Gojira

When the beat drops, these songs by Metallica, Slayer and more hit like a freight train

Ahead of its huge 35th anniversary event, we look back at the birth of Wacken

The French crusaders played their early shows in a region battling for independence, and they channelled that political spirit into Flying Whales

The French band were struggling for a direction before they deliberately introduced the eclectic British musician’s influence – then they started going places

Iron Maiden going full prog! Ghost doing the Beatles! Black Sabbath smashing Smoke On The Water! Only completists have heard these extraordinary covers

From legends like Iron Maiden and Metallica to rising stars such as Bloodywood and Spiritbox, these are the metal albums that have defined the 2020s so far

From some French metal titans reaching a new peak to incredible bands we wish were still making records, here are some albums that blew our tiny minds ten years ago

The Hammer team name their greatest gigs of the year, from stadium extravaganzas to sweaty basement dust-ups