Name: Dark Superstition
Brand: Gatecreeper

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

NBA72231.1

Colour

Purple

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: Yes

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2024-05-17

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

4065629722319

Total Cap

Purple LP

Artist

Gatecreeper

Genre US

Metal

Label US

Nuclear Blast

Gatecreeper is a death metal band hailing from Phoenix / Tucson, Arizona, United States. With their brutal and uncompromising sound, they have become one of the leading forces in the genre. Drawing inspiration from classic death metal bands, Gatecreeper infuses their music with a modern twist that captivates audiences worldwide.

Known for their intense live performances and crushing riffs, Gatecreeper has gained a loyal following within the metal community. Their music combines elements of old-school death metal with a raw and aggressive energy that leaves listeners craving more. Influenced by bands such as Tomb Mold, Fuming Mouth, and Witch Vomit, Gatecreeper's unique blend of heaviness and melody sets them apart from their peers.

With an impressive discography under their belt including albums like "Sonoran Depravation" and "Deserted," Gatecreeper continues to push the boundaries of death metal. Their powerful vocals, thunderous drums, and relentless guitar work create an atmosphere that transports listeners into a world of darkness and despair.

Newest Listed Items

"The new wave of American death metal needs a breakout album, and Dark Superstition is it. Gatecreeper's third full-length sees the Arizona death metal specialists-vocalist Chase H. Mason, guitarists Eric Wagner and Israel Garza, drummer Metal Matt Arrebollo and bassist Alex Brown-carving out their own path. The band's first album for Nuclear Blast is more concise, melodic, and memorable than anything they've done in the past. "We refined the song structures," Mason says. "We're getting better at what we do." Formed in 2013, Gatecreeper have spent the last decade steadily climbing the death metal ladder. Their self-titled 2014 EP established instant credibility as purveyors of the old-school form. The band signed with Relapse, releasing their full-length debut Sonoran Depravation in 2016. At once an homage to their desert origins and a statement of death metal intent, the record landed them a 2017 tour with Cannibal Corpse and Power Trip. In 2019, Gatecreeper unveiled Deserted, their ripping foray into self-described "stadium death metal." It landed at number three on Decibel magazine's revered year-end top 40 list. When the pandemic subsided, Gatecreeper snagged a slot on the 2022 Decibel magazine tour alongside Obituary and Municipal Waste. These days, Gatecreeper are headliners in their own right, touring globally under their own banner. Think of Dark Superstition as Gatecreeper's answer to Entombed's Wolverine Blues or Dismember's Massive Killing Capacity, pivotal albums on which the songs got tighter and more rock influenced. Or even Paradise Lost, who went even further in a rock direction with albums like Icon and Draconian Times. "In the mid-90s, all those bands were evolving into doing their own thing," Mason says. "I feel like we've incorporated that timeline into Gatecreeper." Dismember played a particularly prominent role in Dark Superstition. The band's drummer and main songwriter Fred Estby flew to Arizona to work with Gatecreeper in pre-production, helping them put the finishing touches on their songs. You can hear that classic Swedish influence on "Masterpiece of Chaos," which evokes the tried-and-true Gatecreeper of Sonoran Depravation. Mason describes the track as "A nightmarish vision of a broken mirror with an ominous creature that lives within the fragmented web of glass." Thematically speaking, Dark Superstition deals with the supernatural, divination, fear of the unknown, and trust in magic or chance. "Many of the songs incorporate supernatural ideas with my own experiences," Mason says. "But the title itself is a reference to the Superstition Mountains in our home state of Arizona. It's a beautiful mountain range surrounded by tragedy and legends of hidden fortune." Gatecreeper widen their sonic palette on "Flesh Habit" and lead single "The Black Curtain," which bear the mark of UK goth magnates Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim. It's still Gatecreeper in all their HM-2 glory, but with a sharper edge. "The Black Curtain" embodies the album's theme with a tale of divination. "It's about being trapped between living and dying," Mason says. "A soul trapped in purgatory begging to be brought back by a supernatural force." Meanwhile, advance single "Caught in the Treads" deals in the kind of high-powered melodic death metal that will surely beef up Gatecreeper's festival game. Along with leadoff track "Dead Star," the song represents an elevated version of the band, primed for the bigger stages that the new album will inevitably take them to. Dark Superstition was recorded at God City Studios in Salem, Massachusetts, with Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, who also mixed the album. The record is a direct result of Gatecreeper's experience, musical refinement, and commitment to death metal. "There's a lot of bands in our lane," Mason says. "But we're trying to create our own." 

Dark Superstition

Music US

Discover Dark Superstition by Gatecreeper on vinyl. A breakout album in American death metal from Nuclear Blast. Exclusive music experience.