“Are you scared to be alone with me?”
Spiritbox have had quite the storied career thus far, to say the least. Rising from the ashes of iwrestledabearonce back in 2017, the band truly hit their stride with their singles “Blessed Be” and, perhaps more pertinently, “Holy Roller” back in 2020. These tracks propelled them from an exciting new djent-infused metalcore unit to absolute scene superstars within just a few short months. With just two EPs and a handful of singles under their belt at that point, however, the music world at large was left yearning for more. Then came 2021’s goliath effort, Eternal Blue, and thusly it was proven that Spiritbox’s time as the cultural zeitgeist of the scene was destined to remain steadfast, rather than fizzle away.
This all brings us to now, and a question remained pertinent up to this point. With the overwhelming growth of Spiritbox since 2020 – expanding from a small-scale progressive metal project that had only ever played a handful of intimate shows, to an international sensation and touring with the likes of Underoath and the late, great Every Time I Die, where exactly do Spiritbox go next? This burning question, of course, has been answered through Rotoscope – a three-track surprise drop from metalcore’s hottest prospect.
Rotoscope is a surprise in more ways than one too, as Spiritbox show clear growth and progression in their sound here. No longer bound to the ethereal-tinged metalcore sound of Eternal Blue and the band’s previous outings, Rotoscope dabbles in numerous sounds from across the alternative music spectrum. Pulling from influences such as HEALTH and Garbage, as well as some more general 90s alt-rock/nu-metal aesthetics, the soundscape of this EP is something truly fresh within the realm of metalcore. This is not all to say that Rotoscope doesn’t still sound like Spiritbox, however. Make no mistake – the djenty riffs, the piercing screams and the planet-sized choruses all still remain here in full force – they’re just packaged in a way that recontextualizes their core strengths and gives them a new level of raw impact.
Opening and title track “Rotoscope” immediately enters the fold with a pulsating, industrial-esque beat, given further weight through Mike Stringer’s masterful nu-metal riffing. As the track explodes into its wonderfully 90s chorus, Courtney LaPlante’s sly, breathy vocal delivery provides a uniquely enthralling mix of sounds. It’s certainly a tonesetter – a mission statement that, while this is certainly still Spiritbox, they aren’t content with complacency, and seek to push their core aesthetics in new and exciting directions. The cheeky nine-string chunk used here and in closing track “Hysteria” further provides the track an innate sense of grit that will surely make any rational person crinkle up their face and bob their head to the groove.
Following track “Sew Me Up” turns up the nu-metal influence to 11, with the track housing one of the bounciest riffs across Spiritbox’s entire discography in its verses. The subtle post-chorus switch-up in where the one of the beat lands between Stringer’s riffing and Zev Rose’s driving drum groove is one of the most intoxicating moments on the entire EP. And, while the moment is by its very nature subtle and fleeting, it made such a monumental impact that it bears mentioning in its own right. The track provides a hefty juxtaposition in its chorus, dabbling in a more traditionally Spiritbox sound, drenched in all the atmospheric glory and ethereal beauty that one could possibly want, as Stringer and Rose hammer away with a truly driving instrumental section.
Through this, “Sew Me Up” works to bridge the gap between the old and the new in a way that feels natural and intentioned, rather than suffering from any notion of hamfistedness that can often result from a band straying too far out of their comfort zone. Further, this track, along with stellar closer “Hysteria”, exemplify Rotoscope’s utmost strength: the power of contrast. Swirling peaks and valleys feel truly considered across the EP, providing each song a sense of a journey being undertaken, accomplished through the wild and masterful dynamic shifts found within each track.
Further, “Hysteria” in particular stands as showcasing potentially the strongest songwriting of the band’s career. While being the closest to a traditional Spiritbox song in nature, the way in which “Hysteria” develops and expands its aesthetics over its roughly four-minute runtime demonstrates the band’s expanded strength in songwriting. The way in which the track subtly teases its explosive outro through its subtle nine-string flourish following its second chorus is genius foreshadowing of what’s to come. A songwriting “will they, won’t they?” moment, so to speak, when the track’s final smash at last enters the fold, it’s not only incredibly satisfying, but it impacts so much harder than you would ever expect. In spite of the fact that this EP contains the most of band’s least overtly metalcore material thus far, the closing moments of “Hysteria” stand tall alongside “Holy Roller” as one of the band’s girthiest sections to date. It’s an electrifying end to an already-stellar EP, and one that I can’t see coming off repeat for some time.
With Rotoscope, Spiritbox have demonstrated they have the chops to progress their sound in new and interesting ways, while still maintaining a sense of identity. While the nu-metal/industrial influence is clear, they’re adapted into Spiritbox’s core aesthetics in a way that makes the soundscape of the EP feel wholly unique and intentioned. All in all, Rotoscope is a three-track crash course in Spiritbox’s freshest, most engaging, and most unique songwriting to date. If this is a sign of things to come for the Canadian troupe, I can’t wait for what’s next.
9.5/10
Rotoscope is available now via Rise Records/Pale Chord, and you can find the EP here. For all things Spiritbox, metalcore and music in general, keep it locked on Boolin Tunes.