Label - Pale Chord
Release date - 17/09/2021
Proclaimed by Kerrang! to be the hottest band in the world right now, Canada’s Spiritbox have arisen from the ashes of Iwrestledabearonce. Consisting of married couple Courtney LePlante and Michael Stringer, Spiritbox have rebooted IWABO into something more altogether ambitious. The sound is not entirely new (Australia’s Make them Suffer blend of crunching modern metalcore with soaring pop vocals), Spiritbox are more musically diverse bringing aspects of pop, dreampop, djent, EDM to the table. Modern production techniques are noticeable from the outset with thwabs of synths, processed drums, and vocal effects.
Whilst the band will undoubtedly be an important gateway band for many young people, there is enough heaviness here (Hurt you, Silk in the Strings) to avoid being in the the pure pop category of Paramore, Pvris or even Sleep Token. The catchiness of the songs belie a compositional musical complexity that is apparent with repeat listens. Clearly in Secret Garden, Circle with Me, and Holy Roller, (each with millions of YouTube plays) Spiritbox possess genuinely anthemic tracks which will jet-propel them up festival lineups, however, there is little filler, and the album holds up from front to back. Vocalist LePlante possesses a star quality, and her delivery transitions between emotive, clean, heavy and euphoric.
Spirit box have a fascinating blend pop immediacy with enough going on below the surface to interest those with deeper palates.
8/10
FFO – Make them suffer, Architects, Sleep Token
Ven
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