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Many weird things happened to Sleep Token on the way to becoming 2023's most talked-about new band, from their TikTok-assisted elevation to 'metal's sexiest band' (courtesy of the bass drop [...]

Well, we're here to shower a little love on some of those bands. Over the next 16 pages, you'll find our countdown of the 50 Greatest Cult Bands Ever. By [...]

EVERYBODY KNOWS GENE Simmons. Or at least, they think they know Gene Simmons. Kiss co-founder, blood-dribbler, tongue-waggler and possessor of one of rock's biggest egos. But long before he became [...]

The Download Festival 2024 faced controversy and challenges, including debates over the inclusion of Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy as headliners, the controversial 'Pantera' 'reunion', and bands pulling out in protest over sponsor Barclays. The weather also played a role, with stop-start downpours affecting the schedule. Despite these issues, there were standout performances from bands like HANABIE, SCENE QUEEN, POLYPHIA, and URNE. Avenged Sevenfold headlined the festival with a set that included both new and old songs, leaving the crowd with a sense of shared experience. [Extracted from the article]

Arka'n Asrafokor, a metal band from Togo, is at the forefront of the emerging African metal scene. Their music combines groove, thrash, and rap-metal with traditional African folk music, creating a unique and vibrant sound. The band draws inspiration from their Ewe culture and sings in the Ewe language, incorporating themes of environmentalism and spiritualism into their lyrics. Despite being the only metal band in Togo, Arka'n Asrafokor remains optimistic about the future of metal in Africa and hopes to shine a light on other African metal bands. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the impact and legacy of the punk rock band Bad Brains. It discusses the band's unique blend of punk, reggae, and metal music, as well as their influence on subsequent generations of musicians. The article also delves into the band's tumultuous history, including their struggles with racism and internal conflicts. Overall, it provides a comprehensive overview of Bad Brains' significance in the punk rock genre. [Extracted from the article]

This article from Metal Hammer magazine presents a list of 18 movie scenes that are considered to be the most metal. These scenes come from a variety of genres and feature moments that are both gory and iconic. Some notable examples include the arrival of the death ship in Nosferatu and Ozzy Osbourne's cameo in Trick Or Treat. The article explores the connection between metal music and the aesthetics of these scenes, showcasing the influence of metal on Hollywood and beyond. Additionally, the text provides a list of 50 movies that feature metal music or have connections to the metal genre, highlighting the diverse ways in which metal music is represented in film and its impact on popular culture. [Extracted from the article]

This document presents a comprehensive list of influential metal songs from various bands and subgenres. It emphasizes the impact and significance of each song within the metal community, spanning from classics like Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" and Slayer's "Raining Blood" to more recent hits like Bring Me The Horizon's "Shadow Moses" and Spiritbox's "Holy Roller." Each song represents a different era and style of metal, showcasing the diversity and evolution of the genre over time. [Extracted from the article]

In 1995, 16-year-old Dutch guitarist Mark Jansen began a musical journey that would ultimately see him become one of the chief creative forces in symphonic metal. Even then, the stage [...]

The 70s may have seen the birth of heavy metal, but the genre truly went global in the 80s. Trickling south of the US border, tape-trading networks helped lay the [...]

It's said that you have your whole life so far to write your debut album. And Welsh rockers Himalayas seem to have taken that to heart, with the seven years [...]

MATT PIKE HELPED codify stoner metal as a genre in the 90s with his band Sleep and their landmark releases Holy Mountain and Dopesmoker (aka Jerusalem), before launching the no-less-celebrated [...]

SABATON ARE NO strangers to stagecraft. They are, after all, the band that came onstage at Bloodstock 2019 in an honest-to-gods tank (now the world's most threatening drum riser), rising [...]

DROWNING POOL'S BODIES just might be the ultimate metal club anthem. Even 20 years on from release, the song maintains a near-ubiquitous presence in metal clubs, bars and gig playlists [...]

THE MAN BEHIND the kit for some of metal's most influential and formative records, Bill Ward's tenure with Black Sabbath saw the birth of heavy metal as a genre and [...]

