CREEPER + THE HOWLING – CHALK, BRIGHTON 12.4.26
Creeper arrive at a sold-out Brighton Chalk, to promote their album “Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death”. In support they bring The Howling, who are a new(ish) British alt rock four piece, made up of former members of As Sirens Fall and James And The Cold Gun.
The Howling kick off with “Little Promises” which unexpectedly and bizarrely, to my ears sounds more than a little like Billy Idol! Thankfully there’s not the merest hint of Billy Idol to “Incantation”, which is far meatier and more individual. The drumming is awesome, and there’s an ace guitar figure to finish too. “Linger” is fairly delicate to begin with, but that doesn’t last. The guitarist has a 1980s prog haircut, which I’m not sure is the kind of thing that should be encouraged. Luckily it doesn’t adversely affect his playing. “New Religion” begins quite quietly but grows in intensity and volume as the song progresses. It’s an exercise in sonic control that emphasises the level of collective experience that the band members already have.
The band cover “Like A Prayer” by Madonna. Obviously it’s significantly heavier than the original, and I suppose it’s a bit of a laugh, but otherwise I don’t really see the point of playing it. Their own songs are so good that I’m sure that they must have something else that could fit into that slot in their set. Honourable mention should be made of the bassist. Apart from her bass playing she also contributes backing vocals together with some lead vocals, particularly during “New Religion”. “The Murder Capital” is probably the most interesting song that they play tonight, the second half of the song slipping unexpectedly into ¾. This has been a really impressive set. It’s early in their career, but once The Howling get an album out, it won’t be long before they’re headlining.
The Howling setlist:
‘Little Promises’ (a 2025 single & from forthcoming 2026 ‘Salvo’ EP)
‘Incantation’ (from forthcoming 2026 ‘Salvo’ EP)
‘Linger’ (unreleased)
‘New Religion’ (a 2026 single & from forthcoming 2026 ‘Salvo’ EP)
‘Like A Prayer’ (Madonna cover)
‘The Murder Capital’ (a 2026 single & from forthcoming 2026 ‘Salvo’ EP)
‘Unholy’ (a 2025 single & from forthcoming 2026 ‘Salvo’ EP)
I’m sure that I’m not the only one, but I thought that Creeper’s “Sanguivore” album was something of a masterpiece. Notwithstanding that, “Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death” is as good if not better. Therefore I’m beyond delighted to discover that the entirety of tonight’s set is taken from the last two albums! Get in!!!
Before Creeper come onstage we fittingly get a bit of Meat Loaf over the PA, followed by Billy Idol. He just keeps cropping up doesn’t he? However, their actual walk-on track is Patricia Morrison’s spoken word piece “A Shadow Stirs”. Actual opener “Mistress Of Death” has, by no means for the last time in this set, some utterly awesome dual lead guitar. “Blood Magick” owes a huge debt to Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is A Place On Earth”. I couldn’t say whether it’s actionable, but it has a sweetness that the title “Blood Magick” doesn’t really warrant or require.
Bassist Sean Scott executes an impressive karate kick as the band go into “Lovers Led Astray”.Vocalist Will Gould has an incredible vocal range. He goes from a Vincent Price baritone to blood curdling screams. Hannah Greenwood comes out from behind her keyboards to take some lead vocals. She also has a great voice. They tell us that they have “the best time ever” in Brighton. I bet they say that everywhere. Hannah turns in some awesome lead vocals on “Headstones”.
As “Spook And Mercy” is a ballad, Will asks us to put “lights in the air”. Most people do. One guy uses a lighter! Old school! The song is simultaneously dark and beautiful. The band have the crowd with them from the first note tonight. I’m sure they could easily fill a bigger venue: the Dome perhaps? They get their first crowd surfer during “Black Heaven”. I’m surprised that it’s taken so long! “Razor Wire” is a standout featuring an outstanding Hannah Greenwood vocal.
We get a drum solo accompanied by rain and thunder effects. I’m really not a fan of drum solos. Don’t get my wrong: there’s nothing amiss with this one, but it’s not on a par with Neil Peart or Ian Paice. Thankfully it’s not too long. During “Chapel Gates” Sean Scott puts his ear to one of the PA speakers. I can’t help doubting the wisdom of that particular move. Maybe he’s concerned that his ears won’t be ringing sufficiently by the end of the show?
“Parasite” is apparently “one for the lovers”, according to Will. I kind of see where he’s coming from, but it’s not exactly romantic is it? Apparently tonight is only the third time that they’ve played “Love And Pain” from “Sanguivore” live. It certainly doesn’t sound like it. I guess they’ve been rehearsing pretty hard. “More Than Death” is dedicated to Will’s friends Marion and Carl. He was their best man, “just down the road from here”. Will tells us that “true love lasts forever, even in death”. The song is grand, emotional and beautiful, and Will seems genuinely affected by it. He tells us that “as the world gets darker, it’s moments like this that make life worth living”. 100% right mate.
The band are only briefly absent from the stage before coming back for “Further Than Forever”, which features the most incredible drum explosion about a quarter of the way through the song. It’s an epic, albeit a relatively short one. “Cry To Heaven” closes proceedings with one of the most stratospheric guitar solos of the evening. And what an evening! Creeper have been inspired, confident, accomplished, exciting, as well as rocking like a very rocking thing. It’s been an assured performance. Tonight’s show would have gone down well in an arena. Hopefully they won’t be playing those places for at least a couple of years yet.
Creeper:
Will Gould (aka. William von Ghould) – lead vocals
Ian Miles – guitar, backing vocals
Sean Scott – bass, backing vocals
Hannah Greenwood – keyboards, backing and lead vocals, violin
Jake Fogarty – drums, percussion
Lawrie Pattison – guitar
Creeper setlist:
(Intro tape) ‘A Shadow Stirs’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Mistress Of Death’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Blood Magick (It’s A Ritual)’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Lovers Led Astray’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
‘Headstones’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Sacred Blasphemy’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
‘The Ballad Of Spook & Mercy’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
‘Daydreaming In The Dark’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Prey For The Night’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Black Heaven’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
‘Razorwire’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
“Drum Solo” (unreleased)
‘Chapel Gates’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
‘The Crimson Bride’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Parasite’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘Love And Pain’ (unreleased)
(On tape) ‘From The Depths Below’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘The Black House’ (from 2025 ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ album)
‘More Than Death’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
(encore)
‘Further Than Forever’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
‘Cry To Heaven’ (from 2023 ‘Sanguivore’ album)
