After a bit of a hiatus (2 months!?) I'm finally back to writing an album of the week. My choice for the first AOTW of 2018 is Creeper - Eternity, in Your Arms.

This is an album which showed up on a number of 'best albums of 2017' lists and was released way back in March. Despite dropping so early in the year I managed to overlook it until November / December time when I started listening to some of the albums featured in the 'That's Not Metal' best albums of 2017 episode.

Having been a teenager in the late 90's / early 00's my ears immediately pricked up as the music on this album really harkens back to the punk rock and post hardcore scenes of that era. There are immediate similarities with the likes of Alkaline Trio, Bayside, My Chemical Romance, and even early Brand New. If you were into any of those bands you'll love Creeper. Even if you weren't I'd still urge you to give them a chance as despite similarities to the bands I've mentioned they are very much their own beast. This album for me really hits that nostalgia gland but manages not to feel tired or a rehash of what has come before. There's a really good mix of up tempo rocky numbers and slower heartfelt acoustic ballads on this record and it's also refreshing that band members take turns on lead vocals for various songs and we get both male and female vocals to great effect.

Opening track Black Rain starts with a somewhat cheesy (but charming) spoken word introduction over sombre piano before bursting into a thrashy punk rock monster with an incredibly catchy chorus. You'll find yourself humming "and in the rain I'll scream your name" in no time.

Track two, Poison Pens keeps up the pace and throws in shouted gang vocals (reminding me of some early Thrice songs) for good measure. It doesn't really let up until about halfway through it's 3 min run-time. At this point it slows to a crawling creeping pace and steadily builds up and up bursting back into the "love is dead, hang your head" chant. I wasn't instantly hooked on this one but find myself liking it a bit more each time I hear it.

The next track Suzanne is again punky and thrashy but with many changes of pace throughout. It feels a little disjointed to me at times with some of the lyrics in the chorus "I wanna die holding hands" being a tad cheesy for my liking but overall it's a fun listen.

I'm a big fan of Alkaline Trio and I was immediately hooked by the opening and verse of track 4, Hiding with Boys, which sounds very much like a good Alkaline Trio song. The chorus breaks that mould a bit but overall this song is one of the album highlights.

At roughly the halfway point the album changes pace with ballad Misery. This track is just vocals and guitar and is a sombre lament to an old relationship. I've found myself really liking this song, not for its themes or lyrics but mainly the sound and nostalgic feeling it provokes. At about two thirds through the song seems to end abruptly but then solitary vocals kick back in before the guitar slowly layers up and the full band eventually bursts into the "misery never goes out of style" chorus. Another real stand out track.

After the misery of Misery (good one), Down Below picks up the pace a little with a much more straight forward punk rock sound, for the most part. Like many of these songs the first half to two thirds don't let up but then there is a short break and a slow burn build back up of pace. This is a decent song but not my favourite.

Room 309 brings back the thrash with aplomb and also sees the return of the chanted gang vocals which I'm a big fan of generally. I don't have much to say on this other than I like it a lot.

Track 8, Crickets sees the return of the ballad and we've got another relationship lament (sort of). It's more of a spite filled hate letter to a former partner. I really like this song because the vocals and lyrics are so passionate. For a punk rock album it's strange that I find the slower ballads to be amongst the highlights.

After the slower pace of Crickets the album bursts back into life with Darling. This is another track that reminds me a lot of Alkaline Trio and for that reason is one of my favourites and another album highlight. 

Penultimate song Winona Forever, I have to admit is a song I'm unlikely to come back to very often. It has its moments but overall I'm not a huge fan. I do quite like the layered vocals towards the end though.

Album closer I Choose To Live starts with piano, which mirrors the opener Black Rain. It's not unusual for an album to end with a slower track but what I wasn't expecting was to be reminded of Meatloaf! I Choose To Live sounds huge, it's anthemic and theatrical and wonderful. My only complaint is it's too damn short!

Overall Eternity, In Your Arms is an excellent album, It's by no means perfect and there are a few songs I'm not hugely into but there are enough good songs and good ideas littered throughout that keep me coming back for more. Who knows, some of those tracks I'm not totally into might just become favourites down the line. After hearing this I'm very excited for what Creeper can offer in the future.

Eternity, In Your Arms is out now on Roadrunner Records and available to stream or download at all your usual outlets.

P.S. For someone who claims to be a big fan of Alkaline Trio in this very article, I had no idea that Matt Skiba, had (SPOILER ALERT) left the band and joined Blink-182 in July 2015. Whaaaaaaa!!!!???? Maybe I blocked this out of my memory.