How Spiritbox Became Metal's Most Promising Band

Spiritbox may seem like they became the next big thing in metal overnight, but that wasn't the case. Loudwire's Lauryn Schaffner recently spoke with Courtney LaPlante and Mike Stringer to give fans the full Spiritbox story - from their days in Iwrestledabearonce, to "Holy Roller," to their new EP 'The Fear of Fear' and first-ever Grammy nomination.
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[@GeekFurious]

Spiritbox: We aint shit! Trolls: They aint shit! Spiritbox: That's what we said! Trolls: THE EGO ON THIS BAND WOAH!

[@malreynolds7309]

Trolls see a band that had the gall to be popular. Like Sleep Token, Spiritbox is damned for writing great songs in a subgenre that dares be in the metal genre where white males in their 50s still get to dictate what is and isn't metal.

[@ivanmartin1457]

With trolls like those as fans of a musical scene, who needs enemies?

[@ronthorn3]

There will always be those super “cool” contrarians who will die alone and unhappy.

[@Pumpkinvvitch666]

I first discovered Spiritbox when I saw them open for Ghost in September of 2022. I fell in love instantly. eternal blue has become one of my favorite albums of all time. I’m obsessed with everything they’ve created🩵 I’m so happy for them!

[@kidbonesonline]

I can't believe everyone in the comments doesn't like Spiritbox. Courtney is one of the most unique voices in metal music today. Not to mention the band themselves have evolved since their first EP. I'm excited to see what their next album may sound like.

[@SwineBrothers]

This shit ain't metal.

[@termination09]

Lmao @ "this shit ain't metal"

[@SwineBrothers]

@@termination09 I mean it clearly isn't. But hey whatever, the lamestream says it's metal so I guess it is. Hail alt rock!

[@termination09]

@SwineBrothers lol, my bad, swinebrothers said it's not metal so it's not. 👍

[@SwineBrothers]

@@termination09 Most people who listen to more than what Liquid Metal or Loudwire tell them to would agree. But we're ee-ville elitists for having standards.

[@whoisrune]

The comments are so dumb LMAOOOO Spiritbox is a fucking epic band and they deserve ALLLLL of this💜💜💜💜

[@miyu_1213]

Thanks for the awesome interview. I’m a new fan of Spiritbox and they are already one of the best bands for me. They are always humble and chill. That’s why I respect them. I’m so glad to hear the theme of their EP because I really love Courtney’s lyrics. They touch my heart so deeply, awaken the concealed feelings deep inside of me and heal me. Please keep creating beautiful, heavy, creepy, whatever music that you like and want💜

[@Beast_Hub]

I’ll keep an eye on this band for the next few years

[@andrewplaisance8282]

I am so in love with this band. From the humble nature of Courtney and Michael, to the ambiance of the music, and the depth of storytelling in Courtney's lyrics. It's just so refreshing in a metal scene full of the same old shit 😂 whoever complains probably still worships IWABO and can't move on! Courtney, Michael, Zev, and Josh if you guys see this THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME SANE IN A WORLD SO DARK🖤

[@travis.h.]

Awesome interview. Really cool to deep dive on the story of Courtney and Mikes journey. Humbling. Can’t wait to see how they play with their sound. 🤘.

[@Skittymonster]

You guys are one of my favorite bands. I love the experimenting of music and the lyrics are phenomenal. Hearing that you want to continue to push your music how you want it to be, makes me so excited for the next album!

[@AnthonyBusted]

Favorite metal group ! Courtney for me best female metal vocalist ! Their last EP Fear of fear is amazing !

[@dylanhenderson8655]

Everyone saying " they ain't shit" has been in numerous bands over the years that played maybe 2 shows and never made it. Yall ain't shit.

[@d.hodgsky]

LOL that shoutout to Alexisonfire and Protest the Hero. Two of my fav bands growing up. And yes, I'm Canadian haha

[@FaceIntoKeyboard]

Jose on Liquid Metal turned me onto these guys back in 2021 and I love seeing them blow up!

