Korn’s Brian ‘Head’ Welch And James ‘Munky’ Shaffer Defend Sleep Token: ‘Shut Up. They Went Bigger Than A Slipknot’

The decision to elevate the enigmatic British band Sleep Token to a headlining slot at this year’s Download Festival was one of the most debated topics in the metal community. However, according to fellow headliners and nu-metal icons Korn, the young band more than proved their worth, silencing all doubters with a massive and unforgettable performance.

Speaking on a recent episode of the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show With Daniel P Carter, Korn guitarists Brian “Head” Welch and James “Munky” Shaffer offered a powerful endorsement of the new-guard headliners.

Shaffer‘s belief in the band, it turns out, is not new. Show host Daniel P. Carter recalled watching Sleep Token‘s set from the side of the stage with Shaffer at the 2023 Aftershock festival. During that performance, Shaffer predicted their rapid ascent, telling Carter (as transcribed by theprp.com): “These guys are gonna be headlining this thing in two years time.” When reminded of his visionary comment, Shaffer simply responded, “I did say that. I called it.”

Welch praised Sleep Token for decisively ending the debate surrounding their booking with the sheer scale of their Download production.

“I love it because all these people — I don’t know how many -— but, I heard chatter about people like, ‘Sleep Token headlining?’ Some people were saying they’re so young to be able to headline so quick,” Welch said. “And they came with that stage? Shut everybody up. They went bigger than a Slipknot stage, man.”

Shaffer was quick to add that the band’s success is built on more than just spectacle, praising the quality of their new album, Even In Arcadia. “Also, the new record [Even In Arcadia] is incredible. So it’s not only like the stage, yeah you can do that all day long, but they got the songs to back it up,” he stated.

The endorsement from metal royalty like Korn serves as a powerful validation for Sleep Token after months of online discourse. Fans in North America will have a chance to witness the band’s much-discussed live show when they embark on a headlining arena tour this fall.

Sleep Token’s Download 2025 Setlist:

• “Look to Windward”
• “The Offering”
• “Vore”
• “Emergence”
• “Alkaline”
• “Hypnosis”
• “Rain”
• “Caramel”
• “The Summoning”
• “Granite”
• “The Love You Want”
• “Higher”
• “Damocles”
• “Thread the Needle”
• “Take Me Back to Eden”

Sleep Token 2025 North American Tour Dates:

• Sep 16: Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
• Sep 17: Orlando, FL – Kia Center
• Sep 19: Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life 2025³
• Sep 20: Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum
• Sep 22: Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
• Sep 23: Worcester, MA – DCU Center
• Sep 24: Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
• Sep 26: Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
• Sep 27: Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
• Sep 28: Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
• Sep 30: Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
• Oct 1: Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
• Oct 3: Denver, CO – Ball Arena
• Oct 5: West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
• Oct 7: Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
• Oct 8: Portland, OR – Moda Center
• Oct 10: Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
• Oct 11: Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena