Mike Stringer's guitar adds heft to a serious groove on the title-track as the ascendent Canadian metal band look to capitalize on their triumphant performances on their European tour
(Image credit: Spiritbox/Instagram)
Determined not to lose the momentum from their stellar 2021 debut album Eternal Blue and a blazing performance at Download 2022, Spiritbox have taken us all by surprised and released more music – a three-track EP titled Rotoscope.
Marginally less heavy than Eternal Blue – which was filled to the brim with killer extended-range electric guitar riffs, including Guitar World best riffs of 2021 contender Circle With Me – Rotoscope kicks off with the four-to-the-floor groove of its dance-y title track, before exploring my synth-flavored arrangements on Sew Me Up and Hysteria.
Watch the video for the title track below.
Rotoscope is the first music Spiritbox have released since the departure of bassist Bill Crook last month. Josh Gilbert – who recently departed San Diego metalcore outfit As I Lay Dying – is fulfilling low-end duties on the band’s current European tour.
In an interview with Kerrang! conducted earlier this year, vocalist Courtney LaPlante spoke of taking the band’s post-Eternal Blue material in a different direction. “I think some people might even hate them,” she said. “But that makes me excited. I thrive on negativity!
Guitarist Mike Stringer says a lot has changed since the release of their debut album. “Now we’re different people with different tastes,” he said. “And it’s nice to be able to sit down and be like, ‘What do I want to hear? What do I enjoy?’”
In a March 2022 interview with Guitar World, Stringer lifted the lid on his approach to crafting guitar parts for Eternal Blue.
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“Being in a melodic band, the singing is so important – it’s probably the most important aspect,” he said. “I think for the most part I try to keep the chords as simple as possible, and then where I try to push things is in the layering.”
Rotoscope is available to buy or stream now via Rise Records.
Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar.
