SANGUIVORE
CREEPER
SANGUIVORE
Released Friday 13th October, 2023, this vampiric rock opera captivated my little goth heart completely.
There is obviously a multitude of Vampiric media, including a range of rock songs, for example, ‘Night of the Vampire’ by Roky Erikson. There’s even some rock musicals like ‘Vampire Rock’ by Steve Steinman, and the musical adaptation of ‘Fearless Vampire Killers’ named ‘Dance of the Vampires,’ by Michael Kunze, Jim Steinman, and David Ives. There are also a few concept records like 80’s-vibe ‘Lost Girls’ by Bats for Lashes, or Jenny Hval’s Experimental Pop ‘Blood Bitch.’ However, Vampire Rock Operas seem to be rarer these days, such as PFM’s ‘Dracula’ from 2005, or Thomas Kugler’s ‘EvenSong’ from 2000. But now, now we have ‘Sanguivore’ to sink our teeth into.
Southampton horror punks, Creeper, have delved into the dark world of Gothic Rock with their third record, 'Sanguivore,' a 45 minute Vampiric Rock Opera revealing to us the tale of two vampires through tracks depicting bloodlust and sin.
Produced by Tom Dalgety, this record transports you back to the 80s by their evident Jim Steinman influences, funky electronic elements, and shredding harmonious guitars.
Through some of their most outrageous, sexy lyricism yet, they narrate the story of Spook and his mentor Mercy across 10 tracks which range from these bombastic, thrilling rock numbers, to powerful ballads, to dance tracks, to an emotional, tender end.
It's an album you want to dance to, seduce to, and submit to.
What makes ‘Sanguivore’ a great Vampiric Rock Opera is not only the illustrative story it tells, nor just the incredible musicianship and thought that goes into each and every track to tell said story, but the atmosphere and continual efforts to engross Creeper fans into their new world onstage and online through stage names, new outfits, their very own vampiric make-up, additional characters that interact with the world, and of course, lots of fake blood.
CREEPER
Formed in 2014 in Southampton, Creeper brought South Coast Misery to the scene. Now, 10 years later as vampires, they leave bodies of their victims in their wake as they rampage the world, touring their newest record, Sanguivore. They are comprised of frontman William Von Ghould, guitarists Ian Miles and Lawrie Pattison, keyboardist/vocalist Hannah Hermione, bassist Sean Scott, and drummer Jake Fogarty.
They are looked after, to her dismay, by the vampires' familiar, Darcia, who complains pre-show about the gruelling duties these vampires make her do.
William Von Ghould claiming his next victim in front of a live audience.
sanguivore (plural sanguivores)
1. (biology) An animal that consumes blood
I began this zine in 2023, after ‘Sanguivore’ came out. It’s gone through a couple of iterations before I decided on a style and what I wished to include.
I loved the idea of having fans contribute their thoughts and opinions on ‘Sanguivore,’ as well as having an interview section with the vampire himself, William Von Ghould. I also added two vampiric short stories I wrote while listening to ‘Sanguivore’. I think these sections really pulled this zine together.
I desired to make this zine free and digitally accessible. It’s available to read via the flipbook above, or you can download an eBook copy for free too!
The Sanguivore Zine, conjured from The Abyss, has been unleashed, unshackled from its withering chains, carrying many-a-plague and the Sanguine Curse along with it. 12 tracks, 24 hand-drawn horror stills, and five written sections; two vampiric short stories, an interview with a vampire, a show review, and the fans’ perspective of Creeper’s ‘Sanguivore,’ this zine presents a supernatural connection between gothic rock and horror imagery.
This is an ePub file - it is only readable in an ePub reader. There is also a PDF version available.
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I just want to say a massive thank you to:
Will Gould, for lending me his time to do an interview for this, as well as his support and enthusiasm towards this little project of mine.
Jordan, for contributing a fantastic page to the zine. It’s absolutely astounding, and I really appreciate his time that went into it! Thank you!
Owen, for his constant help with editing and hard layout decisions. I wouldn’t have finished this zine if it wasn’t for you.
Roe, for his constant support for this project! It means the world to me.
And everyone who contributed their thoughts and opinions to the Fans’ Perspective section of the zine! I quite literally could not have done it without y’all.
THE SANGUIVORE ZINE: “LAID AND SLAIN” ACROSS THE PAGE
spoilers ahead!
Once you’ve finished reading the zine, or before if you feel so inclined, you can read the zine in a different layout with my notes and references. To read the interview, it’s only in the flipbook/eBook of the zine, but the Fans’ Perspective section is written out towards the end. At the end, I display my original concepts for the zine, before I — as always — changed my mind and chose an entirely new style a year later.
This front cover is a mixture of a design taken from a vintage horror movie style poster I had made when Sanguivore was announced, plus an unused design I had done for William Von Ghould's punk side project, Salem.
This vampiric era began when Gould was decapitated by a vampire during a show in 2022 and since then they have paraded his (prosthetic) head around onstage, brought it to signings, and sprayed the crowd with it during their 'Blade'-inspired blood raves. Because of this, I felt it was important to mark ultimately the beginning of this era, and beginning of this zine, with the head.
Sanguivore
Further Than Forever
Vampira (Maila Nurmi)
“My armageddon girl could end your world with one look. She’ll drain the blood and drag you from the light.”
This is the first piece I did for the zine in this style. I toyed with redoing it once I got the hang of this illustration style, but I felt like this zine was a display of the progress of my art skills and ideas over the last two years, and felt that it was important that I kept the first piece in.
Dracula’s Daughter (1936)
"I crossed the line between a sinner and a saint.”
Further Than Forever
Vampira (Maila Nurmi)
“My bloodlust baby, she wears a human disguise.”
Cry To Heaven
The Velvet Vampire (1971)
“She’ll make you beg.”
Cry To Heaven
Sacred Blasphemy
The Mad Magician (1954)
“You dream of demons and desire, a devil you cannot abstain from.”
I couldn’t do a zine of vintage horror film shots without doing at least one piece of Vincent Price, could I?
Horror of Dracula (1958)
“I feel her calling out to me, preaching sacred blasphemy.”
Sacred Blasphemy
The Ballad of Spook and Mercy
Blood and Roses (1960)
“From the shadows she saw her first victim, a newly wed in a Corvette. Mercy slaughtered the bride and put a knife in her side and sucked all the life from her neck.”
The Ballad of Spook and Mercy
Christopher Lee
"The groom came back from the truck stop and saw his wife’s blood on the seats. Like an envelope, she tore open his throat and feasted on every heartbeat.”
SANGUIVORE: THE INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
“The idea of playing a character on stage and on record seemed empowering... I could perform and live out my ideas from under this mask.”
Read the full interview in the zine!
Lovers Led Astray
Boris Karloff Presents… The Terror In Teakwood (1961)
“When I see you laid and slain across the bed, red all over, now all her victims have been bled.”
The Uninvited (1944)
”I’d pick a rose for every blood stain on your clothes.”
Lovers Led Astray
DellaMorte DellaAmore (Cemetery Man) (1994)
“Burning churches to the ground and making love in the rubble.”
Teenage Sacrifice
Blood For Dracula (1974)
“Can you live without your life?”
Teenage Sacrifice
Vampira (Maila Nurmi)
“She’s getting laid but not to rest.”
This piece is obviously different to the rest of the zine. It’s a rework of the one I did for the original zine concept, and I loved it too much to scrap it.
Chapel Gates
DellaMorte DellaAmore (Cemetery Man) (1994)
”Led by the hand through the cemetery, laid down on her back in the mortuary.”
Chapel Gates
Black Heaven
The Crimson Ghost (1946)
“Die, die for me. You said you would, you promised me.”
This is one of the first pieces I did for ‘Sanguivore’ shortly after the release of the record in October 2023. Not only is this piece a reference to the 1946 film, but an ode to The Misfits and their track ‘Die, Die My Darling.’
The Re-Animator (1985)
”Death for pleasure, live forever, give yourself to me.”
Black Heaven
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
“Exorcise this haunted heart of mine.”
More Than Death
William Von Ghould
”Death fears us, we don’t fear death.”
My friend Jordan, an incredible artist, contributed this piece to the zine. It’s an utterly gorgeous piece, and I’m eternally grateful for the support he has shown me with this zine, as well as the astounding work he put into this piece. It’s insync with the theme of the zine, while still being in his style, and it’s a fantastic contribution. Thank you, Jordan!
