"When you look at touring acts in heavy metal, you don’t see crews rolling in with all women."

In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink explains why it's important that women feel well represented in metal

In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink

In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink has discussed the importance of visibility for women in the metal scene in a brand new interview. Speaking to Metal Hammer in their latest issue, Brink points to the fact that while we are finally seeing more women on stage at metal shows, ensuring women are also represented behind the scenes in the music industry is a big part of her band's operation.

“I have a female tour manager," she explains. "I have a female merch person. We have women not just onstage, not just my performers and my dancers, but women that work throughout. When you look at the crew members of most of the touring acts in the heavy metal world, you don’t see crews rolling in with all women. To me, it’s so badass and it’s so exciting to keep empowering women and lifting them up, and then you see it more. It’s definitely something I’m passionate about.”

Brink has long been vocal in her mission to help uplift women - In This Moment's hallmark single Whore, originally released on the band's fourth studio album, 2012's Blood - was written about reappropriating a misogynistic slur and using it as an empowering call to arms instead.

“When I wrote Whore, I called my son and talked to him about it," Brink tells Hammer. "I wanted him to understand where I was coming from: taking the power back for a dirty word. He totally believed in me and was like, ‘You do what you want, mom. You follow your art,’ and he totally got it. The real meaning of the song is about not letting people hold you back, owning who you are and even loving your past. It’s one of my favourite songs because of how people really identify with that.”

In This Moment's latest studio album, Godmode, was released last month via BMG. In her 8/10 review for Metal Hammer, Dannii Leivers wrote of the album: "If there’s any justice in the world, Godmode will be the album that finally sees them break down the door."