Review: Vampire Valentine

Vampire Valentine’s brand-new EP Porcelain is a gorgeous dive into the shadowy corners of Newcastle’s darkwave/post-punk scene — sleek, atmospheric and unmistakably modern while still honouring the 80s gothic spirit that inspired the genre.

The title track Porcelain clicks into life with a moody bassline and an industrial heartbeat before the guitar sweeps in, gliding melodically across the surface. The vocal whispers its way into the mix, delicate and intimate, gothic in tone but entirely 2025 in delivery. There’s a longing in the performance that instantly pulls you in. It’s atmospheric yet catchy, dreamy yet driven and it fades back into the mist just as beautifully as it arrived.

Olivia follows, introduced by a haunting keyboard and bass line that slowly opens into a shimmering soundscape. Then the 80s-infused beat drops, lifting the track higher. This song shows real depth — the lyrics are beautiful and ghostly, the vocal almost operatic at times and the merging of genres makes the track feel honest, emotional and strikingly original.

Next comes the Porcelain – Forerunnerx Remix, a bold inclusion and absolutely the right choice. It transforms the song into something darker, heavier and more industrial, twisting it into a whole new creature. Headphones are essential here — the layers, the pulses, the futuristic textures all surge and collapse in hypnotic waves. The middle section dips into eerie silence before flinging you forward into a cyber-punk assault. It’s 2050 bottled into four minutes.

The EP closes with Olivia – Short Edit, a tighter, radio-ready cut of the original that loses none of its beauty. Instead, it reinforces just how strong the songwriting is — if anything, it highlights the emotional core even more clearly.

Porcelain is a stunning debut statement: atmospheric, romantic, cold, warm, futuristic and nostalgic all at once. Vampire Valentine aren’t just walking the darkwave path — they’re carving a new one entirely.

A band this good won’t stay underground for long… even if they were born to thrive in the shadows.