More Than Death
Love and Pain
Bride of Re-Animator (1990)
“If you want my heart, come rip it from my chest.”
I drew this page before I had the opportunity to watch Bride of Re-Animator, in which I discovered during this scene she screams, "Is this what you want?!" I think that makes this piece all the more fitting.
Frankenhooker (1990)
”You were loved once, just not enough.”
Love and Pain
Phantom Phantasia
Ghost (1990)
“When your resurrection would arise, more than just the dead arose. I was making love with your ghost.”
Flesh For Frankenstein (1973)
”You undressed me with your eyes and then undressed me of my clothes.”
Phantom Phantasia
Sanguivore
For the back cover, I recycled an unused design I did for William Von Ghould’s punk side project, Salem. It’s also featured on the front cover.
SHORT STORIES
When ‘Sanguivore’ released, I wrote a short romance story titled ‘In Every Death, I Will Find You’ about a “vegetarian” vampire who finds a human lover — the love of her life, death, and undeath. I then followed it up with an ever shorter instalment about vampiric rot, titled ‘Sweet Rot.’ They are meant to be read together: ‘In Every Death…’ first, and ‘Sweet Rot’ second. Enjoy.
“She admires the evening sky; the streaking purple, orange, pink, red clouds that seem to wrap around the world like wispy cotton candy, the sun as it quivers over the city buildings, and the luminescent pinkish moon as it rears its head over the city. They encapsulate her. The orange glow of the setting sun pierces her scarlet eyes until they water. When the tears evaporate from her pale, burning cheeks, she slinks back into the cool shade…”
“There it is again. A sweet, musky smell, like that of rotten fruit, one that haunts me like a sinister shadow. A shadow that I will embrace upon Lady Death’s arrival.”
SANGUIVORE: THE FANS’ PERSPECTIVE
It was very interesting to hear opinions on 'Sanguivore' and the era that has come with it from both old and new fans. It became immediately clear that 'Sanguivore' was a well-received record, with a very 'early Creeper' feel, yet a phenomenal, unexpected throwback to 80s Rock.
There was a unanimously positive response to the new sound, as well as the increase of theatrics, story, and world-building around their new record; whether that was in their show production, the way Creeper interacts with the world through their social medias, or the story unfolding in the record itself.
The astounding cover for 'Sanguivore,' created by Francisco and Nuria, two artists known collectively as Welder Wings, portrays a hauntingly beautiful bat-winged figure with blood dripping down her chin from her fangs; Mercy, from the story of 'Sanguivore.' She sits upon a rock and pile of skulls, with four ethereal ladies dancing around her, a looming castle, a full moon in the background, and a few seemingly-tormented, perhaps even starving, masculine figures at her feet.
Those that were fans before 'Sanguivore' stated that they were excited for the new direction presented by the album cover. Everyone touched upon how different it was compared to what we've seen from Creeper previously, but that it was an exciting direction, taking evident inspiration from gothic art and media. The prospect of a vampiric era was something many looked forward to.
"It's an absolutely gorgeous piece of art reminiscent of Pre-Raphaelite works It's enchanting and odd, much like the band, but still distinctively them. Note the hint of purple in the wings and background – a colour that has always been a staple of the band's image."
Roe, 24, UK
"I think I was quite surprised. I was immediately aware of how different it was, but I also loved it straight away. There's so much detail in it, and it showed us that this is a new direction and era for them. I was so excited for the full album based on the cover."
Em, 23, UK
"At first I was a little shocked, but in a good way as I felt it really showed the direction Creeper were going to be taking from previous albums. Yes, there has always been a huge story aspect with Creeper, but this time it felt more subtle in that the fan was the one to direct the story the way that fit them best."
Christine, 26, UK
"The cover showed how drastically different Creeper as a band were whilst making this album, and how the band would progress."
Jay, 26, UK
The cover of 'Sanguivore' is one that leaves room for speculation. Some even had interesting theories about it.
"My first thought is that it's Mercy being seen as this 'godly being' to a coven that worships her and sacrifices in her name."
V, 25, UK
"The little grey ghouls at the bottom are starved vampires and Mercy is at the top of this hierarchy surrounded by her cherub-faced followers who are preserved from this fate by worshipping her."
