Gatecreeper: Dark Superstition - Clear Black Purple

"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." Crans Clear Black Purple LP

1. Dead Star
2. Oblivion
3. The Black Curtain
4. Masterpiece of Chaos
5. Superstitious Vision
6. A Chilling Aura
7. Caught in the Treads
8. Flesh Habit
9. Mistaken for Dead
10. Tears Fall from the Sky

Shipping is available to the 48 contiguous United States. We are unable to ship to PO Boxes, International locations, or APO/FPO addresses. 

Please ensure your address is entered correctly. We are unable to redirect to an alternate shipping address once an order is placed.If your order contains multiple items, it may ship from different warehouse locations.

Tracking information will be sent as items are shipped.

Allow up to 5 business days for your order to process when calculating delivery dates. 

Note: Additional delays may occur due to severe weather or other carrier delays. 

Standard Shipping: allow 7-10 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Media Mail; all other products via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.

Expedited Shipping: allow 2-5 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail; all other products via UPS 2-Day Air or FedEx 2-Day Air.

Overnight Shipping: allow 1-2 business days for delivery. All products will be shipped via UPS Next Day Air or FedEx Next Day Air. 

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all products purchased from Victrola.com. All items must be returned as new in their original packaging, including all accessories and cables. Albums must be unopened to receive a refund. Missing items will be charged based on suggested retail prices.

All returns must be accompanied by a valid return authorization number (RMA) issued by Victrola. If an RMA is not obtained prior to shipping, the returned product will be refused and returned to sender.

If the item is no longer wanted, the shipping cost is not refundable and returns must be shipped prepaid by the customer. There is a 15% restocking fee that will be calculated based on the price of the product once the item is refunded.

If the item is defective, a pre-paid shipping label to return the product will be provided, and no restocking fee applies.

To set up a return for refund please visit Customer Care. Be sure to include your order # and reason for your return when submitting your request.

View more information about returns and warranty here.