Trivium and Bullet for My Valentine are considered successors to Metallica, embodying the future of metal with their passionate frontmen and influential albums. The two Matts from the bands discuss personal struggles, favorite songs, and potential collaborations in an interview. Despite challenges, both bands continue to wave the flag for metal and are set to embark on a co-headline tour, showcasing their dedication to the genre. [Extracted from the article]

THE BRITISH STONER/DOOM scene owes a debt of gratitude to Orange Goblin. Black Sabbath may have set the tone for doom-soaked riffing in the early 70s, but the UK had [...]

TONY IOMMI IS the first to admit that the worlds of Black Sabbath and ballet aren't natural bedfellows. But when he was approached by Carlos Acosta, the director for the [...]

Imposter Syndrome, guitarist Sophie Lloyd's debut album, is a love letter to the bravado and larger-than-life swagger of 80s rock. But rather than slapping on some spandex and digging up [...]

FROM EUROVISION TO European festivals, support slots with Iron Maiden to acoustic shows at the Cavern Club, Lord Of The Lost have inhabited a lot of different stages this year. [...]

GO AHEAD AND DIE Unhealthy Mechanisms NUCLEAR BLAST Cavalera and son take their hardcore project off the deep end IT SAYS SOMETHING about Max Cavalera's status as an unstoppable force [...]

KADABRA Umbra HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS US psych rockers seek to free your ass, so your mind will follow Formed in 2020, Kadabra weren't afforded the luxury of road-testing material when [...]

SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL 2023 7SVN, BIRMINGHAM Midlands institution marks two decades of progression and diversity NOW IN ITS 20th year, Supersonic Festival continues to be a celebration of the most experimental [...]

Brothers Osborne Brothers Osborne UMG Country duo till stylistic fields far and wide. Bucking convention, country duo Brothers Osborne's fourth record doesn't narrow the field to make a definitive artistic [...]

3Teeth EndEx CENTURY MEDIA LA industrial metallers deliver dystopian disco at its finest. After leaning on their most danceable elements on 2019's Metawar, EndEx sees LA industrial noiseniks 3Teeth swing [...]

FIRST MAKING HIS mark with Blood Has Been Shed at the turn of the millennium, Howard Jones has become a prevalent figure in metalcore for his exceptional work with Killswitch [...]

2001'S PURE ROCK Fury was a make-or-break moment for Clutch. And--at least so far as the music industry was concerned--they blew it. Unable to break the Top 100 on the [...]

Brant Bjork, known as the godfather of stoner rock, played a significant role in popularizing desert rock through his work with Kyuss and other bands. He reflects on his musical influences, upbringing, and experiences in the music industry, highlighting the importance of staying true to oneself and following one's creative instincts. Despite challenges and changes in his career, Brant Bjork continues to be a prolific force in the stoner metal genre, shaping the music scene with his unique perspective and dedication to his craft. [Extracted from the article]

In rock history, 1991 is most often seen as The Year Everything Changed. Anecdotally, grunge crashed down like a meteorite to annihilate the hair-metal dinosaurs that had dominated the rock [...]

FROM HIS ORIGINS as a punk rock-loving kid in Richmond, VA in the mid-90s through to establishing himself at the forefront of the burgeoning New Wave of American Heavy Metal [...]

YOU MAY THINK it's strange that Moby - writer of the kind of chill-out anthems you might hear in a spa - has made a documentary about hardcore punk and [...]

Duff McKagan, the legendary bassist of Guns N' Roses, reflects on his four-decade career and shares some valuable lessons. He emphasizes the importance of one's environment in shaping their sound and musical style, and encourages musicians to stay true to themselves and not limit their musical tastes. McKagan also discusses the intersection of metal and punk, the challenges he faced with addiction, and the impact of the AIDS epidemic. He advises aspiring musicians to always play the long game, not settle for less, and stay informed and safe. McKagan also highlights the significance of enjoying the small things in life, staying busy for mental health, and continuously striving to improve as an artist. He concludes by expressing his openness to collaborating with friends on future projects. [Extracted from the article]

GUN S N' ROSES HYDE PARK, LONDON Thrills, spills and a few too many time-fills from LA's rock legends SEVEN YEARS SINCE Duff McKagan and Slash rejoined the fold, you [...]

