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ELEANOR GOODMAN DEPUTY EDITOR Not content with stitching together

THESE ISSUES ARE ALWAYS MY FAVOURITE

NO BULLSHIT. NO hyperbole: this is what it’s

WHEN AMON AMARTH SET SAIL

STEVE BRIGHT WE MOST RECENTLY had Amon Amarth’s

STRICTLY METAL?

10 THINGS WE LEARNED THIS MONTH

AN ARMY OF DUCKS OR ONE CRAP TIGER?

She collaborated with Soundgarden and Tom Morello on the new Pretty Reckless album, but would Taylor Momsen cooperate with your questions?

MIKAEL STANNE

The Dark Tranquillity frontman takes us on an odyssey of discovery across the greatest riff-lords and psychedelic cosmonauts

BRIAN ‘HEAD’ WELCH

As Korn’s guitarist resurrects his Love And Death project, he talks addiction, redemption and, um, farting

CONJURER

One of the most exciting UK metal bands of their generation are making something “vile and disgusting” for the world we’re in

FOREVER FAILURE BY PARADISE LOST

Written for landmark album Draconian Times, this dark anthem sampled the notorious Charles Manson and captured the height of 90s gothic metal

WHERE ARE AC/DC?!

…and other disgruntled rants and letters of love you sent us this month

NOVA TWINS

The chaotic punk duo ripping up the underground are bringing representation to rock

HOARD ALMIGHTY

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

THE BIG DEBATE

At the end of last year, our Stephen Hill took on the task of ranking every Mastodon album in order of greatness for the Metal Hammer website. It meant that he declared Leviathan as being the very best Masto-album of all. True to form, you lot had Some Thoughts on that…

HAMMER STEREO

What’s been blowing our office speakers

FOR YOUR HEALTH

Melding frenetic, vicious hardcore with (the good bit of) early 00s emo, these Ohio tearaways have plenty to say

SCARLET

She’s one of metal’s most colourful young stars, and she’s already sick of your shit

IN THE KNOW

What your favourite bands are listening to

NASTY

Nasty by name, nasty by nature. This band’s isn’t the for faint-hearted

MOUNTAIN CALLER

Proof that when you have riffs this good, you don’t always needs words

"WERE ON A MISSION

Mongolian metallers The Hu might seem like an overnight sensation, but their success story is one decades in the making. And they’re only just getting started

HUMAN BONES ANCIENT RITUALS ADIDAS SNEAKERS?

Welcome to Heilung’s world. This is the story of how a small cult band from Denmark became an international sensation

Devil's Advocates

They preach Satanism, bathe their crowds in blood and play the unholiest strain of… doo-wop music? Twin Temple are a fabulous anomaly – and they’re taking metal by storm

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...

They’re barely out of school, yet New Zealanders Alien Weaponry are the hottest young metal band in the world. Here’s how they’re bringing Māori culture to the masses

2021: EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW

Yeah, we had some blockbuster albums in 2020, but 2021 is also looking pretty damn sweet. Now we’ve heard from our cover stars, here’s what else you can look forward to in the next year. From returning heroes, to legendary gigs, to a ton of festival appearances, we guarantee it’s gonna rule hard

ZEAL & ARDOR

Metal’s most vital young voice is gearing up for album number three

SPIRITBOX

One of 2020’s breakout bands will drop one of 2021’s most anticipated albums

MASTODON

We got a kinda-but-not-really new album from the Atlanta boys last year, but soon we’ll get the real deal

WITHIN TEMPTATION

Sharon et al are loving getting new music out there – so expect more

ARCHITECTS

Album number nine is imminent for the UK’s national treasures

AVENGED SEVENFOLD

Surely it’s time for album number eight to arrive…

SLIPKNOT

Could we be getting new ’Knot music this year? Already?!

