I know very little about Heavy Metal Music. But after reading Ryan Pfeil’s moving reflection and its connection to “Constance,” the song by the Canadian Progressive Metalband Spritibox,  I wanted to learn more. 

Through a review on Outburn Online, I learned that “the release is inspired both lyrically and visually by devastating loss. Both Spiritbox frontwoman Courtney LaPlante and the video’s director Dylan Hryciuk suffered the passing of their beloved grandmothers this year. With “Constance,” they came together to pour their sorrow into creating something beautiful, raw, and deeply personal. The track is a tribute to both Courtney’s grandmother, Phyllis, and Dylan’s grandmother, Constance, whom the song is named after.”

I watched the music video of “Constance,” and was surprised by its gentle tones. I then watched a few reaction videos of Metalheads listening to the song. They were obviously very moved by it. I began to understand that this song was stylistically unusual for the band. In an interview, LaPlante described how and why this song was so different from their other songs.

But while Spiritbox’s videos “usually have a horror element to them,” as LaPlante says, the band “wanted to explore a different side of horror: the horror of feeling like your mind is betraying you, due to a long battle with dementia. With Dylan’s permission, we named the song ‘Constance’ to immortalize her story.”

Due to travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, LaPlante was unable to say goodbye to her own grandmother nor attend the funeral. “I always promised her that I would sing at her memorial service,” the musician adds, “because she always requested a ‘pretty song with none of that scary screaming.’ I hoped writing this song with no ‘scary screaming’ in it would help me find a sense of closure.” (Outburn Online Magazine,)

In a Loudwire Nights interview,  LaPlante provided more insights into the song.

The song is just about someone who feels like they’ve lost someone, and then feels it falling apart before their very eyes and how sad they are about it….  I’m so proud of that video because I think so many people, at that time last year [during COVID-19 lockdowns], we were just all sad. Even if it wasn’t because you lost someone, everyone was just so sad,” she continued. “Sometimes people don’t have the permission from themselves or society to cry. Sometimes you need a sad song or a sad movie or a sad music video to give you permission to let out those emotions and feelings.