Creeper: All Albums Ranked
From their origins as the UK’s answer to Alkaline Trio, MCR and AFI, to the grandiose rock opera stylings of ‘Sanguivore’ and ‘Sanguivore II’, Creeper are a fascinating band who are getting bigger and better with every release. We have ranked all their albums and EPs, plus Will Gould’s ‘Salem’ project. Check out our Spotify playlist, of highlights and lesser-known tracks, have your say in the comments below, and check out some of our other rankings!
The quality of Creeper’s recorded output has been consistently high since their very first self-titled EP, which makes ranking their discography a challenge.
The ‘Christmas’ EP is the most obvious contender for bottom spot, partly because the two cover songs (‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues, and ‘Blue Christmas’ by Elvis Presley) are generally overplayed and largely unneccessary; and the original track ‘Same Time Next Year?’ is somewhat inessential. In a 2022 interview with NME, Will Gould referred to this EP as a ‘blemish’ on Creeper’s catalogue, and it is easy to see why. But it is still worth a listen for the increasingly theatrical baritone of Gould’s voice in ‘Fairytale of New York’, on which he would elaborate further in the ‘Sanguivore’ albums.
Standout Tracks: ‘Fairytale of New York’
A 3-track EP of acoustic cover versions, ‘Sounds from the Void’ is a far cry - sonically, at least - from Creeper’s early releases. As a showcase of their versatility, their ability to conjure up a dark atmosphere without volume, it works extremely well, especially the languid pace of ‘Pet Sematary’, originally on Ramones’ goth-punk 1989 masterpiece ‘Brain Drain’.
Creeper first announced ‘Sounds from the Void’ on 14 May 2020, at the same time as their second album ‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’ was delayed due to the Covid pandemic. The first song to be debuted from this collection was a cover of King Dude's ‘Spiders in Her Hair’, which is an accomplished but unspectacular version that suffers from too much vocal layering. Better was the cover of Neil Young and Crazy Horse's ‘My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)’, which Creeper revealed had been the inspiration for the band's early song ‘Into the Black’, featured on their 2014 self-titled debut EP.
Certainly an intriguing listen, but not one you will keep revisiting.
Standout Tracks: ‘Pet Semetary’
On their 3rd EP, Creeper started to diversify their sound a little further from the American pop punk and punk rock influences of the ‘Creeper’ and ‘The Callous Heart’ EPs. ‘Astral Projections’ and the superb ‘Black Mass’ sit comfortably with anything on the first EPs, but the other tracks on ‘The Stranger’ were attempts at a more diverse pace and dynamic range - to mixed effect.
Opener ‘The Secret Society’ is a grower, uniting the misfits and underdogs (“They don’t think of us / Suburban hell / We don’t love or hate / We don’t feel anything”), with arena-sized “Woah”s. ‘Valentine’ is a mid-paced indie-rocker which sounds more like Jimmy Eat World playing 90s Britpop, and it is a decent song but not essential. Track 4, ‘Misery’, was actually included also in the following year’s debut full-length ‘Infinity, in Your Arms’. It’s a superb song that ultimately fits better on the full album than it does here. ‘The Stranger’, therefore, is a solid collection of songs, though they don’t fit together as cohesively as the first two EPs.
Standout tracks: ‘Black Mass’, ‘Astral Projection’
When Kerrang! magazine asked Will Gould in 2021 the difference between Creeper and his side project Salem, he agreed that they have a lot in common but one is more “calculated, high-concept, important”, while the other is “something grubbier, grittier, a thrill more back alley and illicit”. Creeper is a theatrical expression in which every moving part is considered in relation to its neighbours for maximum effect, but Salem are more like Ramones in leather trousers and black eyeliner.
