In This Moment

In This Moment is an American metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 2005. The group begins in North Hollywood, where singer Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth meet through mutual friends and start writing songs. Drummer Jeff Fabb soon joins, and the band first performs under the name Dying Star before adopting In This Moment.

Line-up and early development

By mid-2005, the line-up includes Brink, Howorth, Fabb, guitarist Blake Bunzel and bassist Josh Newell. Newell later leaves, first being replaced briefly by Pascual Romero before Jesse Landry takes over bass duties and the band settles into a permanent line-up. The group builds a large online following through internet promotion and DIY touring, which leads to a worldwide deal with Century Media Records. Later members include Travis Johnson, Randy Weitzel, Tom Hane and Kyle Konkiel. Other named members associated with the group are Jesse Landry, Blake Bunzel, Jeff Fabb, Maria Brink, Chris Howorth, Travis Johnson, Tom Hane, Randy Weitzel and Kyle Konkiel.

Sound and recordings

The band is described as metalcore, with a melodic approach to the style. Maria Brink uses both harsh vocals and clean singing, and the cleaner, more emotive style becomes especially prominent on the second album, The Dream (2008). The debut album, Beautiful Tragedy, is released in 2007 on Century Media Records. The third studio album, A Star-Crossed Wasteland, follows in 2010.

Blood becomes the band’s fifth studio album and marks a line-up recorded without founding members Jeff Fabb and Blake Bunzel, who are working elsewhere at that time. It is preceded by the title track as the first single. The band leaves Century Media after releasing its first four studio albums and signs with Atlantic Records in 2014. Black Widow follows and reaches number 8, the group’s highest chart position mentioned here. Later albums include Ritual in 2017 and Mother in 2020.

Style and genre

Although often tagged as metalcore, the group is also associated with alternative metal, gothic metal, gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and industrial metal. Its sound is marked by the combination of Brink’s screams and clean vocal lines, alongside heavy guitar-led arrangements.