Last summer's packed-out UK debut shows at Download Festival and London's Islington Academy proved the hype was very much justified around Spiritbox - as if their 2021 debut Eternal Blue hadn't already proved that by being one of that year's best metal albums - but now the band's first headline tour of the UK is elevating the bar for what to expect from the new generation of exciting new metal stars.
With the whole tour sold out, a queue snaking round the corner from Birmingham's O2 Institute and out of sight isn't unexpected, but there's a genuine sense of buzz and excitement long before folks actually get into the venue. With a vest showing off his muscled frame, Loathe frontman Kadeem France cuts an imposing figure even before a massive screen at the back of the stage casts an ominous red glow over the band that turns them into shadowy silhouettes.
