Monday 12 October 2015

Album Review: The Callous Heart by Creeper




No band has had a faster rise in the punk rock world than Southampton's Creeper. Last year they released a very well received self-titled debut EP, which resulted in shows with Gnarwolves and Moose Blood among others. Their popularity continued to grow and grow, leading to them being signed to Roadrunner Records to release their new EP The Callous Heart.

The opening song is called Black Cloud and from the start of the song I was pleased that Creeper hadn't strayed away from the sound that's pushed them into the spotlight. They are a band clearly influenced by bands such as AFI, Alkaline Trio and The Misfits but never sounding like they are just ripping those bands off. Black Cloud starts off slowly with singer Will showcasing some of his theatrical vocals before the song really starts. It's a mid-tempo track about getting over bad things and remembering about the positive things in your life. Honeymoon Suite is a track that starts quickly before going into a big chorus. This song was released with a video before the The Callous Heart came out to give fans a teaser of what to expect and I loved it immediately. It has a quality about it that just makes me want to sing and dance. The third song, Allergies, is for me the best song on the EP. Will shows off an impressive vocal range and is expertly backed by the rest of the band. If you strip Creeper back to just five guys playing punk rock songs and forget about the gothic punk image then you still have five immensely talented men. Lie Awake is another song that was released prior to the release of Callous Heart. This is a full on theatrical punk rock epic of a song that takes you on many highs and lows during its three minutes and twenty-one seconds. It starts incredibly quickly with some great drumming in particular standing out. There are some excellent whoa-oh harmonies and some great gang vocals provided by the rest of the band throughout which give the song an even bigger feel. The final song shows Creeper at their theatrical best. Titled Henley's Ghost, the beginning of the song really reminds me of Lou Reed's classic Perfect Day with its slow drum beat and sprinkles of piano. There is also a feeling of Queen throughout the song, with Creeper perhaps displaying some different influences on this song. This is a song I have to see live at some point; I can only imagine it would be an absolutely amazing performance.

Callous Heart is an EP that really lives up to the hype Creeper have had. With Gnarwolves and Moose Blood making such a name for themselves all other the world, I imagine that Creeper will be the next band to really blow up into more commercial and mainstream worlds.


For more information go here: http://www.creepercult.com/

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