[@RT22444]

I love that Courtney explained the themes and concepts of Fear of Fear. I've been WAITING FOR THIS EXPLANATION 🙏🏽

[@wickedPrints3256]

I've been a fan since Belcarra. That song spoke to me. It said Spiritbox will blaze a trail through the metal scene. I love this band!

[@AM74691]

Just discovered Spiritbox because they plan to open for Korn in their upcoming tour. Good for them, as far as their success. They’re doing their own thing!

[@lorenrosenberg7652]

Finn Mckenty is to thank for me getting into spiritbox. So glad i discovered them a few years back and now theyre just getting better and better. Also courtney has flat out said at shows that she doesnt even know the true spiritbox fan so some of y'all gotta calm the f down

[@jsavage71]

I doubt Courtney or Michael will read this but allow me this anecdote anyway. Years ago I was in a band that wrote old school thrash type stuff. I was the only metal guy and everyone else was into other stuff. I kept trying to get them to listen to metal so we could write better songs but they were not into it. Eventually the band broke up. Years later I discovered Spiritbox and realized you guys were from IWABO. I was still in touch with my old guitarist and told him to check out Rule of Nines. Time goes by and we don't talk about it. You guys released Jaded and he calls me up like it's the year 2000 to tell me how he missed IWABO. Missed IWABO? What, I said. When did you discover IWABO? Doesn't matter, he told me. Of course, it matters. You never listened to metal. You didn't know who IWABO was when I told you about Spiritbox. How the hell can you miss IWABO? After a long argument he admitted he was spewing what he was reading in the comments section but that he truly believed it. I asked him to name a single IWABO song. He told me he was sorry he called me and hung up. I've had one phone conversation with a friend in probably a decade and it was my old guitar player faking his love for IWABO because the Internet told him to.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

lol, I hope he was faking it because if that was subjectively real for him, humanity is more doomed than I thought.

[@blackdragon6]

​@@j.f.fisher5318you'd be surprised 😒

[@keithgabbard3539]

I really enjoy this band so very much . Very talented . I have had the joy of hearing metal change and evolve since the 80s with Iron Maiden to Metallica , Testament , to Fear Factory Pantera , Opeth , right on through the years to what we have with the likes of Spiritbox and Slaughter to Prevail .

[@ut90J]

I feel as though metal elitism has really taken a downturn over the past decade or so.

[@eternalultraviolet]

Spiritbox is so incredibly important to metal today and what the future of metal will look like. You can disagree, but no one is doing it quite like them. Spiritbox made heaviness beautiful. Metal is such a polarizing genre that in recent years lost the core values of what metal was originally built on. The subject matter that Spiritbox touches on, the fact that the vocalist is a woman , and the way the band is able to seamlessly blend genres is taboo in this scene-- r/metalcore really hates to see it. As a woman who has listened to metal pretty much my entire life, no band that I have loved have changed my life quite like Spiritbox has. In a genre full of alpha gym bros that only like misogny, 0-0-0 breakdowns and violence, Spiritbox is beyond refreshing. Courtney is a force to be reckoned with; a powerhouse of a screamer with the most gorgeous clean singing voice and some of the most moving and life altering lyricism I've heard in my lifetime. Mike Stringer is and will be one of the greats. No one is writing such intricate riffs and using the entire guitar to their ability like he is. This entire band is revolutionary stuff. There is an entire world to become immersed in with Spiritbox and you won't want to leave once you get started. Whether they continue to skyrocket or take a back seat, this band is never going to fall off for the ones that they touch. If you get it, you really get it, and if you don't, you're severely missing out.

[@eternalultraviolet]

@@rodrigoperez244 yeah you’re the type of metal elitist I was referring to. Go listen to your local band with >12 monthly listeners and 6 allegations to their name. There was no reason to be a dick over me showing support for a band I respect. Touch grass.

