Dayseeker: Creature in the Black Night
Macabre, somber, twisted and heavy in multiple dimensions — Creature in the Black Night is an exploration of the toxic traits and temptations that drag us into vicious cycles, elegantly wrapped in a horror aesthetic that makes it a beautiful nightmare.
On the surface, Dayseeker’s sixth album, Creature in the Black Night, is a cinematic metalcore experience steeped in horror-inspired soundscapes. But beneath that lies something far more painful, a record that dives deep into forbidden temptations and toxic tribulations with every passing track. It’s cyclical by design, its final note looping seamlessly back to the beginning, making it a nightmare that can’t be escaped, one only Dayseeker could conjure so beautifully.
The opening track, ‘Pale Moonlight’, lures listeners in like a siren’s song, immediately setting the tone for what’s to come. The soundscape is enchanting yet deceptive, a façade shattered once Rory Rodriguez’s vocals take hold. Lyrically, it’s a dance of temptation and ruin, a warning dressed in allure. Ramone Valerio’s bass lines anchor the song’s dark pulse, while Gino Sgambelluri’s guitar work weaves dynamic shifts that drive the track into even darker territory by its end.
“At the end of every dream, there’s a demon saying I didn’t need help to ruin my life
Dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight”
The title track, ‘Creature in the Black Night’, fully indulges in unhealthy coping and carnal vices. Sensual and dark, it erupts midway with a brutal breakdown that gives the slow-burn song a second life. The chorus is dangerously catchy, with Rory’s vocal cadence elevating it into a potential song-of-the-year contender. Often nicknamed the album’s “baby maker”, it’s far more layered than its first impression suggests. Zac Mayfield’s drumming provides intricate fills, balancing the song’s seductive pacing with intensity. The electronic textures enrich the track’s atmosphere, rewarding repeated listens with subtle synth and vaporwave nuances.
“I can make a scene when I feel degraded
Bullet through my heart when I feel you break it
But something keeps you coming back”
Lighter tracks such as ‘Crawl Back to My Coffin’, ‘Soulburn’ and ‘The Living Dead’ provide moments of calm while showcasing Rory’s crystal-clear vocals. Their slower pace and softer tone contrast the album’s heaviness but conceal equally dark lyrical themes — emotional exhaustion, loss of identity, and the mental toll of toxic relationships.
’Crawl Back to My Coffin’ captures the haunting cycle of returning to familiar pain. ‘Soulburn’ dwells on falling for the wrong person and the resentment it breeds:
“And when you say goodbye to all you've lost, I'll be there so I can watch your soul burn alive.”
‘The Living Dead’ closes that emotional arc, lamenting self-destruction and numbness:
“Blaming myself till I’m dead on arrival,
Telling me to rest in peace, I don’t want to believe I’m the living dead”.
Tracks like ‘Shapeshift’, ‘Cemetery Blues’, ‘Meet the Reaper’ and ‘Bloodlust’ continue the aggression, expanding on the emotional whiplash of toxic entanglement. Each features mid-to-late breakdowns tailor-made for the pit — sure to be live show favourites. Among them, ‘Cemetery Blues’ stands as the emotional peak of the record, striking directly at the heart of grief and acceptance. Its slow build toward a powerful first chorus cements it as a centerpiece of the album’s despair.
“The afterlife is colder than they told me it would be
Now I have nothing left to lose, but these cemetery blues”
‘Nocturnal Remedy’ is perhaps the band’s most complex composition to date. Every member shines here — Mayfield’s percussion is some of his best work, while Valerio’s bass and Sgambelluri’s riffs drive an intoxicating energy beneath Rory’s soaring highs. Lyrically, it embodies euphoric recklessness — the thrill of making choices you know will destroy you.
“This is the price we have to pay
For letting the pieces fall into place
I want you to crawl back to me
Down on your knees, nocturnal remedy”
Finally, ‘Forgotten Ghost’ closes the album with haunting acceptance. It’s the most subdued song on the record, allowing the vocals and lyrics to take center stage as the electronic textures carry its somber tone. The muted bass and soft delivery make the emotional weight hit harder — until a familiar motif returns, linking back to ‘Pale Moonlight’. Like an episode of The Twilight Zone, the nightmare restarts, leaving the listener to decide whether to break the cycle or begin again.
“So if you leave, then don't come home
Can't raise the dead with miracles
You'll haunt me when I need you most
And fade like a forgotten ghost”
Dayseeker’s Creature in the Black Night is a dark, intimate, and cinematic descent into the chaos of toxic love and self-destruction. It’s everything the band does best — emotionally charged lyricism, heavy breakdowns, and immersive synthwave textures. A masterclass in atmosphere and storytelling, it’s an album that invites you to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight.