Sydney-based rock duo Creep Features have been making their mark on the Sydney scene for a few years now, with their banging, riff-laden catchy rock. We are stoked today to be premiering their debut self-titled EP, with a crisp collection of four tracks that will have you cranking up the volume, singing along and stamping your feet.
The duo formed in 2017 and since then have been playing shows at the classic Sydney venues, including the Oxford Art Factory, The Vanguard and The Factory Theatre. Inspired by formidable duos such as The White Stripes, Royal Blood and Death From Above 1979, Creep Features have created a sound that appears to be much greater than its parts. Yes, there are driving drum beats and guitars that shred, but there are also bloody catchy melodies to boot.
The boys headed off early 2021 to the famous Grove Studios, to record their debut EP, with Owen Butterworth. The first single off the rank was “Calling Off the Storm” followed up with “Batman”. And today, we have the premiere of the EP, prior to its release on Friday. You can pre-save it HERE. With fuzzy guitars, soaring emotive vocals and a booming beat, Creep Features are totally addictive.
Creep Features will be launching the EP at The Vanguard, in Sydney on the 29th April. Tickets on sale soon – keep an eye on The Vanguard website for details.
To celebrate the release of the EP, the boys have also put together a track-by-track breakdown – so do press <play>, make sure you turn it up, read on, and enjoy this stellar EP.
Creep Features – Creep Features – Track By Track
Calling Off The Storm
Our first cab off the Creep Features EP rank is one guaranteed to make a good impression.
“Calling Off The Storm” was one of the first songs we wrote together as a two-piece and was UNQUESTIONABLY the first song we had in our sights to bring to the studio.
For years this song took its rightful place as the opener of our live sets. Kickstarting the evening’s festivities with a slick strut amidst the verse before we head to the earworm of a chorus riff that you’ll be humming long after the songs finished.
Lyrically, it captures that feeling of “I called this” and having that inkling that you know something is about to end before it actually does.
Sonically, we really wanted to combine all of our dearest influences into one statement piece of a track that left no room for misinterpretation of what our sound was and what you’re to expect.. I’m sure it’s no surprise that bands like Royal Blood and DZ Deathrays likely come to mind when you listen, although we of course put our own take on what a two-piece could bring to the table.
Safe to say that when the audience is humming the chorus guitar riff and shouting “It just don’t feel right” it ironically feels very…very right.
Suffocate
Our second song on the tracklist “Suffocate” spawned out of a little bit of hell-fire I was trying to extinguish a while ago.
This track put a lid on a bunch of my wild emotions – dousing the flames with a cool swagger during the verses but slowly letting the inferno loose over the duration of the track.
Lyrically it’s drenched in disenchantment as it searches for some clarity in the post-breakup chaos, captured in the lines “I’m lost but I’m not chasing, your love is overrated”.
Since its first show on a setlist, it has become one of the fan favourites with the chorus being one of our loudest sing-a-longs and a breakdown that never fails to raise its horns. We had an absolute blast recording it up at the Grove, and bloody love playing it live
Batman
And here we land at Batman. I’m sure the name alone has stuck out and piqued your curiosity!
Dan’s brother actually planted the seed of this song. After watching one of our gigs, he mentioned it felt like we needed a song that bumped the BPM up amidst our jagged groove-based tracks.
The challenge was set.
We didn’t know what the end result was, but we knew it needed to feel like something slammed its foot on the accelerator and didn’t let go until it smacked the wall at 200KM an hour.
Que “Batman”. If Storm & Suffocate are Riff City, “Batman” is Riff City Squared.
It brings an unrelenting energy, intensity and chaos that has quickly become a crowd favourite as a goodbye and goodnight in our setlist. To us, Batman feels like a song that wears its heart on its sleeve.
It’s a track that saunters through the haze and wildfire of feelings of uncertainty during an ending. But latches onto a chaotic but hopeful resolve in the chorus that feels anthemic to us every time we sing it live.
As for the Batman reference? Well, it might be buried amidst the rest…
Dragon
“Dragon” is the harrowing and brooding bookend track to our EP. It’s definitely the odd one out when it comes to the other three and the intensity creeps up on you in a slow-burn fashion.
We were considering recording one of our other tracks for the closer of the EP, although after playing a live stream gig, we decided there was a special sinister charm about “Dragon” that needed its place on the EP. It felt like the perfect ominous goodbye to leave people with.
It’s definitely one of our darker tracks, strutting through the failure to acknowledge the warning signs of a failing relationship, the mourning and the spitefulness that soon follows. Whilst also having some sense of a newfound freedom.
I’ve been rolling the dice like I’m living a dream
My love, who you supposed to be?
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