Like Salem’s self-titled debut EP a few months before, ‘Salem II’ is a goth-punk rush that has its black heart firmly in the same place as AFI, early My Chemical Romance and Grave Pleasures, but that tickles the roots of where this all comes from as well. Most obviously, self-deprecating opener ‘William, It Was Really Something’ is a nod to The Smiths, while the video for the DRACULADS – just marvel at that title – pays homage to The Cure, Joy Division and the gutter glamour that these artists managed to make sparkle through the gloom of Thatcher’s Britain.
And perhaps it’s best that Salem deliver themselves in short, sharp, breathless bursts of EPs. These songs are meant to be a quick, no-strings hit. It’s this uncomplicated lack of fuss that gives ‘Heaven Help Me’ and ‘Sweet Tooth’ their power. If it all stuck around much longer it might outstay its welcome. Comparing the two Salem EPs, the first has more memorable songs, but its follow-up is still highly enjoyable.
Standout Tracks: ‘DRACULADS’, ‘Keep The Thorns’, ‘Heaven Help Me’
‘The Callous Heart’ was Creeper’s second EP, recorded in early 2015 at a local studio in Southampton, and the band's first release on Roadrunner Records. It spawned Creeper's first two singles, ‘Lie Awake’ and ‘Honeymoon Suite’, as well as a music video for ‘Allergies’.
Written by the band's lead vocalist Will Gould and guitarists Ian Miles and Sina Nemati, the Callous Heart was Creeper's first release since signing with major label Roadrunner in June 2015. The EP was launched on 15 September with a special show at the Old Blue Last in London, and promoted on the UK Warped Tour later in the year. It was the group's last release with Sina Nemati, who left in December, and the first with keyboardist and vocalist Hannah Greenwood who joined at the same time.
Of the 5 tracks on offer, ‘Lie Awake’ is the stand-out, and Will Gould referred to it in an interview as ‘the ultimate Creeper song’. Complete with a propulsive beat, excellent gang backing vocals (very AFI-esque) and excellent lyrics, ‘Lie Awake’ is worth the price of admission alone. Closing ballad ‘Henley’s Ghost’ hints at the theatrical stylings that would follow on the ‘Sanguivore’ albums, though its delivery here is a little ham-fisted. Still, at these very early stages of Creeper’s career, ‘The Callous Heart’ is a joy.
Standout tracks: ‘Lie Awake’, ‘Black Cloud’
Leaning slightly more on the side of pop-punk than Creeper’s darker punk, Salem is/was a great side project that came about during the Covid lockdown and Creeper being unable to tour. It showed that, no matter how Creeper’s chemistry as a band will always remain central to their sound and identity, ultimately Will Gould is an excellent songwriter with a distinctive vocal approach, whatever the name of the project.
This 5-song, 15-minute EP flies by, and demands repeated listens. It may not have the same level of drama, narration and theatricality of Will’s day job, but each of the songs here would fit comfortably on ‘Eternity, in Your Arms’ (though less so on ‘Sex, Death and the Infinite Void’). In some senses, it was Gould stripping back the bells and whistles of Creeper, having fun with high-energy punk rock. The follow-up EP, imaginatively titled ‘Salem II’, is still great, but this one has the edge.
Standout Tracks: ‘Destroy Me’, ‘Fall Out of Love’, ‘Doomed (for each other)’
Sure, this debut release showed Creeper’s influences very clearly (in particular, AFI and Alkaline Trio), but they sounded so good! 5 tracks, all just over 3 minutes each, 4 of which are high-speed, Fat Wreck-inspired punk rock, while the closer, ‘Novena’ is an acoustic number with a power ballad ending.
Especially considering this was Creeper’s debut EP, it is extremely proficient and still holds up alongside their other work. Admittedly they improved on everything here, by expanding their melodic range, writing more memorable tunes, adding Hannah Greenwood as a second vocalist, and embracing a darker tone rather than the pop punk sound here which is more Blink 182 and Offspring than Bauhaus, but it is still an accomplished, enjoyable collection.
