Flames of Perdition - Creeper's "Sex, Death & the Infinite Void"

January 30, 2022

“Sex, death and the infinite void / The very thoughts we’re taught to avoid.”

So begins the final track on Creeper’s 2020 pop punk concept album “Sex, Death & the Infinite Void.” Paramore’s Hayley Williams brags about her conquests (though it was never her intention); Will Gould learns there’s a reason those thoughts are verboten.

Creeper and Paramore share the pop punk genre, but where most pop punk bands celebrate the abyss by plunging headlong into its promises, Creeper look back up at the pinprick of light and warn others of the abyss’ betrayal. Their songwriting skill helps their message travel across the distance: almost every song on “Sex, Death & the Infinite Void” is immensely catchy. I find myself humming their tunes at least twice a week. I like my albums heterogenous. Particularly for longer albums, variety in song structure and sound are important, and tasteful interludes are always welcome. “Sex, Death & the Infinite Void” gets its gothic tinge from Sisters of Mercy’s Patricia Morrison, who performs the opening and closing interludes. Perhaps that’s where Creeper leave the pop punk path: Their black-edged musical melancholy looks deeper than hedonism. At least, Roe and Annabelle learn that sex, death, and the infinite void aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Highlights:

• “Be My End:” Roe already guesses where their story will end by the first sung vocals of the album. Annabelle will be his armageddon, but it will leave them both with the death of a dream.

• “Cyanide:” In between Roe’s guess and his reality, we’re reminded that sobriety won’t teach the kids to dance.

• “Poisoned Heart:” Will Gould’s impressive vocals are on full display in Roe’s unforgettable plea to Annabelle.

• “All My Friends:” If you don’t find R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” melodramatic enough, try this song. Roe resigns himself to his self-inflicted fate. Patricia Morrison closes with the outro: Roe and Annabelle know the mistakes they made. Hard lessons teach them to be careful with each other’s heart.

Not every pop-punk record is a cautionary tale (thank goodness - that would be no fun), but Creeper’s “Sex, Death & the Infinite Void” is a necessary reminder of the dangers of recklessness.