Earlier this week, Spiritbox announced their Tsunami Sea album would arrive on March 7, but singer Courtney LaPlante has just answered a wealth of fan questions on the X social media platform providing more insight into the record to come. So here's what we know about Tsunami Sea so far from both the press materials and Courtney's own answers to fan questions.

What Influenced the Album Direction?

While answering fan questions, LaPlante was asked if there was any specific inspiration for the album theme. "My island," noted LaPlante, who would expand upon that more in later questions.

As for that album title, LaPlante was asked why Tsunami Sea instead of just Tsunami. She responded, "One is a single wave or series of waves, one is the metaphor of an ocean entirely made up of the tsunamis."

Another fan asked if there would be new genre experimentation or revisiting a sound they have done in the past to which LaPlante responded, "I think so."

What Influenced the New Album Artwork + Look?

The visual is an important element that meshes in with any Spiritbox album, so fans naturally had some interest in the artwork and potential merch for the new album cycle.

Did anything in particular influence the inclusion of the celestial/zodiac motifs in some of the merch and art," asked one fan. LaPlante responded, "Yes! A siren who sings in the dark, guiding me back to the stars."

"Is the imagery inspired by Vancouver island, and will song lyrics be as well," asked another fan, with LaPlante responding with a "yes."

"What's the inspiration for the cover art?," asked one fan, with LaPlante elaborating on her previous "island" inspiration comment, "It is our island, a place we always wanted to leave but it longs for us to stay."

There were several fan questions about the use of black and white colors with the artwork. To one fan she noted, "All that ever was, will ever be." She later added that it represented "going back to where we started."

Yet another fan recognized the band's use of symbols tied to each song on the record. LaPlante credited their artist Kevin for coming up with the symbols after he had listened to the album.

Spiritbox, 'Tsunami Sea' Album Art
Pale Cord / Rise Records
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What Can We Gather From the Lyrics + Concept?

First off, Courtney LaPlante confirmed to one fan that Tsunami Sea is a concept album, though it's not marketed as such. "Every record we make is a concept album, but we don't market it like that normally. I like to show not tell," she remarked.

When asked if the concept was more story based or personal, the singer offered, "It’s always personal, and it represents the feeling of growing up on the island I am from, and the feelings of longing to leave isolation and longing to go back. It’s about more than that though…it’s about what it feels like to be me."

Fans then started looking for clues in the lyrics and past works. When asked if Tsunami Sea was a "direct sequel" to their Eternal Blue album, LaPlante responded, "I would say it could be EB's sister."

One fan made note that the Fear of Fear EP "had a bunch of great self-referential lyrics and lines" and asked Courtney if there would be something similar with Tsunami Sea.

"Lyrics yes," responded the singer, affirming that there's some similarities in the writing approach.

One person asked if the album is more aligned with the "Soft Spine" or "Perfect Soul," the two singles issued so far. LaPlante stated that it was "always a balance" of the two.

One fan asked if the lyrics "ebb and flow" from "Perfect Soul" had connection to "The Summit," to which LaPlante noted, "Yes, everything is always connected."

Another person pondered if "Black Rainbow" was a reference to the movie of the same name, with LaPlante affirming that connection.

Likewise, the singer confirmed that there were some songs and parts that were inspired by parts of Van Isle than others.

Finally, LaPlante shared her favorite lyrics from the new album, offering, "On an island / With a clear view / Would’ve lived for you / Would’ve died for you" as her personal favorite.

What Was Jordan Fish's Involvement?

Back in January 2024, reports surfaced that Spiritbox had been in the studio with now former Bring Me the Horizon member Jordan Fish. That naturally led to some questions about Fish's involvement in the new album, the LaPlante clarified.

When one fan asked if he produced the whole album, LaPlante stated, "No he didn���t produce! I don’t mean this as anything negative, we enjoy working with him, but the fact is we did a fun writing session together and everyone thinks that means he produced it because someone said that and everyone ran with it lol! Produced by Dan and Mike as always." She reiterated to another fan that no songs they worked o with Fish would be included on the album.

The credits list Dan Braunstein and Mike Stringer as the album producers, with Zakk Cervini providing the mix and Ted Jensen mastering.

What Was With the Monster in the "Perfect Soul" Video?

Some fans has questions about one particularly striking figure from the "Perfect Soul" video. One person asked if the monster was a "clicker," which is a reference to one of the infected in the TV series The Last of Us.

"He is the ocean floor where I met my demise," remarked LaPlante. She later reiterated that the monster represented the "ocean floor." When asked if a certain video game / TV series inspired the monster, she noted, "I think it looks that way maybe in black and white but in person he looks like the everything you would find in a tide pool in the Pacific Northwest."

Spiritbox, "Perfect Soul"

What Is Courtney LaPlante Most Proud Of With the New Album?

In speaking about the expectations between the new album and its predecessor Eternal Blue, LaPlante stated, "Overtime I realized there are many metrics for success but I would still be happy to sell a lot of vinyl because the packaging is very thoughtful. There is more to it than the photo shows as far as the cover."

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When asked specifically what she was most proud of with the new album, the singer stated, "That it represents the duality of our band and where we came from." When asked what she loves about the record, she added, "It’s the one way I can explain how I feel."

These are just a few of the questions that LaPlante answered from fans. The full thread of questions about Spiritbox's Tsunami Sea can be found on the X social media platform.

How Can I Get Spiritbox's Tsunami Sea?

As stated, Spiritbox's new album, Tsunami Sea, will arrive on March 7. Pre-orders for the record are currently being taken through their website.

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Gallery Credit: John Hill