SONG REVIEW: Spiritwaker - "Breathe In"

by Jesse Smith

Dominating the Midwest metal scene, Spiritwaker has been a household name since 2018. I have heard of them before being one of the local heavy hitters coming out of Kansas City. Having solid tracks spanning their career, this last February they released arguably their best track to date titled “Breathe In”. The band has been known to involve lyrics that touch on personal struggle and this is no different! Let’s dive into this powerful track! 

Like I said, their lyrics touch on personal struggles and how they’ve overcome them. This track however has some religious tones reminiscent of the Christian Metalcore that was booming in the early 2010’s. With lyrics like “Breathe into me, My heart will follow you”. While maybe it is or not, this track is definitely emotionally driven and powerful both in delivery and song writing. Vocalist Sal Sulla’s performance is MASSIVE and hooks you immediately. You can tell he is pouring his heart into every word. 

Like most modern metalcore/heavier music, they dive heavily into their clean vocals, but when the heavy parts hit, it kicks you in the teeth! The guitar tones are crunchy and powerful, so much so it cuts through the mix and adds to the overall vibe of the song. Even though this song is slower in it’s vibe, the heaviness in the instruments make a lasting impression. 

Spiritwaker really outdid themselves with this and had a “level up” moment and seeing that this is their new top song on Spotify, I believe everyone else agrees. They were able to stand out in sound while still keeping up with the state of heavier music in 2024. I can see these guys being real contenders this year moving forward, so watch out.. these guys have massive potential.