[@eternalultraviolet]

@@rodrigoperez244 if this isn’t metal then what is? I PROMISE you I know more than a “tiny section” of metal. Spiritbox just so happens to be the band in all metal adjacent genres that stick out TO ME PERSONALLY.

[@rodrigoperez244]

@@eternalultraviolet So you got no arguments. Just assuming random shit and making baseless bold statements like "this band the future of metal durr hurr". Nah, fuck that. It's only the future for a very specific subgenre of poppy Metalcore, and that's it. You won't see other metal genres taking any influence from a media pushed Metalcore outfit because it is UNIMPORTANT to the greater metal landscape.

[@lilbeaubleep]

The first song I’ve ever heard from Spiritbox was “Blessed Be” and I had it on repeat forever. I don’t hear that song being talked about enough!! But over a month ago I started hearing their latest stuff and I’m even more sold now than I was before 🎉

[@LexaLite]

I would love to hear them go more prog (as a lover of progressive metal)

[@j.f.fisher5318]

Trolls be like "noooo! we don't want normies to learn to like growling vocals!!!" lol

[@ThexCatmanx]

The fact that they accidentally made a music video that echoed midsommer is WILD.

[@Trepanation21]

I don't think it really "echoed" Midsommar as a story, but it did evoke some similar visual ideas because of the flower crown. I'd say they actually have a few horror and other references in their music, IMO. Whether intentional or not, it seems fairly evident that they've picked up some fun imagery from hanging out watching stuff, as we do. The flower crown in Holy Roller, and I'd say the "demon paint" Courtney has in that video might also have taken some light inspiration from the antagonist's makeup in Insidious. The Spiritbox songs _Hysteria_ and _Rotoscope_ also reference "violent delights", which is part of a longer sentiment in Romeo and Juliet, but was also heavily referenced in Westworld. Another example, in their song *We Live in a Strange World* off Eternal Blue, the lyrics _"You let the bastards grind you down"_ are pretty likely inspired from Courtney having watched *The Handmaid's Tale,* which features some pivotal use of the phrase "Don't let the bastards grind you down" for a couple important characters. Or Courtney wanted to make a WW2 reference 🙃 I'm pretty sure I've noticed others over the years, but I can't remember them off the top now that they have a more expansive catalogue :D *Orrrr* all of this has just been _my own_ Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon and/or considering coincidental similarities between Spiritbox stuff and other pop culture in my peripherals, ha!

[@purplemonkey1890]

Love Spiritbox. I can listen to their albums start to finish

[@josephreusch]

I fucking love this band, and this interview gives so much perspective on their beginnings. Eternal Blue is one of, if not my favourite album of 2021. Great to see phenomenal artists that still have a good head on their shoulders! Can’t wait for the next full length album and going to go listen to The Fear of Fear EP and dive back in! Great interview.

[@patguff88]

First song I heard was Rules of Nines was like damnnn I need hear more, found Belcarra and I was hooked.

[@TeganCantEven]

Spiritbox has become my favorite band. I love them so, so much!

[@ki11atj49]

One of the best metal bands around right now

[@Devforde]

They aren't one of the best bands around, and can't be one of the best metal bands as they're not a metal band. There are dozens of great metal bands around. This is an alternative rock band with a poppy woman that does some lame screams. Also this "band" is just the singer and her husband. She's the face of it and the only thing people know of it, and then by extension her husband cause he's her husband and he writes the music.

[@ki11atj49]

@@Devforde I can't believe my wasted my time reading this The more I read the more cringe it got Just cuz you're one of those weird metal heads that think your opinion matters more than others doesn't mean this isn't a metal band most bands are only known for the lead singer buddy and maybe a few of the band members

[@ki11atj49]

@@rodrigoperez244 If metal core is not part of metal, neither is all the other subgenres I don't care if you like the band or not. Do they have more of a clean sound on some songs? Yes but others sings they're definitely metal

[@its_fatima]

I've been obessing over the lyrics so much. It's so nice that they explained the concept finally! Courtney to me is more of a poet than a songwriter haha also my guess about the concept wasn't too far off from what she explained 😎 I just didn't put together the fact that the protagonist dies in every incarnation.