Keira, 18, UK
"I think there was meant to be more to Mercy and the story overall that we didn't get; that there was more to the four ladies surrounding her, and what the castle in the background was in relation to Mercy and her story."
Persephone-Kore, 27, UK
Again, 'Sanguivore' gained a very positive response, a lot of love surrounds this record, and rightly so. When it came to what people specifically loved about the album, I got a range of responses, but it was a resounding factor that people loved the vampires, they loved the fact Creeper's 80s inspirations are worn proudly throughout the album, and they loved how bombastic the record is.
"Romance is always seen as sweet and light, but with 'Sanguivore,' it shows a darker side of it. The undying devotion, seeing the ugly in someone but finding it beautiful regardless. Also the vampires. And the blood."
V, 25, UK
"The vampires, but also the new sound. I love that they haven't been afraid to try something new in the past few years for each project, and I really think this direction suits them and that they've taken clear inspiration from iconic artists that came before them, but gave it their own Creeper twist."
Em, 23, UK
"Vampires! It also helped me through what has been the hardest two years of my life. The lyrics just really speak to me and help to pull me out of my pits of despair. I also love the music videos; I think they're so pretty, especially 'Teenage Sacrifice.'"
Fang, 26, UK
"It's fun! I feel like a lot of bands at the moment take their work incredibly seriously. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing; it's good to care about your art, but I feel like many artists want to make music that just sounds cool rather than doing something for the hell of it. Creeper make fun, bombastic, and at times whimsical, music; this definitely comes through on 'Sanguivore.'"
Roe, 24, UK
"This album felt like this was the direction the band was heading in all along. There have been supernatural elements to Creeper's music since the beginning, so sexy vampires seemed like the next natural choice and I love every minute of it."
Kira, 26, UK
"I loved how utterly overblown in places it is, how vividly and honestly the album presents its influences, and how horny it is."
Rae, 53, UK
A surprising response to this question was Keira's (18, UK). I have no idea what she means as I've never seen it, but I do know that she loves 'Cats' (1981).
"I loved the electro, Meat Loaf, Andrew Lloyd Webber of it all. 'Cats' except they're vampires."
Speaking of surprises, 'Sanguivore' was one too. Here's what surprised fans.
"When the singles all dropped one by one, I noticed how each one sounded completely different, and the album followed in their path. Each song is so different and a lot of them have completely different styles, and yet the album is beautiful cohesive and works really well. Pre-'Sex, Death, and the Infinite Void' era, this wasn't something we'd seen from Creeper before, but they've really mastered it on this album."
Em, 23, UK
"I didn't expect to get hooked so quickly. I listen to a lot of music, and at the time I hadn't really had any emotional responses from music for a long while. 'Sanguivore' immediately evoked an emotional response for me. I rarely like every single song on an album, but I can happily listen to this album all the way through several times a day (I do exactly that)."
Fang, 26, UK
"I was surprised by how short it is! I feel like there's so much more they could have added story-wise, as well as musically. There's other genres with this vibe they haven't explored, and I don't feel like the story is over either."
Roe, 24, UK
"The sound, absolutely. Compared to previous works, this has been something so completely different. I had no idea what direction each track would take; it was a mystery and I loved it."
V, 25, UK
"I listened to Creeper's records backwards, so I was thrown by the older emo sound of their earlier albums. As an album in general, its story and operatic moments were sick as fuck."
Keira, 18, UK
"The amount of guitar solos. I never really took Creeper as a guitar-solo-y band from their previous work, so the amount of them really caught me off guard."
Lilith, 25, UK
"The switch up in styles from 'Ghost Brigade'! I was expecting those vibes, so the much slower Gothic vibe was so unexpected!"
Elise, 23, UK
"How they managed to make it sound like something entirely new, yet similar to all of the best 80s Rock bands."
Jet, 20, USA
"The first time I listened to 'Sanguivore' I was mesmerised – that surprised me."
Jay, 26, UK
"How different it sounded to anything the band had done before."
Owen, 22, UK
Creeper have perfected the art of a concept record with supernatural themes, but the musical and thematic directions they had taken for 'Sanguivore' was very new to us. I asked what fans thought about this upon their first listen.
