"Anyone that wants to succeed in anything knows that it comes at a sacrifice." One of the UK's best metal bands announce that they won't be touring for the foreseeable future, fiercely criticise the cynical grind of the modern music industry

While She Sleeps looking solemn against a black background — (Image credit: Nick Porter)

Sheffield metalcore heroes While She Sleeps have surprised their fans with an announcement revealing that they are taking an extended hiatus from touring for the foreseeable future. In a moving, six-minute video posted to their socials, the five-piece explain that almost two decades of touring and churning out 'content' to keep momentum has taken its toll, and they want to take some serious time to focus on what matters most - making music.

"I want this band to live forever," says guitarist Mat Welsh. "If we want it to live forever, we have to stop something."

"We have made the decision to take an extended break from touring," confirms singer Lawerence 'Loz' Taylor. "We feel like that is gonna be the best way for us to continue.

"Anyone that wants to succeed in anything knows that it comes at a sacrifice," he continues. "And I think that at this point in While She Sleeps, it feels like it's the perfect time to step back, recalibrate, find that fire and channel it into the best Sleeps record you've ever heard."

Formed in 2006, While She Sleeps established themselves as one of the most exciting bands in UK metalcore with their 2010 EP The North Stands For Nothing, followed two years later by their critically acclaimed debut album This Is The Six.

Five more albums would follow, most recently 2024's experimental Self Hell; in 2023, the band played their biggest ever UK headline show when they sold out London's Alexandra Palace, playing to over 10,000 fans.

Despite this relative success, it's clear the grind of the music industry has taken its toll on the band, and it seems that while new music is very much in their long term plans, their immediate future remains unknown.

"If we ignore the sound of the outside world for a minute, if we come back a better band and we're not recognised for it, then I kinda don't care," Mat argues. "Because we're still a better band."

"This isn't about us being a bigger band,". concludes drummer Adam Sav' Savage. "This is about us being a band forever."

Watch the band's announcement below.

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Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.

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