Standout tracks: ‘We Had a Pact’, ‘Gloom’
Creeper made a huge impact in the horror punk underworld with the release of ‘Infinity, In Your Arms’ and the EPs either side of this, so it was a shock when frontman Will Gould announced the end of the band during a sold-out Koko show in London in 2018. But exactly a year later, the band were reborn during a secret show under the name ‘Fugitives of Heaven’. Their reanimation was completed when they dropped the track 'Born Cold' - with Radio 1's Daniel P Carter leading the celebrations by playing the track an unprecedented three times in a row.
A significant shift away from the more polished, American-sounding and skate punk-indebted debut, Creeper’s second full-length had a distinctly vintage British feel. ‘Cyanide’ is 70s David Bowie via 90s Britpop. ‘Paradise’ brings to mind the orchestral flourishes of Alex Turner’s side-project The Last Shadow Puppets. ‘Be My End’ is like Idlewild covering My Chemical Romance.
‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’ was an incredibly bold move for a band so early in their career, moving away from their original sound and focusing on songcraft, dynamics, harmonies and atmosphere, tied together with a smattering of short spoken-word pieces that create a narrative concept. It makes for a record with a unique personality, though those hoping for a continuation of the AFI-esque punk rock stylings of their early work would be disappointed, and as a record it has moments where it can drag.
Standout tracks: ‘Born Cold’, ‘Paradise’, ‘All My Friends’
Written by vocalist Will Gould, guitarist Ian Miles and keyboardist Hannah Greenwood, ‘American Noir’ serves as an epilogue to the story told on ‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’, which ends with the death of protagonist Roe. This 18-minute EP features five songs and three interludes, with lead or co-lead vocals on three tracks contributed by Greenwood, who plays the role of Roe's lover Annabelle. "Midnight" and "America at Night" were issued as singles prior to the EP's release, and both songs have an urgency and identity which was lacking in some of the tracks on ‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’. In fact, while it is unfair to compare an EP to a full-length record, ‘American Noir’ is a more satisfying listening experience overall.
The EP’s highlight is the superb ‘Ghosts Over Calvary’, one of Hannah Greenwood’s best vocal performances to date and a confident, up-tempo track that would have been a huge hit if it was released by a bigger band such as Ghost. In fact, it bears more than a little resemblance to ‘Kiss The Go-Goat’ and ‘Mary on a Cross’ from Ghost’s own ‘Seven Inches of Satanic Panic’ EP - and this is a compliment, because writing a song as timeless and universal as this is some feat.
Standout tracks: ‘Midnight’, ‘Ghosts Over Calvary’, ‘Damned and Doomed’
The initial EPs had already shown the rock world that Creeper had something unique to offer, and their debut full-length (on Roadrunner Records, no less) expanded on this, and then some.
With pristine production and self-assured delivery, ‘Eternity, In Your Arms’ was a showcase of hardcore skate punk (‘Down Below’, ‘Room 309’), pop punk (‘Hiding With Boys’, ‘Down Below’, ‘Darling’), heartbroken acoustic balladry (‘Crickets’) and stadium singalongs (‘I Choose To Live’, ‘Misery’). Starting with a spoken word intro which hinted at the theatrical stylings of later records, ‘Black Rain’ is a spectacular opening song, alternating between breakneck, AFI-infused verses and My Chemical Romance-esque choruses (think ‘Helena’). The vocal interplay between Will Gould and Hannah Greenwood works so well, especially as they have such personalities in their voices.
The only real criticism of ‘Eternity, In Your Arms’ is that it is so heavily indebted to Creeper’s influences. There are clear nods to Alkaline Trio, My Chemical Romance and AFI for the faster, punkier songs, while the ballads would have fitted comfortably on the X-Factor (not that this is a bad thing particularly, as it shows that Creeper’s songwriting talents were already very advanced). Creeper would definitely establish more of a unique identity in their subsequent records, but this debut is still superb - and hopefully some of these songs will be resurrected again for future live shows.