"Honestly, I loved it. I'd recently started to get more into the artists that inspired these songs when the album dropped, so it was perfect for me. I loved hearing them for the first time and going, "Oh, that is so insert band here." As for the vampiric themes, as a vampire enthusiast myself, I adore it. The sound really suits the story and themes, in my opinion. Truly, I'm not sure how it would've worked if they'd decided to take on the vampire era with their earlier sound; you really kinda need campy Gothic Rock underneath singing about lustful vampires."
Em, 23, UK
"I was overwhelmed with pride for Creeper. It felt instantly like a masterpiece that I never wanted to end. I was so impressed with the direction they'd gone in and how well they managed to pull it off. It felt like a jump from genre to genre when I first heard about the concept, but as soon as I listened to it, it just fit Creeper so well. It felt like this is the album they've always been planning and wanting to make."
Jay, 26, UK
"It's my favourite out of their discography. Its theatrical backdrop lends itself to Creeper's iconic intermission tracks. 'Sanguivore' doesn't let you lose momentum when 'The Abyss' creeps up with the 'Further Than Forever' chords – it's like, "Hell fucking yeah, I'm firmly in this world, I know where I am, it's not going to let me forget. I'm on my way to the heavyside layer." (Another 'Cats' reference)."
Keira, 18, UK
"I think it feels like an attempt to honour and produce their own version of the 80s music the band love and find inspiration in, and I think they do a great job of that while still making it clearly 'Creeper.'"
Persephone-Kore, 27, UK
"I love it. It's exactly my kind of music. It's both Gothic AND theatrical; it isn't afraid to be bold in making each song unique, whilst at the same time maintaining those gothic undertones."
Fang, 26, UK
"I thought it was perfect. The vampires, the dark, sexy gothicness, the homage to the 80s; it all felt so natural for Creeper and I can't wait to see where they take this next."
R, 30, UK
Currently, the 'Sanguivore' era is being teased that it's being slain, and that perhaps a new era is rising, and I wondered how fans' opinions may have changed now that they've had almost two years to sit with it. Several answers reflected on how their love has grown after experiencing the tracks live; that it gave them more of an appreciation for 'Sanguivore.'
"There are parts of it I appreciate more now that it's had more time to marinate in my head. I like how seamlessly it all blends together, yet every track sounds very distinct from the one before."
Roe, 24, UK
"It's gotten better if anything since seeing it live. The production in some of these shows turns it into a real stage musical which has made it all the more complete in my mind."
Keira, 18, UK
"I still think it's one of their best. They have grown so much over the years and you can hear that. These songs in a live show setting are phenomenal."
V, 25, UK
"I find myself re-listening to it every once in a while and finding something new I enjoy in different songs."
Owen, 22, UK
I'm fascinated by stage production and the stories that we're told onstage, as well as the stories told by the music itself. I loved heearing about the audience's responses or participation in shows, and their favourite aspects of the 'Sanguivore' tours.
"THE BLOOD. Genuinely loved having an excuse to walk around in fake blood all day. I wish I could do that more often. But also, Darcia, whether she used the severed head sprinkler or not (although it was fun when she did). Also, the theatrics of some of the bigger shows; William Von Ghould biting Charlotte, that stuff."
Em, 23, UK
"Emotion. The emotion of More Than Death live, the friendship you see from the band whilst they're onstage, the interaction from the crowd. William Von Ghould's emotion and expressions whilst singing is what stands out for me."
Jay, 26, UK
"I think it's the fact that so many of us fans partake in the costuming/makeup. It really elevates the shows and makes for a surreal atmosphere."
V, 25, UK
"The band seems to be having more fun onstage than ever before, and the audience has gone up another level too."
R, 30, UK
"I really enjoyed the more theatrical direction. It reminds me of 'The Black Parade' era of My Chemical Romance."
Lilith, 25, UK
"It was very whimsical, a great spectacle, and REALLY fun to dance along to."
Roe, 24, UK
"The theatrics of it all. Just the overall joy and escapism they provide."
