The wait is finally over:Spiritbox’s new albumTsunami Seais finally here. This was the band’s opportunity to prove they are notheavy-metal one-hit wonders. They belong in the conversation ofbands that help define metal genres, and ultimately, they have a chance to end up on the list of10/10 heavy-metal albumsfor the next decade. After listening toTsunami Sea, there’s no doubt Spiritbox has proven they are here to stay.
This all-important second studio album comes on theheels of Spiritbox’s highly successful debut album,Eternal Blue,which was released in September 2021. With hits such as “Holy Roller,” “Circle With Me,” and “Secret Garden,” there were significant expectations regarding what the band would do next. Now, over two years later, we finally know what that next chapter is for Spiritbox. They have mastered their definitive sound, and are ready to putTsunami Seato the test.
11Crystal Roses
Track 9 – 3:19
Toward the end of theTsunami Sea, you’ll find the track “Crystal Rose.“The song features EDM elementsand certainly touches on key points of the metalcore genre. While the song is not a transitional track in the traditional sense, the arrangement of the vocals makes it feel like it veers off the path of how the other tracks are structured.
In a lot of ways, the song feels experimental, but it does not fall short. In fact,if this is a direction that Spiritbox want to pursue, there’s a lot for them to explore here. A song like this certainly has a place on the album because, instead of song after song with the same flavors, it gives the listeners a chance to digest what they have just heard and appreciate it for what it is, while experiencing something a bit different.
10Deep End
Track 11 – 3:47
To close outTsunami Sea, listeners are greeted with the song “Deep End,” which serves as the outro of an all-around great album. For as heavy as Spiritbox can go, this song never quite reaches that level. Instead,it takes the route of focusing more on the clean vocals of Courtney LaPlanteand sending the fans off on a softer note.
Truly, it is a beautiful ending with a gentle guitar sound. Even more so, lyrics from the chorus, such as “I couldn’t see straight. I shouldn’t be here,” and “Down in the deep end. Lost in my own waves,” connect fans to LaPlante, who seems to be singing from a vulnerable place.Perhaps instead of an aggressive sound, fans needed this connection to know the people behind the musicand continue with them on their journey.
9Tsunami Sea
Track 6 – 4:16
Throughout the heavy-metal genre,the title track can serve as a very special song on an album. Decades ago, you may have thought of “Holy Diver” by Dio, or more recently, you may have thought of “In Waves” by Trivium. Perhaps you even considered a very recent one, “Take Me Back to Eden” by Sleep Token. With such a rich history, there were high expectations for “Tsunami Sea,” which falls right in the middle of the Spiritbox’s new album.
TheTsunami Seatitle track stands out for a few reasons. The first is, the drums in this are incredible. Essentially, they’re inescapable at the beginning and serve as a heavy reminder of a key element fans love about Spiritbox. Second,the lyrics, “I wait as you hold your breath for someone I’ll never be,” represent everything this album was supposed to convey, which is never feeling good enough. With that being said, the title track ultimately serves its purpose.
8Keep Sweet
Track 4 – 4:03
“Keep Sweet” does not have easy placement onTsunami Seabecause it is tucked between two songs that were not only released, but also accompanied by music videos. This means fans have had a lot of time to connect with them, both by listening and watching the stories of the songs unfold. However, “Keep Sweet” does an excellent job of holding a listener’s attention.
“Keep Sweet” does an excellent job of holding a listener’s attention.
The song starts with a great build-up, andby the time Courtney LaPlante begins her screams at the 48-second mark, you can’t help but be hooked. Additionally, the chorus of this song flows so well. It starts out with the lyrics, “Devour little pieces of my heart when you need them,” which may be some of the strongest Spiritbox lyrics to date. Anyone who has gone through some form of turmoil can relate to that feeling and undoubtedly to this song as a whole.
7A Haven With Two Faces
Track 7 – 5:31
Writing a song can be a difficult task. Writing one that lasts more than a few minutes can be even more challenging, but writing one that lasts more than a few minutes and is good? Extremely difficult. For Spiritbox, they managed to accomplish this with their track, “A Haven with Two Faces.” Lasting over five and a half minutes,the song is not only the longest one onTsunami Sea, but also the longest one Spiritbox has released, as nothing onEternal Bluewas this long either.
