VINYLIZATION RECOMMENDS · GOTHIC ROCK / GLAM / DARK MELODIC ROCK
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Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death is a wonderful, doomy, brooding mix of styles that more people should embrace. The Sisters of Mercy influence runs deep, but the pleasure is in hearing what Creeper bring into that atmosphere: bright eighties pop melodies, heavy guitars, new-wave textures and the occasional unexpected turn.
A dark vocal or electronic pulse can lead into an enormous chorus. A relatively simple song can suddenly introduce a familiar guitar flavour. The changes give the album its character, and the songs hold together because Creeper commit so completely to the whole thing.
Released on 31 October 2025 through Spinefarm, this is a thematic sequel to Sanguivore, with a new story connected to the original’s vampire world. You can enjoy the narrative, but the melodies and arrangements provide plenty to explore without learning every detail of the lore.
A track-by-track route through the album
1. A Shadow Stirs
Patricia Morrison’s spoken introduction brings the album into focus before the first full song arrives. The electronic and orchestral setting establishes the theatrical mood, while her presence makes the connection to gothic rock’s history feel particularly appropriate.
2. Mistress of Death
The title track introduces the heavier side of the record, with prominent guitars and dramatic vocals. A weightier breakdown interrupts the melodic flow before the song lifts again. Even this early, Creeper make it clear that they are willing to change direction within the songs themselves.
3. Blood Magick (It’s a Ritual)
“Blood Magick” brings the album’s contrasting influences into sharp focus. There’s a distinctly Belinda Carlisle-style lift to the chorus, recalling the bright pop appeal of “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”. That instantly accessible eighties melody emerges from heavier guitars and gothic theatrics. It’s an unlikely combination on paper, but the darkness makes the pop appeal even more striking.
Watch: Blood Magick (It’s a Ritual) — official Creeper video. Open on YouTube.
4. Headstones
Fast guitars, insistent drumming and communal vocals give “Headstones” its urgency. It connects the band’s punk energy with the more expansive theatrical sound of this record. The chorus provides a strong focal point without taking the force out of the playing.
5. Prey for the Night
Gould’s darker vocal character sits against a broad melodic-rock chorus, while saxophone brings another texture into the arrangement. It offers a different kind of drama from “Headstones”: less dependent on speed, with more room for the song’s atmosphere and vocal interplay.
Watch: Prey for the Night — official Creeper video. Open on YouTube.
6. Daydreaming in the Dark
Synths and reverberating drums introduce a lighter passage. The new-wave character provides a useful change of shade, allowing melody to carry the mood without the same level of guitar aggression. The gothic identity remains recognisable even as the arrangement softens.
7. Parasite
“Parasite” shows how much Creeper can achieve with a fairly simple construction. The repetition gives the song its grip, then, around the two-minute mark, a Bon Jovi-style talk-box guitar riff introduces another flavour. That shift is part of the fun: a song that initially seems straightforward suddenly reveals another influence without losing its momentum.
8. Razor Wire
Hannah Greenwood takes the lead, and the album changes personality. Piano, saxophone and a bluesier, jazz-influenced approach create a substantial contrast with the guitar-led songs. Her vocal performance gives the story a different perspective and makes this one of the most distinctive stops on the record.
9. From the Depths Below
This short preacher-led interlude returns attention to the narrative and its religious opposition to rock music. It interrupts the sequence just enough to prepare the final stretch, keeping the story present between the larger songs.
10. The Black House
“The Black House” is my favourite track. The Sisters of Mercy influence is particularly strong, but it’s the sheer scale of that anthemic chorus that makes it stand out. The brooding passages build towards a wall of sound, with the arrangement opening up around the vocal. It captures what makes this album so appealing: atmosphere and weight, matched by a chorus you want to hear again immediately.
11. The Crimson Bride
A prominent bass part gives this track its rhythmic pull, supporting another substantial chorus. Coming after the electronic character of “The Black House”, it changes the emphasis while maintaining the emotional scale of the closing songs.
12. Pavor Nocturnus
The closing ballad gives the album more space. Gould’s lower vocals and Greenwood’s melodic contribution lead towards a fuller arrangement involving guitar and choir, with Morrison’s returning narration completing the frame. Its quieter opening and expanded conclusion bring the record to a suitably theatrical finish.
The Vinylization verdict
The contrasts are what make Sanguivore II worth spending time with. The gothic rock atmosphere gives the record its continuity, while the arrangements keep finding different ways to deliver a hook. There is room for menace, melody and humour without one cancelling out the others.
“Blood Magick” offers the immediate pop connection. “Parasite” rewards you with that Bon Jovi-style guitar turn. “Razor Wire” changes the mood altogether. And “The Black House” brings it back to the reason this record connects so strongly with me: that brooding build into a wall-of-sound, anthemic chorus.
Come for the gothic atmosphere, stay for the hooks—and give “The Black House” enough volume to let that chorus fill the room.
Explore Creeper and support the band
Creeper official website · Official music store
Buy Sanguivore II on purple vinyl — official Spinefarm store
Buy Sanguivore II on CD — official Spinefarm store
Listen and buy the digital album — Creeper’s Bandcamp
Buy the album on CD — Amazon UK
Buy the album on coloured vinyl — Amazon UK
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Original Vinylization wording, combining personal listening observations with background research. Album details and track order checked against Creeper’s official Bandcamp. Background reading: Metal Hammer, Out of Rage and Devolution. Featured artwork: original album cover, sourced from Creeper’s Bandcamp; rights remain with the respective owners. Videos are embedded from Creeper’s official YouTube channel.