EP review: Creature – Haunt

Creature are angry for good reason. On new EP Haunt, the Birmingham metalcore trio protest war and austerity, examining how greed and complicity destroys lives. Theirs is dissonant, ultra-heavy music, which has earned them comparisons to Converge and Every Time I Die; and in Creature’s hands, it’s utterly unforgiving.

Haunt is the final instalment in a trilogy of EPs, preceded by 2019’s Hex and Hound. One lyric from Hound has become a slogan of the band’s: 'Pulling teeth from the bite of a larger beast.' It sums up the subject matter tying together all of these EPs: confronting the forces that bear down on all ordinary people, from trauma and anxiety to inequality and violence.

The sonics on Haunt feel bigger and fuller than before, and there’s a newfound potency to Creature’s heaviness. Opening track All is a bombardment, consisting of pounding low-slung riffs, with vocalist/guitarist James Thompson dealing in desperate, guttural shrieks. The songwriting is carefully constructed, which keeps the assault feeling vital and meaningful, while moments that are audaciously groovy or surprisingly melodic burst through the layers of noise – both on full display in Grey Ghost.

Key to these songs are James’ incisive lyrics. He uses classic, Biblical imagery to illustrate the scale of injustice. Lice is the most urgent message, with the singer’s despairing take on dehumanisation and division delivered atop chaotic, breakneck riffs. While he’s certainly scornful, his point of view is driven by more than just rage. Compassion is at the core of these songs. ‘Don’t think it’s them, but think it’s us / This mess is ours, let’s clean it up,’ he pleads in All. ‘We can make amends,’ he offers on Grey Ghost.

He’s angry for good reason: because he believes in better.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Converge, Every Time I Die, The Dillinger Escape Plan

Haunt is released on June 10 via Grey Ghost