THE BIG PICTURE

THANK YOU, NICKO

AMBITIOUS. FEARLESS. UNSTOPPABLE.

IN 2005, NU metal bands were fading

UNFINNISHED BUSINESS

The movie Heavy Trip introduced us to spoof Finnish band Impaled Rektum. Now they’re back for a sequel

HAMMER STEREO

What’s been blowing our office speakers

WHAT RIFF WILL DEFINE ALICE IN CHAINS?

Jerry Cantrell answers your questions on legacies, misplaced brain cells and the greatest Seattle record of all time

MIKAEL STANNE

The Dark Tranquillity/Halo Effect/Cemetery Skyline singer champions Marillion, Pallbearer and everyone in between

ALEX SKOLNICK

Testament’s six-string superstar reflects on the chaos of the Bay Area, guesting with Lamb Of God and studying with jazz legends

THEY SAY SCARS ON BROADWAY

SCARS ON BROADWAY

ANTE-INFERNO

The Scarborough black metallers bringing a touch of sadness to the seafront

CONQUER DIVIDE

The metalcore mob using pop alchemy to fuel their second coming

FAETOOTH

Doom and shoegaze collide in the fae realms of Los Angeles

AVOID

The Seattle metalcore crew proving it isn’t all grim in the Emerald City

DEFENCES

The alt metal quintet daring to reach their true potential

HOARD ALMIGHTY

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

THE RETURN OF HEAVY

In 2005, Trivium’s Ascendancy and Bullet For My Valentine’s The Poison helped rewire metal. As the two bands gear up for a joint 20thanniversary tour, frontmen Matt Tuck and Matt Heafy remember the year where shit got heavy again

"WE FELT UNSTOPPABLE"

In 2005, four lads from the Welsh Valleys released their debut album, The Poison. Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck shares the stories behind the songs

"IT WAS EFFORTLESS"

Recording breakthrough album Ascendancy was a breeze for Trivium, even if frontman Matt Heafy was battling inner demons. He talks us through every blistering track

50 ALBUMS YOU NEED TO HEAR IN 2025

From Sleep Token and Halestorm to Limp Bizkit and Jinjer, here’s your soundtrack to the next 12 months

EDDIE MUNSON IS BACK!

Well, sort of… In this new Stranger Things prequel comic series, we find out how the beloved metalhead discovered Dungeons & Dragons and ended up leading the Hellfire Club

DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES

Sisters Nyrobi and Chaya started Alt Blk Era as a lockdown project – now they’re the alt scene’s fastest-rising band

NITA STRAUSS

She’s the guitar hero who has played with everyone from Alice Cooper and Demi Lovato to Michael Jackson’s brother… – and even a brush with a tornado couldn’t stop her

What we do in the shadown

Vampires have long provided dark inspiration for bands, from Cradle Of Filth to Creeper. As the new Nosferatu movie hits cinemas, this is the story of metal’s undying love affair with the undead

WARDRUNA

Birna MUSIC FOR NATIONS / SONY

AN AXIS OF PERDITION

Apertures APOCALYPTIC WITCHCRAFT RECORDINGS

AVATARIUM

Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead AFM

BENEATH A STEEL SKY

Cleave RIPCORD

THE HALO EFFECT

March Of The Unheard NUCLEAR BLAST

CAVE IN

Jupiter (Deluxe Reissue) RELAPSE

CONFESS

Destination Addiction EVIN PRODUCTIONS

DANEFAE

Trøst DANEFAE

GREAT AMERICAN GHOST

Tragedy Of The Commons SHARPTONE

ALT BLK ERA

Rave Immortal EARACHE

JONATHAN HULTÉN

Eyes Of The Living Night KSCOPE

THE GREAT OLD ONES

Kadath SEASON OF MIST

GRIEF RITUAL

Collapse CHURCH ROAD

HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY

Scorched Earth AOP

SMALL MERCIES

Where EP is short for ‘Epic Potential’

CHRIS HARMS

1980 NAPALM

HESPERIA

Fra Li Monti Sibillini HAMMERHEART

MACERATION

Serpent Devourment EMANZIPATION PRODCUCTIONS

MUTAGENIC HOST

The Diseased Machine DRY COUGH

PENTAGRAM

Lightning In A Bottle HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS

TREMONTI

THE END WILL SHOW US HOW NAPALM

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA

Give Us The Moon NAPALM

PALEFACE SWISS

Cursed SELF-RELEASED

RØRY

Restoration SADCØRE

TAYNE

Love MNRK HEAVY/INSIDE JOB

THECITYISOURS

Will You Still Love Me? ARISING EMPIRE

UNREQVITED

A Pathway To The Moon PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS

WYATT E.

Zamāru Ultu Qereb Ziqquratu – Part 1

VUKOVI

My God Has Got A Gun NUCLEAR BLAST

SLEEP TOKEN BILMURI

THE O2, LONDON

WITHIN TEMPTATION ANNISOKAY

FIRST DIRECT ARENA, LEEDS

SIM FROZEMODE

ELECTRIC BRIXTON, LONDON

SYLOSIS FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY/ DARKEST HOUR / HERIOT

ELECTRIC BRIXTON, LONDON

SEPULTURA JINJER / OBITUARY

HAMMERSMITH APOLLO, LONDON

BURY TOMORROW MAKE THEM SUFFER / THORNHILL / AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS

ROUNDHOUSE, LONDON

WHEEL MÚR

THEKLA, BRISTOL

SÓLSTAFIR ORANSSI PAZUZU / HAMFERÐ

O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON, LONDON

BARONESS / GRAVEYARD PALLBEARER

NEW CENTURY, MANCHESTER

ANTHRAX / KREATOR TESTAMENT

THE CIVIC HALL, WOLVERHAMPTON

ALIEN ANT FARM INME

O2 INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM

DELAIN DAMIAN WILSON

ELECTRIC BALLROOM, LONDON

BROTHERS OF METAL GRAILKNIGHTS

O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON, LONDON

JANNE ‘JB’ CHRISTOFFERSSON GRAND MAGUS

The Swedes’ chief beer-swiller talks gangs, “giggle grass” and the disappearance of two whole years