Creeper
Sanguivore 2: Mistress of Death
Spinefarm Records
When Creeper released Sanguivore back in 2023, I called it my album of the year, and I still stand by that. It was a gothic masterpiece, a record that felt cinematic, dangerous, and heartbreakingly romantic all at once. It holds a special place in my heart; a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that defined just how far this band could push themselves.
But with Sanguivore 2 – Mistress of Death, Creeper have somehow done the impossible: they’ve outdone it. This isn’t just a continuation; it’s an evolution and is a full-blooded resurrection of everything that made Sanguivore so special, turned up to eleven.
The album opens with A Shadow Stirs a spoken-word intro that sets the tone like a flickering candle in a crypt. Then, Mistress of Death bursts forth, all teeth and seduction, an instant fan favourite and one of the most anthemic tracks the band has ever written. From that point on, the record doesn’t let up. The singles hit hard and true. Headstones, the first single, feels like a thunderstorm breaking over a cathedral — sweeping, cinematic, and full of grandeur. Blood Magic, the second, dances between ritualistic menace and soaring melody, while Prey for the Night, the most recent single, is pure nocturnal ecstasy, all darkly romantic and utterly irresistible.
Deeper into the album, the experimentation really shines. Parasite stands tall as one of the most intriguing songs in Creeper’s catalogue — a gothic, sleek, and sinister powerhouse, with a vocoder-drenched hook that channels the theatrical energy of Ghost while staying uniquely Creeper. Then there’s Razor Wire, sung by Hannah Greenwood, which might steal the whole show. It’s a vaudeville fever dream. Part speakeasy jazz, part horror cabaret with Greenwood channelling a bloodstained Jessica Rabbit. It’s seductive, tragic, and completely spellbinding.
The second half of the album dives even deeper into the lore. Daydreaming in the Dark offers a moment of bittersweet beauty. From The Depths Below and The Black House twist and turn through Creeper’s gothic mythology, and The Crimson Bride feels like the emotional core of the record — cinematic, tragic, and transcendent. The finale, Pavor Nocturnus, features the legendary Patricia Morrison, whose haunting presence ties the whole saga together with a Gothic legacy. It’s the perfect closing act – both a blessing and a benediction.
If Sanguivore was the awakening, Mistress of Death is the ascension. It’s grander, darker, and more self-assured, and it’s a sequel that doesn’t just live up to its legacy; it expands it. Creeper have crafted something truly monumental here: a record that’s as theatrical as it is heartfelt, as feral as it is beautiful.
Sanguivore 2 – Mistress of Death isn’t just another chapter — it’s the crowning achievement of a band who continue to redefine what gothic rock can be. If Sanguivore was my album of the year, then Mistress of Death might just be the album of the decade.
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Reviewed By Rebecca Bush