Photos and Review by Lorna Leahy // @photosbylorna

Creeper Celebrate The Release of ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’ at The Engine Rooms

The Engine Rooms in Southampton has seen its fair share of rowdy gigs, but there was something particularly special about Creeper’s homecoming show. On the eve of the release of their latest album ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’, the band invited fans to an intimate celebration of their new era. The advert had boldly declared a “Strictly Vampire Dress Code”, and the crowd certainly delivered. From full-on gothic vampires to classic Halloween monsters, and even one very committed Elvis. This was clearly more than just a gig, it was a celebration and full on party!

The night began with Buds., a local Southampton band who are no strangers to the city’s music scene. They set the tone perfectly with an energetic set that warmed up the already buzzing audience. There’s something special about seeing local acts get the recognition they deserve, and Buds. handled the pressure of opening for Creeper with absolute confidence. Their melodic punk sound made them a great choice to kick things off, bringing plenty of energy but with a different feel to the headliners.

After a short break, it was time for tonight’s headliners. The lights went out and the crowd screamed and cheered. The LCD screen at the back of the stage began playing a short film called ‘Death Swallowed By Death’. It’s a gory film set in what looks like a morgue where some sort of vampiric ritual is taking place. The film finishes with a stake being slowly pushed into Will Ghould’s (lead singer) eye. The cheers that slowly turned into ghasps and squeamish noises. As the final moments of the film faded, fog poured across the stage before Creeper appeared ready to begin the show.

The crowd went wild as “Blood Magick is a ritual” rang out (the opening line of the single Blood Magic from the new album). Without missing a beat, they launched into “Headstones”, another single from ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’. The two tracks flowed effortlessly together. Even though ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’ wasn’t officially released until midnight, these singles had clearly already become fan-favourites. Every word was screamed back at the band, and waves of crowd surfers poured over the barrier as if possessed by the very spirit of the night.

They moved confidently through songs from their earlier albums, each one met with huge cheers from the crowd. Everyone in the room seemed to know every word, and the energy didn’t drop for a moment.

Halfway through the set, Will Gould paused to tell the audience they were about to play a couple of new songs from ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’. The first was “Mistress of Death”, which immediately caught everyone’s attention. It has a choral part that people picked up on quickly, and soon the whole room was joining in. Even though no one had heard it live before, it already felt familiar.

They followed with “Parasite”, another new track that kept the energy up. It was clear from the reaction that these songs are going to fit in well with the rest of their material. People were singing along by the second chorus and seemed just as excited for the new songs as the old ones.

Towards the end of the set, things slowed down for “More Than Death”. The room went quiet, and it felt like everyone was taking a moment to listen. Will’s voice echoed powerfully. It was one of those rare points in a show where the atmosphere completely changes, and you could feel how much it meant to people.

They ended with “Cry To Heaven”, which got the biggest response of the night. The audience sang every line back, and the energy in the room was huge right until the very last note.

The whole evening had the feeling of a proper hometown celebration. With the album due out at midnight, it was a chance for the band and fans to share the excitement together. It felt relaxed but still special, like a group of people who have grown up with this band getting to celebrate their next chapter.

If you haven’t checked out Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death yet, it’s worth a listen. Creeper continue to do what they do best, and this show proved just how much their fans still connect with it.