The wait is finally over. For those who have been following Spiritbox since the release of their self-titled EP in 2017, Eternal Blue feels well overdue. There has been a huge lead up to this album, and during that time the interest around the band has only skyrocketed. There is a good reason for this.
For many, it’s Courtney LaPlante. No stranger to the metal scene (though one could argue that her stature has improved significantly in recent years), LaPlante comes across as an absolute powerhouse on this record – switching between clean vocals & screaming vocals with such ease that one can only sit back and marvel. Thankfully both aspects of her voice are impressive in their own right. (A feat in itself given the stark difference between styles). But one should not discount the talent and musicianship of the rest of the band either.
The music as a whole displays a level of confidence and cohesion that is rarely (if ever) witnessed on a debut album. The obvious chemistry that exists in the band could perhaps be explained by the history of two of its founding members (LaPlante and her husband Mike Stringer, both of whom are also ex-members of Iwrestledabearonce). But regardless of the underlying reasons, it is clear from the get-go that the band are an extremely tight unit.
Opening with the staccato heartbeat-like rhythm of “Sun Killer” (which starts with LaPlante gently whispering and lulling the listener into a false sense of security before launching into a brutal breakdown), there is plenty of energy early on to get the adrenaline pumping. The next track, “Hurt You“, continues with the aggressive assault, before succumbing to another catchy chorus. Sam Cater from Architects joins LaPlante on the mic for “Yellowjacket“, in a duet that will no doubt please fans of both groups. Next track “The Summit” is a more cruisy number than the songs which have come before it, showing off the band’s versatility, and accentuating LaPlante’s clean vocals. “Secret Garden” continues this laid-back vibe with its grooving guitar parts, and includes one of the strongest choruses on the entire album.
This mellow reprieve is short-lived, as Spiritbox immediately fire up the canisters again for “Silk in the Strings“. LaPlante comes out of the gates swinging with some of her harshest singing yet, and doesn’t really let up for the whole song. It’s a great circuit-breaker, and an excellent way of separating two heavy-weight singles as “Holy Roller” appears hot on the heels to land the one-two punch. Title track “Eternal Blue” turns down the metal intensity again, and sets the stage for the more pop-heavy emphasis on “We Live In A Strange World“.
Both “Halcyon” and “Circle With Me” up the metal again, but there is a sense that the tempo is winding down now. A fact later confirmed as single “Constance” closes out the album. This is Spiritbox at its most pensive and atmospheric-sounding; succeeding not only as a parting wave to listeners, but as a lasting reminder that this band still has plenty of surprises left up its sleeve.
Overall it’s hard not to be extremely pleased with Eternal Blue. It might have been a long time in the making, but it’s clear that the band has used that time effectively. Spiritbox, with LaPlante at the helm, have proved without any shadow of doubt that they are deserving of all the praise and attention they have garnered recently, and if this first LP is any indication, one can safely assume that they both have a very bright future ahead.
Verdict: Given the immense anticipation, it would be easy to forgive Spiritbox if they had failed to live up to the hype of their first full-length album. Thankfully, this is not something we ever need to contemplate with Eternal Blue. Far from crumbling under pressure, Spiritbox have seemingly done the impossible: capitalising on the momentum behind them and rising to the challenge to produce a brave genre-defying masterpiece.
