Spiritbox review: Courtney LaPlante has arrived | Music | Entertainment

This was most evident during tracks such as Circle With Me and Holy Roller (of course) where her guttural vocals rivalled (and even surpassed) the performances of some of the scene’s biggest and best singers. And she made it look effortless, with a stunning technique that proved she has a right to stand on any stage that’ll have her.

Courtney proved this tenfold during Yellow Jacket, which included a surprise appearance from Architects’ Sam Carter.

Sam needs no introduction, and the crowd’s reaction showed just how loved he is in the scene – but his arrival was more of a bonus than a feature of the evening. Some guest appearances at live shows can overtake the intimacy and special connection the band have with their audience, but Sam loyally arrived, delivered an incredible performance, and bowed out. He knew Spiritbox were the attraction tonight, and he respected it. Fair play, Sam.

Can you blame him, though? It was hard to argue with Spiritbox’s prowess throughout the night. Band members Mike Stringer, Zev Rose and Josh Gilbert were on top form; geniuses at work creating stunning soundscapes with just their few instruments.

Weirdly, coming away from Spiritbox’s monumental performance at Roundhouse, that was the only thing I wanted more from the band: more depth.

With one guitar, a bass, and a drum kit, Spiritbox felt oddly stripped back during their quieter moments. That isn’t to say it sounded bad in any way – quite the contrary – but their phenomenal musical repertoire didn’t pack quite as much punch as they always do on record.