MEGADETH

With Dave firmly back in action, expect big things

GHOST

The time of Papa IV is nigh

GOJIRA

The band blasted into space on their surprise single, and we can’t wait to hear about their next adventure

EPICA

The next symphonic metal band to break big? We’re backing them

CARPENTER BRUT

The king of synthwave will deliver Leather Teeth’s follow-up this year

FILMS

Fingers crossed we get cinemas properly back so we can see these…

THE BEST OF THE REST

You’ve heard about a ton of new music coming, and here’s some more! Could 2021 be a landmark year for metal?

GAMES

Who needs to go out when these adventures are at your fingertips

REFUSE RESIST

Colonialism in Latin America has led to violence and deprivation, but as a new film shows, metal bands are making real changes in their own countries and communities

ON THE MAP

A brief history of the countries in the film

THE BIRTH OF NWOBHM

On May 8, 1979 a four-piece Iron Maiden played a North London sweatbox with Samson and Angel Witch – a gig that would be ground zero for rock’s next big movement

THE EX-FACTOR

Between 1975 and 1980, Maiden got through five guitarists, three drummers, two vocalists and a keyboard player. We track down some of those missing in action…

WARDRUNA

Kvitravn

AVATARIUM

An Evening With Avatarium

AZARATH

Saint Desecration

ACCEPT

Too Mean To Die

THE BODY

I’ve Seen All I Need To See

BLOODY HAMMERS

Songs Of Unspeakable Terror

CHILDREN OF TECHNOLOGY

Written Destiny

ANNISOKAY

Aurora

DRAGONY

Viribus Unitis

ELECTRIC HYDRA

Electric Hydra

CRO-MAGS

2020  MISSION TWO ENTERTAINMENT NYHC mainstays sum up a year of shit, with production to match

DREAD SOVEREIGN

Alchemical Warfare

ASPHYX

Necroceros

ENIGMA EXPERIENCE

Question Mark

DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE

Gas Lit

ESCARION

Pillars Of The Faith

ENDEZZMA

The Archer, Fjord And The Thunder

FROZEN SOUL

Crypt Of Ice

HERE LIES MAN

Ritual Divination

SMALL MERCIES

Where EP is short for ‘Epic Potential’

KABBALAH

The Omen

HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD

New Empire Vol. 2

NERVOSA

Perpetual Chaos

HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY

Mære

MALAKHIM

Theion

NEED

Norchestrion: A Song For The End

PILLORY

Scourge Upon Humanity

PHANTOM ELITE

Titanium

PORTRAYAL OF GUILT

We Are Always Alone

TRIBULATION

Where The Gloom Becomes Sound

ONDSKAPT

Grimoire Ordo Devus

SEVEROTH

Vsesvit

YOTH IRIA

As The Flame Withers

SOEN

Imperial

POTHAMUS

Raya

THERION

Leviathan

WEREWOLVES

What A Time To Be Alive

WOWOD

Yarost’ I Proshchenie

RESURRECTIONS

Unearthing the latest metal reissues

THISQUIETARMY X AWAY

The Singularity, Phase I

VENOM PRISON

The UK’s most exciting death metal band have nudged their tour back a few months

LIVE EVIL

Your essential guide to the best and the biggest metal bands hitting the UK

AIRBOURNE

The Aussie rockers return to Download festival in June. Hooray!

ALICE IN CHAINS & FRIENDS

MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE, SEATTLE

ATREYU

ATREYUMERCH.COM 

DARKEST HOUR

MISERY SIGNALS

TERROR

SUPPLY AND DEMAND, LONG BEACH

EVANESCENCE

ROCK FALCON STUDIOS, NASHVILLE

TREHA SEKTORI

AUZAS, FRANCE 

AUGUST BURNS RED

ROCK LITITZ STUDIO, PENNSYLVANIA 

GREG PUCIATO

PRIVATE STUDIO, LOS ANGELES

TESSERACT

LITE UP STUDIOS, FAREHAM

JOHN PETRUCCI DREAM THEATER

Dream Theater’s guitarist on drugs (er, kinda), rival bands and Mike Portnoy