ink & dagger
17:33 Thursday, 2 October 2025
Philadelphia's legendary vampire punks Ink & Dagger are back from the grave. At least for a few shows and a massive reissue campaign, thanks to a new partnership with Trust Records.
Set to hit shelves on October 31, the reissues include three standalone LPs — Drive This Seven Inch Wooden Stake Through My Philadelphia Heart, The Fine Art of Original Sin, and Ink & Dagger. Each has been fully remastered by David Cooley (M83, Tame Impala, Jimmy Eat World) and will also be available across digital platforms for the first time ever.
For collectors, the label has also announced Ink & Dagger: The Complete Works — a deluxe edition box set limited to 500 copies, shipping March 2026. Alongside the three core albums, it features a fourth LP, Experiments in Nocturnal Sound and Energy: Singles 96–99, compiling B-sides, singles, and splits. The set includes The Almighty, a book written by Erik Bader, and artwork by visual artist Jeremy Dean. Pre-orders are available here.
The reissues are:
- LP 1: Drive This Seven Inch Wooden Stake Through My Philadelphia Heart – Includes Ink & Dagger's first two EPs and one bonus track. It's the first time ever this collection is available on vinyl as it was originally released only as a CD in the 90s.
- LP 2: The Fine Art of Original Sin – Ink & Dagger's first LP. Originally released in 1998, The Fine Art of Original Sin saw Ink & Dagger pushing the boundaries of genre into uncharted territory. A psychotic blend of punk, hardcore, electronica and full-throttled rock and roll, Fine Art showcased the Dagger at their absolute peak.
- LP 3: Ink & Dagger – Originally released posthumously on Buddyhead in 2000, this was the Ink & Dagger's final form and statement, a murky, swirling, psychedelic soundscape that defied all category, a cryptic preview of a future that never came.
- LP 4: Experiments in Nocturnal Sound and Energy: Singles 96-99 – This LP will only be included in the physical box set and is a compilation of B sides, singles and splits. A sinister showcase of the band's various modes and methods, exploring the furthest perimeters of structure and sound.
The news was teased earlier this week with a Philadelphia billboard and a short film titled The Order, shot and directed by guitarist Don DeVore. Today also sees the release of remastered single "Full Circle" with a new video directed by Brian Balchak, featuring unseen footage by Joe Burns and imagery from the upcoming book.
To celebrate, Ink & Dagger will return to their hometown for three nights at Philadelphia's First Unitarian Church. Those shows are as follows:
10/30 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church (w/ Paint It Black)
10/31 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church (w/ Deadguy)
11/1 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church (w/ Soul Glo)
