 2023). "Creeper's Sanguivore: a blood-drenched Bat Out Of Hell for goths and vampires". Classic Rock (loudersound). Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  22. ↑ Tipple, Ben (11 October 2023). "Creeper – Sanguivore review". DIY . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  23. ↑ Press, Jack (18 October 2023). "Creeper – Sanguivore". Dork . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  24. ↑ Taylor, Ims (13 October 2023). "Creeper: Sanguivore Review - gothic ambition soars | Rock". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  25. ↑ Wilkes, Emma (11 October 2023). "Album review: Creeper – Sanguivore". Kerrang! . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  26. ↑ Alderslade, Merlin (10 October 2023). "Sanguivore is a magnificent, goth-punk rock opera that confirms Creeper as one of the most vital British bands of their generation". Metal Hammer . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  27. ↑ McGrady, Logan (13 October 2023). "Album Review - Creeper - Sanguivore". New Noise Magazine . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  28. ↑ Sneddon, Chris (11 October 2023). "Creeper – Sanguivore". The Skinny . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  29. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  30. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.