Sleeping Giant formed in Redlands, California in 2006 by members of Christian metalcore act xDeathstarx, establishing themselves as one of the most prominent acts in the intersection of extreme metal and evangelical Christianity. The band released five studio albums between 2007 and 2017, including Sons of Thunder (2009) and Kingdom Days in an Evil Age (2011), consistently integrating direct worship themes into their aggressive metalcore instrumentation. Their music reached audiences well beyond the Christian metal circuit, and the band played their final show in February 2018. Sleeping Giant were notable for treating their faith not as a marketing angle but as the central premise of their live and recorded output.

Stick to Your Guns formed in Orange County, California in 2003, developing a metalcore sound grounded in hardcore punk ethics, melodic hooks, and socially conscious lyrics. Their album Diamond (2012) debuted at number one on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and Disobedient (2015) and True View (2017) continued the band's steady commercial and critical momentum. Across eight studio albums through Keep Planting Flowers (2025), the band has remained consistent in both sound and values, maintaining a connection to the hardcore underground while growing a larger fanbase. Vocalist Jesse Barnett's direct and earnest lyrical approach has been a defining constant throughout the band's career.