Standout Tracks: ‘Black Rain’, ‘Poison Pens’, ‘Misery’
Opening your 3rd album with a 9-minute, multi-part rock opera is a bold move. Right from the start of their career, Creeper have set themselves apart from their peers by being theatrical, otherworldy, dark and camp in equal measure - but with ‘Sanguivore’ they went head-first into becoming something even bigger, bolder and louder.
Opener ‘Further Than Forever’ sets out the stall for ‘Sanguivore’ straight away, abandoning the 50s-rock-n’-roll-via-David-Bowie flavours of ‘Sex, Death & The Infinite Void’ and channelling various elements of Jim Steinman, Elton John, Iron Maiden and Type O Negative. ‘Further Than Forever’ is Meatloaf’s ‘Bat Out of Hell’ via My Chemical Romance’s ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’. Will Gould’s voice was noticeably different too, with a deeper baritone - part Elvis, part Misfits, part The Damned.
Moving on from the opening number, ‘Sanguivore’ has numerous twists and turns and is never less than entertaining. ‘Cry To Heaven’ is Creeper’s catchiest single to date (perhaps matched by ‘Blood Magic’ 2 years later) and remains endlessly replayable. ‘Sacred Blasphemy’ and ‘Teenage Sacrifice’ bring a perfect mix of macabre darkness, punk rock energy and festival singalong. ‘The Ballad of Spook and Mercy’ continues the 50s Americana of ‘Sex, Death and the Infinite Void’, with more sophisticated storytelling. ‘Black Heaven’ and ‘Lovers Led Astray’ both have an 80s goth-pop sound that Creeper would develop further on ‘Sanguivore II’. And closer ‘More Than Death’ is a genuine tearjerker - a masterclass of dark romance, with an impeccable vocal performance.
Even better is the extended edition, with the superb, Hannah-led ‘Shadows of the Night’ and the catchy ‘Love and Pain’. For a deliciously dark, high-concept experience of good-time rock’n’roll, theatrical melodies and impeccable production, ‘Sanguivore’ takes some beating.
Standout tracks: ‘More Than Death’, ‘Further Than Forever’, ‘Shadows of the Night’
‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’ builds on its 2023 predecessor in every way. Even more grandiose and theatrical, it is a full-blown concept album which, according to frontman Will Gould from a Kerrang! interview, "follows a vampire rock band on a tour soaked in violence and excess. This record takes place in the 1980s. It's about a vampire rock band on tour, and there's someone coming to get them. That's who the Mistress Of Death is."
There are some punkier moments, such as the barnstorming ‘Headstones’ (arguably Creeper’s best song to date), and the high-energy penultimate track ‘The Crimson Bride’, but for the most part ‘Sanguivore II’ is made up of up-tempo, 80s goth rock, with layers of synths and orchestral flourishes on top of the guitars, It sits somewhere between Meatloaf, Misfits and The Cure; and wow does it work.
Oozing sexual desire, vampyric eroticism and flirtations with death, ‘Sanguivore II’ sounds incredibly self-assured and confident. The shameless pastiche of Berlinda Carlisle’s ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth’ in lead single ‘Blood Magic (It’s a Ritual)’ is shocking at first, but quickly becomes a highlight. Similarly, ‘Razor Wire’ borrows more than just a little from Allanah Myles’ 1989 hit ‘Black Velvet’, albeit with lyrics as delightfully dark and theatrical as one of Nick Cave’s ‘Murder Ballads’. This record is an absolute joy to listen to, with new layers presenting themselves with every listen, and, now that the ‘Sanguivore’ tour of 2026 is over, it is exciting to think what Creeper will have in store for us next. Another reinvention, sonically and aesthetically, or a continuation of the ‘Mistress of Death’ story? Either way, it will be spectacular.
Standout tracks: ‘Headstones’, ‘Razor Wire’, ‘The Crimson Bride’