KK'S PRIEST PAUL DI'ANNO / TAILGUNNER KK'S STEEL MILL, WOLVERHAMPTON Former Priest guitarist forges his empire anew OVER A DECADE after his unceremonious departure from Judas Priest, it's fitting that [...]

* Even for punk's notoriously iconoclastic breed, Rancid have always stood out as outliers, doing whatever the hell they want with such enthusiasm that even as they play Wembley Arena [...]

* Roaring iron Maiden anthems from a wheelchair, Paul DiAnno shows that the indomitable spirit of heavy metal is alive and well. 'You've made an old man very happy,' he [...]

A New Zealand band who incorporate Polynesian rhythms and narratives into their music, it's inevitable that Shepherds Reign will draw comparisons to NZ metallers Alien Weaponry. The fact that the [...]

Jamie Lenman Wolverhampton KK's Steel Mill Britrock heroes embrace the lesser-explored avenues of their sonic topography. Fifteen years after he laid alt.rockers Reuben to rest, Jamie Lenman admits he's still [...]

Corrosion Of Conformity / Plainride Wolverhampton KK's Steel Mill Stoner-metal royalty reassert their claim to the throne. Plainride offer a perfectly fine - if slightly pedestrian - take on Black [...]

Royal Thunder Rebuilding The Mountain SPINEFARM Reborn Atlantan rockers spin their last straw into gold. In the five years since their last album, Royal Thunder have succumbed to addiction, dissolved, [...]

* This isn't the first time that Massive Wagons have played Birmingham's O2 Academy 2, but it may very well be the last. Even two-piece The Virginmarys seem practically claustrophobic [...]

For a two-piece, Eindhoven rockers Tankzilla sure make one hell of a satisfying racket. Tapping into the groove of 70s riff-slingers like Mountain and delivering a stripped-back, fuzzed-up vision of [...]

Converge and At The Gates revisit the classics at the UK's newly expanded extreme metal fest UPGRADED TO A sold-out 6,000-capacity venue with three rooms ranging from vast to still [...]

'SCREAM FOR ME, Donington!' is a phrase so woven into the tapestry of heavy metal history, it might as well be the genre's motto. But, as inconceivable as it is [...]

WEMBLEY STADIUM, LONDON 'A GIGANTIC FUCKING night for a gigantic fucking person.' The loss of Taylor Hawkins in March this year shocked the rock world, and emotions are running high [...]

This article features several new bands that will be making waves in the music scene in the next year. Ryujin, a self-proclaimed 'samurai metal' band from Japan, draws inspiration from their country's history and mythology, incorporating traditional instruments into their music. Blackgold, part of the Nu Wave Of Nu Metal, combines heavy metal with influences from classic hip hop. Brat, a fusion of death metal and grindcore, embraces a 'bimboviolence' aesthetic. ALT BLK ERA, a duo from the UK, brings together nu metal, hip hop, and electronica, challenging stereotypes in the rock and metal scene. Gel, a New Jersey-based band, creates a unique sound by blending hardcore and post-punk. The Sun's Journey Through The Night combines raw emotion from hardcore with black metal's cosmic themes. Militarie Gun, a young LA-based band, infuses classic hardcore with melodic elements. These bands are pushing boundaries and creating exciting new music in their respective genres. [Extracted from the article]

AMON AMARTH BLEED FROM WITHIN CIVIC HALL, WOLVERHAMPTON Sweden's epic Viking raiders make their way to the Midlands FULLY CLOSED FOR renovation work in 2017, the Wolverhampton Civic Hall has [...]

HEAVY METAL LOVES a bit of panto, but even in a world of Sabatons and Turisases, Warkings feel like an especially joyous blast of trad-flavoured power metal. Forged in the [...]

MORE THAN 25 years since they helped define symphonic metal, Within Temptation are still pushing boundaries creatively. 2019's Resist incorporated more electronic elements into their sound, but a series of [...]

Come on then, Benji--when are Skindred gonna do Eurovision? 'You know what, bro, I'm a champion for Europe and if we got the opportunity, we'd sing it loud and proud. [...]