[@CSmithyPx]

I just want them to play bloodstock. :(

[@jonathancamm]

Earned

[@Omertahun]

I learnt that Courtney calls Mike "Michael" good stuff. I learnt Iwabo is pronounced EE-WAH-BOH which is also good stuff

[@ghstproject]

I can't wait to hear it (1:05:58) Just uncompromised art! I love the idea! Thank you for this amazing video guys! It's always so cool to see more of the artists behind the art!

[@torontokid2727]

Heard Blessed Be on Octane and have been following since. Seen them live on my birthday with Mastodon and Ghost and they were excellent!

[@bradkohl99]

I love seeing g the success Mikd and Courtney have found. Some of my fondest memories of the late 2000’s were putting on shows for Fall In Archaea and getting to hang out with Mike a couple times a year.

[@Dreamtaker509]

I first discovered them specifically their song Circle With me when I was in a low spot in my life. They were such an inspection at that time to me. I absolutely love their sound and can say they gave me something to live for.

[@lisamoore1833]

I don’t like them that much, but as the previous poster said, props to them for getting recognized, and played!

[@stephaniehyden2440]

Love this❤ excellent interview. Thank you 🙏 They are one of my favorite 😍 Fear of fear on heavy rotation. I love the way it makes me feel.

[@danielramthun5377]

I love you guys, please tour back in Seattle soon!!!!!

[@bite28]

I'm a fan forever and ever, like a forever spinning fidget spinner 🤘

[@ewigengeist]

I love Spiritbox so much

[@jorge0358]

Not my cup of tea but props to them for getting where they are

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

Courtney's thicc legs are indeed my cup of tea.

[@DrummerJake-cm5ir]

Love their music

[@johngreen2665]

Love from Memphis 🖤

[@MadsMoto]

I just WISH they'd come to Download again. I fell in love with Spiritbox so hard after their last gig there!

[@RussInCanada]

Highly recommend checking out Infected Rain.

[@RT22444]

LOVE Spiritbox and their genre fluidity! Pop/hiphop/ambient/metal/rock/prog/etc. etc. etc. They do it all. I find a lot of metalheads to be so boring, closed minded, and one dimensional. Sorry its not just one boring drawn out screaming banger that has no melody whatsoever..lol So many of yall just want heavy. That's it. Nothing else. Thats ok but the nuance and complexity and skill level that Spiritbox presents is so refreshing to me.

[@jhamilton1007]

Best Metal band in the business right now.

[@dattjah]

Loved Courtney in IWABO and have Spiritbox on rotation daily. Can't wait to see where this goes.

[@robertvalli2238]

We need arena headliners

[@thulsa_doom]

Hmm... never heard of them till now.

[@eternalultraviolet]

Definitely take a listen to their discography one day. A truly great band with really refreshing ideas

[@DavidSlEePtOkEnSanchez]

The music is amazing 😊

[@jadehmiller]

This band is the future of metal music.

[@Trepanation21]

They're a _part_ of it - If there's anything you should have gleaned from this interview, let it be with regard to their feelings about people being hyperbolic about their music. There are a lot of great bands making worthy and interesting music right now, and there's room enough for all of them in our playlists and our appreciation and respect. Whether there's room enough in my wallet to see them all on tour is a different story 😭

[@jadehmiller]

Someone had the wrong opinion, time to get all offended!

[@d.hodgsky]

Love Spiritbox! They deserve every good thing that comes to them 🩶

[@c.michellesparks2925]

Who? I love these moments. On my way to check them out.

[@adamwilliams5426]

Never heard of them

[@GeekFurious]

Now you have.

[@tl1572]

Welcome to the world.

