Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea // Album Review

Spiritbox are back, baby! Everyone’s favourite band returns with their latest offering, Tsunami Sea, landing this coming Friday, March 7th, courtesy of Rise Records, and what an album it is.

Right from the off you are met with a level of brutality that even Spiritbox themselves will be proud of delivering, the guitars are thicker, the tunings are getting ‘redonkulous’ and it translates to a savage wall of distortion with pick scrapes that have you reaching for your comfort blanket and lying in the fetus position even before the end of track one. ‘Fata Morgana’ just hits you hard right in the chest!.

‘Black Rainbow’ kicks in with all the energy and impact of a runaway train, and you simply cannot ignore it. The pummelling into just catches right away, and you know you’re in for a killer track; the EDM and Industrial vibe is thick on this one and delivers. ‘Perfect Soul’ represents one of the more melodic on the ear tracks and was probably one of the reasons it was chosen as a single and video off the album itself, a catchy and banging number it has the perfect balance of unoffensive and hefty all at the same time. The bands evolution has been simply majestic to watch, it must be hard for any artist whos tradectory is on the way up to be under so much scrutiny and to manage to keep their shit together, somehow Spiritbox have just been able to keep their heads down and consistently delivery with every album released, staying true to their musical beliefes and not faultering or giving in to commercial pressures associated with the brand side of a band.

Everything they do seems on point, regardless of how much they push their own boundaries it has been a pleasure watching them grow in gargantuan stature as they keep challenging their fanbase and themselves musically. ‘Keep Sweet is another banger of a track, sizemic chorus with punishing riffs throughout that will keep the headbangers happy and the ladies grooving on the dancefloor. ‘Soft Spine’ takes us back to those pick scrapes that feel like nails on a chalkboard, the downtuned lines slamming like a bass just cut through the mix while Courtney’s vocals hit home like a sledgehammer. It is as brutal as track as you’ll hear this year, one for Valentine’s Day perhaps while making the sweet, sweet love.

The dedicated Spiritbox fans will be delighted with this new album. For anyone just joining the party, there is more than enough to drag you along kicking and screaming until you fully understand you will never know where this band will go next. Musically, it is a triumph. The production is glorious, which allows the listeners to engross themselves in every subtle nuance Spiritbox has thrown at them and more. The twists and turns in production are mind-boggling at times, and the levels of creativity are poured out before your very eyes in a remarkable recording. it blows my mind how they construct their songs at times. This results from living and breathing your craft 24/7, 365 days a year.

Modern-day bands have a wealth of tools at their disposal today that allow them to create the most glorious soundscapes, but it doesn’t guarantee they can unless you can translate what is going on inside your head to reality. Tsunami Sea is a perfect example of a group of artists who can do just that, take these gargantuan ideas and turn them into tangible recordings that represent who they are as a band, and it is a glorious thing.

Thankfully, you don’t have to wait too long to experience it for yourself. Tsunami Sea arrives on Friday, March 7th, courtesy of Rise Records.

Pre-order/pre-save Tsunami Sea here.

TSUNAMI SEA TRACK LISTING:

1. Fata Morgana

2. Black Rainbow

3. Perfect Soul

4. Keep Sweet

5. Soft Spine

6. Tsunami Sea

7. A Haven With Two Faces

8. No Loss, No Love

9. Crystal Roses

10. Ride The Wave

11. Deep End

Tour Dates:

30/11 – Sao Paulo, BR – Allianz Parade*

14/12 – Mexico City, MX – Estadio Azteca*

24/6 – Milan, IT – I-Days Festival^

26/6 – Arnhem, NL – Gelredome^

28/6 – London, UK – Wembley Stadium^

*with Bring Me The Horizon

^with Linkin Park

2025 European Headline Tour Dates

13/02 – London, UK – Alexandra Palace

15/02 – Berlin, GER – Columbiahalle

16/02 – Tilburg, NL – Poppodium 013

18/02 – Paris, FR – L’Olympia

19/02 – Cologne, GER – Palladium

20/02 – Frankfort, GER – Zoom

22/02 – Munich, GER – Tonhalle

23/02 – Hamburg, GER – Große Freiheit 36

with Periphery and Stray From The Path

ABOUT SPIRITBOX:

For many artists, a meteoric rise can often mean a sudden plateau. However, for Grammy-nominated progressive heavy metal mainstays Spiritbox, there appears to be no end in sight on their near-constant ascent to the top. Formed in 2017 in the picturesque yet isolated region of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, by vocalist Courtney LaPlante and guitarist Mike Stringer, Spiritbox would fully cement themselves as a household name in the summer of 2020 with the release of their blistering breakout single “Holy Roller,” along with a host of other captivating singles shortly after, resulting in a media firestorm of hype.

With new and existing fans eagerly watching their next move, Spiritbox exceeded every expectation imaginable in 2021 with the release of their genre-defining debut studio album Eternal Blue via Pale Chord/Rise Records. Eternal Blue, which debuted at #13 on the Billboard 200, kicked open the doors of the heavy metal scene and rewrote the genre’s playbook with 12 stunning tracks that incorporated everything from djent and post-metal to infectious synth-laden pop sensibilities and cinematic arrangements, brought fully to life by the inimitable LaPlante’s ethereal and commanding vocal performances.

The album cycle for Eternal Blue saw Spirtbox not only grace the covers of esteemed music publications such as Revolver, Alternative Press, Metal Hammer, Rock Sound, and Kerrang!, among many others but would also solidify the band as one of the most in-demand groups in live music today with their one-hundred percent sold out, first-ever headlining tour in support of the album which saw ticket sales over 40,000. The band would also share the stage with seasoned metal veterans such as Limp Bizkit and Ghost and win Best International Breakthrough Band at the 2021 Heavy Music Awards (later scooping Best International Artist at the 2024 Heavy Music Awards.)

In 2022, Spiritbox secured highly-coveted spots at numerous major US rock and metal festivals and were nominated for two JUNO awards, respectively. Spiritbox would also round out their current lineup with the inclusion of drummer Zev Rose and bassist Josh Gilbert in addition to releasing their sonically experimental EP Rotoscope in June of that year as well as a cross-genre collaboration with dubstep artist Illenium for the track “Shivering.”

During another whirlwind year for the band, including a US tour with Shinedown and Papa Roach, Spiritbox wrote and recorded their critically acclaimed EP, The Fear of Fear, released in November 2023. The EP features the single “Jaded,” which was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. In the same month, the band would make another genre-bending splash with a high-profile collaboration with rapper Megan Thee Stallion for a remix of her song “Cobra.”

Whatever comes next for Spiritbox, one thing is for sure: expect the unexpected and a firm commitment to creating wholly authentic music with passion, purpose, and constant evolution.