Christine, 26, UK
I asked fans who had been around longer how they believe Creeper shows have developed and changed over the years, and how they hope the shows evolve in the future. Everyone responded with how Creeper's confidence and comfortability onstage shines through – it's always been there, but they've really come into their own and own the stage they're on. Fans really enjoy the theatrics that are becoming a staple part of a Creeper show, and they're really enthusiastic about the prospective theatrical elements that are going to grow as the shows continue to grow.
"They feel like a more mature band. In the past when I've seen them perform, their shows have felt less about theatrics and more about the music. With this era of Creeper, I think the balance has been well struck between the two. That being said, I would absolutely adore it if they created an entire stage musical production if they would ever dare make one."
Kira, 26, UK
"I think because they're very seasoned at this point, they're allowing themselves to have even more fun. 'Sanguivore' is the type of album and story that doesn't limit them. There's endless possibilities. I love their storytelling in shows, I would love to see more wacky shenanigans as if it were all one big musical."
V, 25, UK
“I feel like with enough budget, they could evolve the shows into more of a live experience if they wanted to. I feel like Creeper have a vision like no other band right now."
Roe, 24, UK
Something I had noticed changed, yet still remained in a way from Creeper's earlier shows to now, is that many audience members dress up in suit with the band. For years, fans would wear their Callous Hearts on their jackets to shows, and although many still do, the 'new thing' is attending as a vampire.
It feels reminiscent of attending a performance of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show,' where everyone dressed up as the characters! Many people stated that they came dressed up in the 'Sanguivore' makeup, or covered in fake blood, or wearing more gothic clothing, and most of them explained it was because it was fun. One answer, however, stood out to me the most, as I believe it is something that resonates with a lot of people, especially in the Creeper fanbase.
"Since finding Creeper, I was in the process of trying to identify myself. It took 'Sanguivore' for me to finally be comfortable enough to embrace the parts of me that were darker, and to express myself in a way that made me happy."
V, 25, UK
It interests me to know how other people respond to art and media. I find it difficult to communicate how I feel, so I design zines and pieces of art as a direct response to, and as a way to ingest music that overwhelms me positively. I wondered whether there was a creative response to 'Sanguivore' from fans.
"I've massively upped my makeup game since 'Sanguivore.' As a fairly non-gender-conforming cis man, Creeper have helped me to increase my confidence and creativity so much when it comes to my appearance."
R, 30, UK
"I've designed a few posters, as that's my usual creative outlet, obviously all quite gothic looking and some taking inspiration from old vampire media. I've also learned to play a few of the songs on guitar."
Em, 23, UK
"I drew a lot of bats! I also started improving my handwriting and took up calligraphy to fit more into a vampire aesthetic."
Fang, 26, UK
"The makeup looks! I've always loved playing with makeup so to have this album, I've had a lot of fun playing with fake blood."
V, 25, UK
"I crocheted a lot of inspired things, as well as customising clothes for shows!"
Christine, 26, UK
Christine brilliantly crochets many-a-roses to hand out for everyone on barrier to throw onto the stage during 'Lovers Led Astray.'
Creeper have always had characters, but none have ever really interacted with the audience as the character, aside from a meet and greet with The Stranger many years ago. Beth, who plays Darcia, the Vampire's Familiar, attends meet and greets, and introduces the shows to the audience, all as this fantastically monotone, black-and-white character seemingly straight out of a 50s Vampire flick. Darcia was also 'in charge' of Creeper's social media during the 'Sanguivore' era.
The idea of this character has a lot of mixed opinions from older fans, but it's majorly positive, especially from new fans. It's an enjoyable and interesting factor to add into a band or production, an immersive layer that people can follow along with, and most of all, it's silly! The people love whimsical little additions that many bands don't even consider.
To conclude, no-one is doing it like Creeper!
Background Photos:
For the backgrounds of the Fans’ Perspective and the Interview with the Vampire sections, I used photographs I have taken of my local churches, St Luke’s Church in Liverpool, a building or two in Norwich, Corfe Castle, as well as the buildings and graves in St Peter’s Church, Bournemouth, where Mary Shelley’s grave is located.
I used a range of filters in Photoshop to get the desired effects on the photographs!
Original Concepts:
Originally, the Sanguivore zine looked very different. I used a mixture of photography of my local churches and castle, image manipulation, and illustration for each page. I enjoyed working this way, and I liked the result, however I ended up deciding I wanted a different illustration style.
