Sam Carter, lead vocalist of Architects – one of the most successful British metal bands of the last 20 years, has spoken out on social media about the constant online discourse around his live vocal performances. In his message, he discloses the degree to which the negativity has affected his professional and personal life, and how the anxiety caused by the comments has left him feeling like “the joy of performing has been taken away from me”.
Brighton-natives Architects are one of the most well-respected and influential bands in the modern metalcore landscape, inspiring swathes of young acts with their genre-defining masterpiece ‘All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us’ in 2016, and picking up a UK Number One Album with their anthemic LP ‘For Those That Wish to Exist’ in 2021. Their sound is characterised by clinical, technical guitar riffs and Carter’s fantastic range of vocal styles, balancing harsh screams and growls with impassioned melodic singing. After two consecutive albums which explored more accessible sounds, Architects moved back into a heavier style on 2025’s ‘The Sky, the Earth & All Between’, retaining the big choruses while reintroducing more of Carter’s harsh vocals from their older material.
Throughout the extensive touring cycle of ‘The Sky, the Earth & All Between’, fans have speculated online that Carter’s voice has sounded strained during their typically-spectacular live shows, with many urging him to take a break to recover – however some have also taken to tormenting and harassing the singer. In a heartfelt Instagram post earlier this week, he addressed the critics directly, and dove into the impact of the negativity surrounding his vocals ahead of their UK run supporting nu metal legends Korn later this month.
Carter opens the statement by saying “It’s time for me to be honest here, and it’s not going to be easy, as it’s something I’ve worked tirelessly at over the last year. My anxiety and constant focus on my voice have gotten me to a place where the joy of performing has been taken away from me. I got to a place where, whenever I go to scream, the voice inside my head stops me from being able to do the job that I’ve done for the last 20 or so years.” He continues “Now this isn’t something that I started. It’s been the online discourse around my voice and the constant judgment that have ultimately led me down a tunnel that I’ve struggled to get out of.”
He further explains that his turmoil came to a head after their set at German metal festival Rock am Ring this June, where he says he had tested a new vocal technique in front of a crowd of over 90,000 – “The more I tried, the crueler the comments over the summer got, and it led me to a place where I was physically and emotionally shot. My performance anxiety had gotten out of control, and I wasn’t able to enjoy anything about the band or being on stage.”
Later in the post, he comments that he is working tirelessly to bring his voice back to where he wants it to be in partnership with a vocal coach, and is using both therapy and medicine to improve his mental health, but that his current state is concerning those dear to him. Carter writes “I want to take this time to say that everything I’ve been doing, and the stress I’m putting on myself, is ultimately making it and my mental health worse and got me to a place where the people that love me are worried. I’ve been in bits today describing exactly how I feel and how the weight of it all has got too much. My band mates and wife have been so supportive over the last year I can’t begin to tell you how loved I feel but it’s time to let you guys in on how much it’s crushing me.” He adds “The comments and the judgment have got too much. I’m a human being trying my hardest up there, and some things aren’t going to be perfect.”
The post signs off on an optimistic note – “On this tour with Korn, I’m going to scream the words from a place of passion and determination. Ultimately, I want to get back to a place where I’m having fun with my friends on stage. It’s not going to be perfect, but I’m not, so there’s that. Be kind you never know what someone is truly going through.”
Architects released their latest single ‘Machine’ in September. The track is a slow, pulsating ballad with an extremely vulnerable vocal performance by Sam Carter, as well as sombre lyrics which may show the emotional trauma he was caught in while writing it. Catch Sam and co. on tour with Korn and Youth Code this October and November – dates are below:
26/10 – First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds
28/10 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
30/10 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle
31/10 – AO Arena, Manchester
02/11 – 3 Arena, Dublin
04/11 – The O2, London