[@adamwilliams5426]

@@tl1572 Thanks mom!

[@DavidSlEePtOkEnSanchez]

Amazing band.

[@adamwilliams5426]

@@DavidSlEePtOkEnSanchez Are they? Any good song to recommend?

[@corbinm5237]

It’s exciting that Courtney wants to go prog with the next album. It’ll be cool if they go that direction and cool to see what that does for their sound and songwriting.

[@artemisthegunslinger3956]

Where's Graham??

[@nathannichols7306]

Did nobody like Iwrestledabearonce?

[@GeekFurious]

I liked them. But I don't remember there being much buzz about them until after Spiritbox blew up.

[@jhamilton1007]

Great band. Courtney, and then when Mike later joined IWABO and had more creative input they made the band better.

[@StabbyMcHugz]

That’s metal’s most promising band?.. RIP Metal.. you had a good run..

[@eternalultraviolet]

haven't heard a single song have ya bud?

[@nocturnal03]

any true metal elitist will tell you metal died in the 80's the rest of us get to enjoy it ;)

[@StabbyMcHugz]

@@eternalultraviolet Indeed I have, pone of the factors that assisted me in my opinion.

[@JasonMasque13]

Heavy music scene… 🤮

[@chrisselby850]

FUCK YEAH!🤘

[@vforvinico]

They're ok but I prefer the Jinjer vibes

[@GeekFurious]

And? What does Jinjer have to do with Spiritbox? Oh wait, can there be only one metal band with a woman singer we're allowed to enjoy passionately?

[@vforvinico]

@@GeekFurious both are modern sounding metal bands that have seen a big growth on the last few years, both female fronted with harsh and clean vocals, they have a lot of similarities, they have a lot in common so it makes sense to talk about both sometimes, sorry if you feel attacked my fragile friend.

[@jsavage71]

This is like saying you prefer Korn's vibes to Slipknot because both singers are male and both sing and scream in sort of the same genre. They are very different bands.

[@vforvinico]

@@jsavage71 no, jinjer and spiritbox have a much closer sound than these two, but ok, that's your opinion

[@jsavage71]

@@vforvinico It doesn't matter if they are closer or much closer, Spiritbox and Jinjer are not similar sounding bands. Their writing is so different. And their singers sound nothing alike.

[@MarkusSsZ]

Luck

[@koshar44]

Meh....kinda boring to me.

[@ki11atj49]

Cool bud😂

[@kim.yandere.]

Cool story

[@santiagonajera7658]

Spiritbox isn't metal

[@Kappamsu]

Dont you think its sad that i just was able to read you like a book because of 3 words on the internet?

[@GeekFurious]

Then Black Sabbath isn't metal either.

[@NdrsOrs]

@@GeekFurious Black Sabbath is much less metal (sound) than Spiritbox.

[@ghostrunnerco6791]

tf…

[@bornon18]

Ahaha, really? No disrespect to the band, but most promising band they ain't. There are way, waaay better and bolder bands out there.

[@poltergeistx]

Care to name a few?

[@RussInCanada]

​@@poltergeistx Eruca Sativa, Infected Rain, Huri Hau, Seas On The Moon.

[@bornon18]

@@poltergeistx Zeal & Ardor, Frostbitt, Victory Over The Sun, Darko US, Thoughtcrimes, Ustalost, Silent Planet.

[@poltergeistx]

@@bornon18 thanks. Full disclosure, Spiritbox is one of my favorite bands in recent years. I don't agree/disagree with you, just curious of bands you had in mind so I could check them out.

[@bornon18]

@@poltergeistx Sure, mate. It's all a matter of taste.

[@conormurphy4328]

…who?

[@ralphieralph9176]

..I was just going to ask if ..Courtney is transgender xP ..my bad.

[@linseul7578]

No thanks , I love talent .

[@tl1572]

Keep pleasuring yourself to Metallica, gatekeeper/loser.

[@tl1572]

Tell us all what you have done with your life, basement-dweller.

