METAL HAMMER

HE’S… A… KIT-TEN LOVERRRRR

WHEN WE HEARD Judas Priest were releasing a

BIG TINGS

THE BIG PICTURE

10 THINGS WE LEARNED THIS MONTH

What’s been blowing our tiny brains

HOW LONG WILL YOU BE ABLE TO PLAY THIS FAST?

Shred legend Herman Li faces down your questions on the legacy of Guitar Hero, the rise of Polyphia and, erm, quests…

MIKE MUIR

LIFE LESSONS

I DON’T WANNA BE ME TYPE O NEGATIVE

The goth metal foursome’s final single with Roadrunner Records became one of their most enduring anthems

BRUCE IS A JEDI NOW?

…and other questions, presumptions and proclamations you had to offer on Bruce Dickinson returning to the front cover of Metal Hammer!

BLACKBRIAR

The Dutch band bringing a sense of gothic fantasy back to symphonic metal

LAKE MALICE

The Brightonians making snarling, glitchy metalcore inspired by alternative pop

LAANG

The Taiwanese black metal duo screaming for catharsis from the depths of trauma

GUILT TRIP

Manchester hardcore mob trade A New Hope for the New Testament

KNIFE BRIDE

Brighton newcomers create something beautiful with “nu gothika”

HOARD ALMIGHTY

Box sets, underground oddities and all the essential merch you need this month

Kitt ens Are Metal

… according to Rob Halford. And he’d know, because he’s the Metal God. He’s also a national treasure, a gay icon, and Dolly Parton’s BFF (well, kinda)

BENTLEY & MOTLEY

NITA STRAUSS

WILHELMINA, RINGO & ARCTURUS

CAMMIE GILBERT-BEVERLY AND DOBBER BEVERLY (OCEANS OF SLUMBER)

NEWT

JAY POSTONES (TESSERACT)

IGGY & LEGO

CHARLOTTE WESSELS

OTIS

JOE NALLY (URNE)

BARNABUS

ASH COSTELLO (NEW YEARS DAY)

QUACKY

MEGAN TARGETT (VEXED)

DAISY

WILLEM MASON-GERAGHTY (VEXED)

ELVIRA

JOHANNA PLATOW ANDERSSON (LUCIFER)

CASH, NOVA & VINDALOO

(KILLSWITCH ENGAGE)

MERVYN

TOM TEMPLAR (GREEN LUNG)

SHARON

MANTAS (VENOM INC.)

LUNA & INDIE

DAVIE PROVAN (BLEED FROM WITHIN)

LUNA & JAXX

SOPHIE LLOYD

KYLO

JULIAN GAGE (HERIOT)

THE CLASH OF THE TITANS!

In 2025, Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium will co-headline arenas to play their debut albums in full. We grilled the Matts on their shared history, and what to expect when they hit the stage

How The Downward Spiral Changed Everything

Thirty years after it was released, the legacy of Nine Inch Nails’ second album is huge. Members of Linkin Park, Code Orange, Health and more dive into Trent Reznor’s dark masterpiece

The Witching Hour

Come with us as we take a dive into LA’s weirdest and most wonderful bookstore. Our guide: goth-doom queen and explorer of the ‘spiritual realm’, Chelsea Wolfe

''GRIME MUSIC IS PUNK MUSIC''

Incendiary, explosive, empowering – Bob Vylan are the crossover band Britain needs right now

SCENE STEELERS

Hospital rooms. Car wrecks. Flaming pianos. In 2024, While She Sleeps are taking their DIY approach to extremes – we went up North to see what the hell’s going on

BRING ME THE HORIZON

Sheffield’s chart-storming metal futurists blaze through Manchester

JUDAS PRIEST

Invincible Shield

WHILE SHE SLEEPS

Self Hell

BRAT

Social Grace

DRAGONFORCE

Warp Speed Warriors

MINISTRY

Ministry’s Al Jourgensen: ever vigilant as the world burns

NEW YEARS DAY

New Years Day’s new album might leave old

TECHNO ANIMAL

The Brotherhood Of The Bomb

VOLCANDRA

The Way Of Ancients PROSTHETIC Melodic extreme

PER WIBERG

PRESS/JOLANDA SIEMONSA The Serpent’s Here DESPOTZ Melodic meditations

WITCH CLUB SATAN

Witch Club Satan SELF-RELEASED Feminist empowerment from Norway’s

ZAKK SABBATH

Doomed Forever Forever Doomed MAGNETIC EYE Zakk

VLTIMAS

Vltimas: the ultimate extreme metal supergroup? Epic SEASON

BRING ME THE HORIZON

BAD OMENS / CASSYETTE / STATIC DRESS

CABAL

Cabal get high on anxiety VISCERA / VEXED

BRITISH LION

TONY MOORE’S AWAKE BLACK BOX, HASTINGS Playing at

KINGDOM OF GIANTS

PROFILER DOWNSTAIRS AT THE DOME, LONDON Nu metal

BURY TOMORROW

Bury Tomorrow: Dani Winter-Bates prepares for the next

SOUTH OF SALEM

South Of Salem get their wings on home

FUMING MOUTH

CELESTIAL SANCTUARY / CRUELTY NEW CROSS INN, LONDON

SAINT AGNES

DEVILS DOG, BIRMINGHAM Such is the unwavering defiance

METAL ALLEGIANCE

Metal Allegiance mark a decade of keeping the

MALEVOLENCE

Malevolence: Alex Taylor leads the cavalry charge Pain

BAEST

ANCIENT RIVALRY THE BLACK HEART, LONDON Warming up

LLNN

SUGAR HORSE DOWNSTAIRS AT THE DOME, LONDON Bristol’s

PERIPHERY

Periphery have set their dials to dazzle KEVIN

TRAVIS RYAN CATTLE DECAPITATION

Extreme metal’s most presciently pessimistic band talk bug monsters, betrayal by Metallica, and playing arenas with Amon Amarth

THE MANDRAKE PROJECT

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RAVEN RECORDS TAKES FLIGHT

A new record shop and non-alcoholic bar has opened in London – and its owners want to offer community support for metalheads beyond the capital

ASH COSTELLO

From rock’n’roll to emo and industrial, here’s how the New Years Day vocalist has evolved

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EVERGREY

After 30 years of melancholic power-prog, the Swedes are looking on the bright side of life with album #14

STONE DEAD

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REIGNING PHOENIK MUSIC

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PROG

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LOUDERSOUND

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