Death growls and Digital Metal: The Spiritbox Ascension
Lead by a lead singer who can grip fans with her outstanding vocal range, Spiritbox have opened for the best- now they are well on the way to being just that themselves
A band formed in 2016 and a regular name on festival and touring line-ups, you might be forgiven for thinking Spiritbox would have more studio albums in their discography. As of the time of writing, they have just a single record to their name- but the release of number two comes at a time when the band is riding the crest of a wave.
The Canadian metal band has joined the likes of Ghost, Korn, and Shinedown. They would also have Limp Bizkit on this list, if not for the Covid-19 pandemic. The first album released, Eternal Blue, in September 2021 was well received, and it was an album that LaPlanet believed was her realising her true voice.
It is this voice that has put Spiritbox on the course for dominating the metal scene. LaPlante has one of the widest vocal ranges in metal music, and this has not gone unnoticed. She can plunge into deathgrowls in the blink of an eye and from an outside perspective and a fan of the genre, Spiritbox has put this singing style to a more mainstream audience.
An example of this was back in November 2023 they collaborated with Megan Thee Stallion on a remix of her ‘Cobra’ song. If they weren’t near the mainstream before this project, they certainly were afterward. Their rise as a band that dominates on stage has been soaring, and March 2025 will be a significant month for Spiritbox.
For many metal fans, the biggest festival in the UK remains Download. Although it has had plenty of critics in recent years there is anger at the festival supposedly moving away from ‘proper rock and metal’. Others see the line-up progression for what it is- a form of natural progression.
I was fortunate enough to be in the tent when the band played their first-ever UK show at Download 2022. A friend recommended them, and I’m delighted he did. Watching LaPlante dive into the death growl is a sight to behold, and the countdown is on for their next UK appearance.
At the 2025 festival, Spiritbox will return- and will be on the main stage for the first time. They will be third from last, with Bullet For My Valentine and Korn ahead of them on the third and final day in Donington. These two bands have been sewn into the metal scene for half a century, and are instantly recognisable on a line-up. Spiritbox will be fairly unknown to some metal fans, but they are making an assault up the scene and their first main stage appearance will not be their last.
Within the next few years, a headline spot at the festival — and plenty of others around the world, has their name on it. This is something that should greatly excite everyone for a multitude of reasons.
‘Tsunami Sea’ is a project that will be the band’s next step forward into a world that is continually opening its arms to them. The album will be one that the Canadian band has had in the works for some time, and the full release will be of excitement to the army of fans Spiritbox have collected along the way.