[@letthetunesflow]

You can not like the style of metal they make, but to call them untalented is patently false, and absolutely absurd… Have you watched their live one take performances? If not I recommend you do, and come back here too honestly defend your opinion… Some of the best metal guitarists, and especially the countless number of amazing vocalists which have been blow away by just how incredibly talented Courtney is! You would have to be so blinded by your own ego to be this absurdly confident in your obnoxious metal elitist hate for their style of metal… It’s perfectly normal not to like certain types of metal, and certain metal bands in particular, but to hate their music so much to go out of your way to bash it, and to call them talentless is so absurd to make any musician burst out laughing! I love what Spiritbox are doing, and what several new metal bands, who recently blowing up are also doing, and that’s making all the metal elitist cry and scream like little babies by incorporating all kinds of musical genres and inspirations from non metal genres! It makes me laugh watching all these metal elitists lose their minds, and show the world just how pitiful and full of self hatred they are… There is nothing more sad than watching just how depressed and personally full of self hatred that these metal elitists screaming about how bad and not metal Spiritbox is! The more the metal elitists hate something the more I bet I’m going to like it because it means they are probably playing music with something new, and often is very catchy melodically or rhythmically… I swear metal elitists hate anything that has a catchy melody or pop sensibilities to it… I just find it funny, yet sad, that some people hate anything that is successful… If any band does decide too conform to the metal elitist rulebook, they may end up being praised by the very slimy, yet very small loud cadre of obnoxious narcissistic morons! How fun! Because any band would love to exchange being penniless vs being successful yet hated by the metal elitist vomit brigade… Nothing is sadder, and more harmful to the metal music community than these narcissistic metal elitists who hate anything that’s popular, or that incorporates other musical genres into their music, and doesn’t stick to their extremely narrow list of approved obscure genres… If the band can make enough money to live off of, than they hate it… You must remain poor, homeless, and obscure! Nothing is more like kryptonite to metal elitists than their favourite band becoming successful and earning a living off their music! Elitists can’t have their favourite band become successful, because if that happens than that means others know about them and nothing is worse for a metal elitist than outsiders knowing their precious obscure band… That band hates you more than anything I can assure you that! Anyone who has seriously pursued music, especially metal, hate the slimy metal elitists more than any other fan… These metal elitists can’t seem to get it through their thick skulls that bands would prefer that more people love their music! Elitists seem to think that bands would love them, even though they actively do everything to prevent a band from truly succeeding! Metal elitists push more fans away from bands, and I know that if I was still in a band I would despise the metal elitists even more than I do now, they act like an abusive partner in a relationship! Yeah…. Stupid metal elitists…

[@LiesThatBind]

They're good but way overhyped.

[@jonc4050]

Oh look an evenescense rip off, terrible terrible terrible. Ive pretty much come to the conclusion that metal gets maybe one band a year that is okay. This isnt that band. Next,....,.................

[@kim.yandere.]

Courtney is more talented than Amy Lee. I'd love to see Amy Lee cover Holy Roller or Cellar Door. Lol

[@carpediemearth]

@@kim.yandere. I disagree that Spiritbox is an Evanescence rip off, I hear the influence but they sound more often like other metalcore bands and Jinjer than Evanescence. Courtney's also inspired by pop stars like Beyoncé and Hayley Williams. But your comment is hilarious 😂 Amy Lee is not only a better vocalist and an iconic musician, Courtney doesn't even write music. Amy Lee has been writing music since she was a child. She is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, produces, engineers, programs, has written film scores, etc. A comparison is absurd.

[@Eyeyamgod]

Name one evanescence song like holy roller or cellar door champ 😂 dum azz

[@UnGranSaurio]

Lmao if you hear Spiritbox music and find it similar to Evanescence then you don’t hear too much music and probably have no clue about instrument dexterity. Your loss!

[@BreakingNVain]

😂😂😂😂

[@Jezballz]

LMAO.