MEET THE BAND

WAKE UP!

ADMIT IT, YOUR brain filled in the rest.

MUSIC RETURNS TO DONINGTON

KEVIN NIXON “SORRY FOR THE silence, I’m trying

BLOODSTOCK IS BACK!

Forced to put its 20th anniversary celebrations on hold in 2020, Bloodstock has set its sights on putting on ‘the biggest celebration of heavy metal in the UK’

10 THINGS WE LEARNED THIS MONTH

What’s been blowing our tiny brains FESTIVALS CAN

DO TWIN TEMPLE EAT SEITAN?

They’re the Satanic doo-wop duo that took the metal world by storm – so naturally, Hammer readers had a lot of questions for Twin Temple

LEIGH KAKATY

The frontman of US rockers Pop Evil digs melody, rap rock and killer new bands

HOWARD JONES

The Light The Torch frontman talks mental health, the 00s scene and getting back to nature

THE HU

The Mongolian metallers look set to continue their conquest and tap deep into their souls for their second album

AS THE PAGES BURN BY ARCH ENEMY

Hammer goes behind the inspirational and incisive anthem that became a setlist staple and certified Alissa White-Gluz as the perfect fit for Arch Enemy

I’M WORRIED ABOUT LIVE MUSIC

…and other concerns - some equally reasonable, some quite wild - that you shared with us this month

THE BIG DEBATE

When Greg Pato recently picked out 10 grunge albums you must own, it naturally sparked the kind of passionate debate usually reserved for Question Time.

HAMMER STEREO

What’s been blowing our office speakers

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT

Stone Sour guitarist forges his own path with powerhouse duo

OPHIDIAN I

Tech death with added tunes from the land of ice and snow

UNDERDARK

East Midlands black metallers dig deep on emotionally raw debut

DEATH TRIBE

Multi-member groove metallers champion the spirit of global metal

CRASHFACE

Bold young punks have plenty to say on explosive debut

IOTUNN

What your favourite bands are listening to

HOARD ALMIGHTY

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

RIOTS TERRORISM DEATH THREATS.

System Of A Down risked it all for Toxicity. Their outlandish masterpiece killed off nu metal, created a ton of controversy and cemented the band as music’s most unique superstars

BACK TO LIVE

A surprise announcement. A three-week turnaround. A weekend where social distancing was dropped for moshing. After two long years, Download Pilot was the homecoming we’d been waiting for

HELLOWEEN UNITED

It’s the crossover event that has power metal fans drooling. We talk to Kai Hansen, Michael Kiske and Andi Deris about coming together for the biggest Helloween album in history

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Krautrock. Prog metal. Sax solos?! At The Gates have pissed on their own rulebook and produced one of the most startling albums of their career. Death Metal 101, this most definitely ain’t

TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN

He’s the introverted geek who turned a campfire daydream into one of Europe’s biggest metal bands. But the beating heart of Nightwish is far from done yet

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Fierce, fearless and as boundary-smashing as any artist to grace these pages, Backxwash is the sound of 2021 - and her story is every bit as unique as her music

CLIPPED TONES

Ashanti Mutinta: freedom in self-expression Ashanti talks us through two key samples on I Lie Here Buried With My Rings And My Dresses

WE ARE BROKEN TOO

As the founders of Killswitch Engage side-project Times Of Grace, we got Jesse Leach and Adam D to interview each other in a world first. Unsurprisingly, things got emotional

LINGUA IGNOTA

Sinner GetReady SARGENT HOUSE

BACKXWASH

I Lie Here Buried With My Rings And My Dresses

GOST

Rites Of Love And Reverence CENTURY MEDIA

KING WOMAN

Celestial Blues RELAPSE

SMALL MERCIES

Where EP is short for ‘Epic Potential’

NYTT LAND Ritual NAPALM

Siberia’s pagan folk duo keep their affinity with Norse legends

SEPULTURA SepulQuarta NUCLEAR BLAST

South America’s metal standard-bearers bring out the big guns and misfire

SWALLOW THE SUN

20 Years Of Gloom, Beauty And Despair – Live In Helsinki

VOUNA

Atropos

WIZARDTHRONE

Hypercube Necrodimensions

RESURRECTIONS

Unearthing the latest metal reissues

ORANGE GOBLIN

THE DOME, LONDON

CALIGULA’S HORSE

THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE

PUPPY

SIGNATURE BREW, LONDON

EPICA

AED STUDIOS​, LINT, BELGIUM

ENSIFERUM

VAL DE MOINE, CLISSON, FRANCE

INHUMAN NATURE

THE BLACK HEART, LONDON

MOONSPELL

LISBOA AO VIVO, LISBON

AMENRA

LEIE EILAND, MENEN, BELGIUM

LIGHT THE TORCH

PRIVATE VENUE, USA

CHARLIE BENANTE ANTHRAX

The Anthrax drummer on Star Wars, snappy dressing and pop covers