One of the coolest elements of a longer song is an artist’s ability to play with the pace of a track. It allows for more time to slow things down and enables everything to truly sink in. About halfway through “A Haven with Two Faces,” this is exactly what happens, and aboutforty seconds later, you’ll be glad you stayed to hear the force of what comes next. Of course, a song over five minutes on an album isn’t always guaranteed, but fingers crossed Spiritbox does this again.
6Ride The Wave
Track 10 – 4:53
Set as the second-to-last song on the album,“Ride the Wave” is one of the most beautiful tracks on the entire thing. During the verses, the guitar sounds create a cool, horror-like vibe. It truly makes things feel ominous, almost like something that could feature at the end of a movie. Another cool element is that, without needing many screams from Courtney LaPlante, the instrumentals already make the song feel elevated and in your face, with mostly clean vocals over them.
However,when LaPlante’s screams do kick in toward the end, it’s a disturbing twist in the most pleasing way, as it contrasts wonderfully with what can be considered the singer’s best clean vocals on the album. Sometimes, singers have certain words or phrases that they sing perfectly. For LaPlante, the phrase “Ride the wave” flows so nicely and creates an alluring chorus you want to listen to again and again.
5Perfect Soul
Track 3 – 3:59
As Spiritbox embarked on their journey of promotingTsunami Sea,the second single from the album they released was “Perfect Soul.” In a lot of ways,the song evoked the same feelings as one of their hits fromEternal Blue, “Circle With Me.“Both songs elicit an emotional response that leaves a listener getting lost in the ambiance of the tunes. However, while “Circle With Me” featured a music video with a straightforward concept, “Perfect Soul” took fans on a journey through a black-and-white lens.
While “Circle With Me” featured a music video with a straightforward concept, “Perfect Soul” took fans on a journey through a black-and-white lens.
The music video of the song is so haunting that it’s hard not to visualize it if you simply listen to the audio track. However,if you can peel back the visual layers, there are a few particular parts of the song that truly stand out: the post-chorus, bridge and outro. As good as the verses and chorus are, it’s the parts that follow that anchor the song and take you on an even deeper journey.
4No Loss, No Love
Track 8 – 2:56
By a few seconds, “No Loss, No Love” is the shortest track on the album, yetit delivers with every ounce of time it was given. The song incorporates screams, djent, and electronic elements, all perfectly placed. The way it is structured helps the song flow quickly from beginning to end, allowing you as a listener to grasp every aspect of it. This was another track that was experimental in a way, but everything about it worked.
In fact, to pay it a high compliment in Spiritbox terms,the song possesses a lot of the great qualities that their hit “Holy Roller” has. Both songs grab your attention, and in a little under three minutes, you’re on the Spiritbox roller coaster. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the band release more songs like this on future albums, as it feels like a key element of their fans' expectations.
3Black Rainbow
Track 2 – 3:24
If you want to headbang, turn on “Black Rainbow” and you’re almost guaranteed to do so immediately. As soon as you start this track, you feel the buildup for the first thirteen seconds, and then when it kicks in, it’s go time. Sure, the first word you hear is “Exit,” but there’s no leaving this track once you’ve begun listening. Another fantastic element to the song is that as the chorus ends with the lyrics, “Beyond the black rainbow,“you’re met with a guitar sound very reminiscent of Gojira.
To make the song even more special, its title has a deeper connection than just what’s on the surface. Courtney LaPlante stated in an interview withZach Sang, thatthe song’s title is inspired by the movieBeyond the Black Rainbow,directed by Panos Cosmatos, who is from Vancouver Island and has B.C. roots just like Spiritbox. The track was already excellent, but with a personal story to match, it makes it one of the most definitive songs of the album.
2Fata Morgana
Track 1 – 4:21
Choosing an album’s opening track is never an easy task for a band, as it can determine if someone continues listening, and it sets the tone for the rest of the record. In the case of Spiritbox’s selection forTsunami Sea,the band absolutely got it right.In less than a minute and a half, you are already embraced by some of the key elements that define Spiritbox:instrumentals that rattle your bones and both the screaming and clean vocals of the phenomenal Courtney LaPlante.
Choosing an album’s opening track is never an easy task … In the case of Spiritbox’s selection forTsunami Sea,the band absolutely got it right.
If you’re wondering what exactly the phrase “Fata Morgana” means,the common term is a superior form of a complex mirage where a mirage image appears above a real object. In the chorus, LaPlante sings, “Fate is a mirage. Hold me up till the morning.” The song itself seems to touch on pain, sorrow, and struggle, which in turn establishes the theme for the rest of the album, continually exploring the battles within oneself.
