In This Moment and Sleep Token have more in common than one might think.
The Los Angeles alt-metal stalwarts have always toed the line between anthemic rock and scathing metal. They've always been extremely visually conscious, and totally reinvent their look (and accompanying stage setup) for every album cycle.
And religious themes have always been integral to their work, like their 2023 album, Godmode, and their 2017 LP, Ritual — the very word Sleep Token use to describe their live performances.
So, it made perfect sense when Sleep Token were asked to open In This Moment's 2022 U.S. tour. Vocalist Maria Brink was an early supporter of the group, and she ended up converting her bandmate, lead guitarist Chris Howorth, into a huge fan, as well.
"I'm just gonna say this for Maria right now," Howorth says. "Sleep Token were not as blown up as they are right now. And Maria's like 'Chris, this band Sleep Token, we have to take them out. I love them so much. You have to listen to them.'
"And I went and listened to them and they were great. She was like, 'They're gonna blow up, we've gotta take them out!' And we took them out and they literally blew up after that tour. So, I have to give it up to Maria and let her have it."
Brink says she first fell in love with Sleep Token "last year and the year before," but she can see plain as day that right now "they're obviously slaying."
The In This Moment singer believes that it's the religious overtones of the band's music that's causing fans to forge such a deep connection to their songs.
"It feels like spiritual metal," she says. "Like, it's very emotional and it's very in-depth. It's very off-timing, interesting and surprising musically. I think nothing about it is generic.
"It almost has this spiritual feeling to it that's soulful. It's almost like gospel metal."
For a deep dive into Sleep Token's just-past era, order Revolver's new collector's issue devoted to the band — featuring rare photos, a breakdown of their album trilogy, famous fan tributes, and more — at our shop.
