Spiritwaker was initially formed by Sal Sulla in Kansas City, MO. They hit the local music scene using riffs that Sal had written in his hometown of Chicago, IL. The band opened for heavy hitters like Bad Omens (Sumerian Records), Falsifier, and Extortionist, playing in the midwest-area. However, the band went through some personal issues and decided to take a hiatus to work through their mental health struggles. After Sal moved back to the Chicago area, he reignited his friendship with his old writing partner, Sean Connolly, and Mitch Garcia, the riff master, to continue what was started in Kansas City. Spiritwaker writes aggressive yet melodic high-production heavy music that touches upon personal struggles such as mental health and breakups, and how to overcome them.