Spiritbox's 'Soft Spine' in review
The Grammy-nominated group's release came after a hugely successful summer festival run in Europe supporting Korn and their Heavy Music Awards win. The Canadian machine did not stop there, and “Soft Spine” is one of their heaviest and most interesting songs they have shown the world so far. The first thing that strikes after the enormous instrumental sound is the big, powerful vocal tone that Courtney screams out. The song is incredibly heavy, yet catchy. The natural guitar and drum groove as well as multiple distortions flow and carry the vocal lines to deep, dark, punchy depths that many male vocalists could learn from. Moreover, while listening to this tune I gather subtle but noticeable pieces making it more intriguing. The introductory airy, gloomy synth samples and multiple vocal harmony layers intensify the tonal vibrancy.
Courtney’s signature vocal and lyrical artistry brings 'Soft Spine', something I want put emphasis on in this track. Her voice combined with intense lyrics are the brightest point of this piece. Mid and high screams convey a message of questionable moral choices. “I am a witness to your / Regicide / The dissolution of your / Soft spine / You all deserve each other” implies that with crooked morals, desperate people can do questionable things such as the aforementioned regicide (an act of killing a monarch). Whilst there might be a deeper meaning of a heartbreak in addition to debatable behaviours mentioned in the chorus - “You steal the echo from their ghosts / You pick your teeth with sacred bones / I hate the ones that love you / And those who profit from you / It's time to reap the tide you sow” - these lyrics suggest deeper pain and anger to the parties involved. Courtney brings so much energy and power to such an enraged lyrical mood, I feel like I want to capitulate and swiftly crown her the queen of the metal genre. She gets it in a particularly unique way that in combination with her husband, Mike Stringer's, instrumental composition makes Spiritbox so successful.
If you are not a fan of metal bands – Spiritbox's 'Soft Spine' may change this in you. Huge sound, massive, screamed vocals... It is not a mistake Canadians are big in the music industry. After listening to this song, I feel like I want to dig deeper into their discography. Listening to their music feels like a brand-new box of chocolates – you will always find something new and interesting that will make you come back for more.
