Dannii Leivers

Dannii Leivers

Danniii Leivers writes for Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, The Guardian, NME, Alternative Press, Rock Sound, The Line Of Best Fit and more. She loves the 90s, and is happy where the sea is bluest.

Articles by: Dannii Leivers

Blind Channel

"Love them or dismiss them, Exit Emotions will only propel Blind Channel towards the arenas calling their name": Former Eurovision contestants step up as leading lights in the nu metal revival

By Dannii Leivers published

The self-described "Backstreet Boys of metal", Blind Channel capture the anthemia and energy of peak nu metal with new album Exit Emotions

Brat/Blackgold/Alt Blk Era/The Sun's Journey Through The night/Militarie Gun

7 brilliant new metal bands to watch out for in 2024

By Dave Everley published

From Japanese Samurai metallers Ryujin to 'bimboviolence' pioneers BRAT, rising alt metal stars Alt Blk Era and mysterious black metallers The Sun's Journey Through The Night, these are the bands you need to hear in 2024

Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia

Every Lacuna Coil album ranked from worst to best

By Dannii Leivers published

We’ve ranked every studio album to bear the Lacuna Coil logo, from In A Reverie to Black Anima

Scene Queen

"Paris Hilton is a huge icon to me." Bimbocore, righteous feminism and "twerkle pits": how Scene Queen became the unlikely heroine metal needs right now

By Dannii Leivers published

Scene Queen isn't your average metal icon. And she wouldn't have it any other way

Tarja Turunen

“Computers crashed several times… I recorded vocals four or five times. But on the other hand, I started doing my job alone, learning many things”: Why Tarja Turunen recruited Mike Oldfield, Trevor Rabin and Steve Rothery for Outlanders

By Dannii Leivers published

Former Nightwish singer’s new direction took nearly a decade to deliver – but she’s ready to do it all over again

Bring Me The Horizon Download Festival 2023

"We need to keep bringing new bands through": we talk to a Download Festival booker about the future of metal and running the UK's biggest rock fest

By Dannii Leivers published

Download Festival has been the biggest celebration of alternative music in the UK for over 20 years - but its ability to foster the next generation has never been more crucial

SiM

"We felt like we'd failed": SiM were one of Japan's best kept metal secrets, but after writing a song for Attack On Titan they're ready to conquer the world

By Dannii Leivers published

Mixing nu metal, funk and reggae, SiM already enjoyed succcess in Japan, but after almost 20 years they finally broke through internationally - with the help of an anime about flesh-eating giants

Halestorm

Every Halestorm album ranked from worst to best

By Dannii Leivers published

We rank the discography of one of modern rock's most beloved bands

This month's best new metal bands

Here are the best new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Merlin Alderslade published

From Skyrim-inspired nu-industrial noise to happy-go-lucky black metal (wait, what?!), here are some of the best new metal bands we've found for you this month

Album of the year artists

The 50 best metal albums of 2023 - as voted by the readers of Metal Hammer

By Rich Hobson published

From Metallica to Sleep Token, Avenged Sevenfold to Babymetal, these are the best metal albums of 2023 - as voted by you!

Amaranthe in the studio

"It’s everything from super-organic to super-symphonic, to super-poppy, to super-harsh." We get in the studio with Amaranthe to find out why the Swedish pop-metallers have gone "a little bit crazy" for new album The Catalyst

By Dannii Leivers published

Amaranthe are pushing their sound further than ever for their next chapter

In This Moment in 2023

"I’ve got my own coach that I only share with a few people. Some might look at me like ‘Dang!’ but listen: I paid my dues.” Maria Brink on her rock 'n' mom, open mic nights and earning In This Moment's seat at the table

By Dannii Leivers published

In This Moment's talismanic singer imparts some of the life lessons she's learned

Hawxx in 2023

"Every second of this debut album has something to say and ensures you remember the message long after it meets its squalling end." Hawxx's Earth, Spit, Blood And Bones is the righteous racket heavy music needs right now

By Dannii Leivers published

Hawxx have crafted a debut album brimming with hooks, heaviness and lyrics that actually have something to say

Spiritbox 2023

Spiritbox released the hottest metal debut of 2021. The Fear Of Fear EP shows they're only just getting started

By Dannii Leivers published

Spiritbox might not be in a rush to make a full-length follow-up to Eternal Blue, but The Fear Of Fear EP is all about pushing their boundaries

Various metal albums from 2023

The best metal albums of 2023 so far

By Rich Hobson published

From Metallica to Babymetal, Cattle Decapitation to Sleep Token, these are the best metal albums of the year to date

A screenshot of Rob Zombie's Dragula music video

“It almost didn’t happen!” Dragula: how a last-minute demo turned into Rob Zombie’s immortal horror hit

By Dannii Leivers published

In 1998, Rob Zombie wanted to forge a solo career beyond White Zombie. Releasing Dragula as his debut single put him on the fast track to cult celebrity.

In This Moment in 2023

Slick, heavy and anchored by the brilliant Maria Brink, Godmode is the album that, if there's any justice in the world, will take In This Moment further than ever

By Dannii Leivers published

Godmode is a reminder that for all their charisma and show(wo)manship, In This Moment have become some of modern metal's most reliable songwriters

Within Temptation 2023

Every Within Temptation album ranked from worst to best

By Dannii Leivers published

From doomy debut album Enter to their newest, magnificent opus Bleed Out, we rate every entry in the Dutch symphonic metal heavyweights' catalogue

Crosses' new album cover

Warm, bright and packing some wonderful collaborations with Robert Smith and El-P, Crosses' new album Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. is a welcome return from Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez

By Dannii Leivers published

We had to wait a while for a full new Crosses album, but it was worth it

Wargasm in 2023

"Someone said that they were in a Portaloo while we were on stage, and the bass rumbled some excrement out of them.” Getting to know Wargasm, the genre-splicing, Fred Durst-approved duo making major waves in modern metal

By Dannii Leivers published

As Wargasm, Sam Matlock and Milkie Way have become one of the most talked about young bands in metal today

Twin Temple in 2023

Twin Temple's Satanic doo-wop-powered God Is Dead is the empowering, blasphemous and devilishly fun album the rock world needs right now

By Dannii Leivers published

Hailing Satan has never sounded so fun, swinging or sexy

Riverside

“When Piotr died I thought maybe it’s time to say: ‘This is the end of Riverside'." How Riverside got back on track with Wasteland

By Dannii Leivers published

The death of Riverside’s guitarist Piotr Grudzin´ski could have ended the band. Instead, they returned with a new sound on an album about grief, hope and survival.

Within Temptation live in Birmingham 2022

The 10 songs that defined Within Temptation's career

By Dannii Leivers published

Across eight studio albums, Within Temptation have gone from symphonic metal pioneers to arena-filling metal superstars

Svalbard 2023

"There’s not a ray of sunshine or hope in this album": Svalbard explain why new album The Weight Of The Mask is their darkest yet

By Dannii Leivers published

British post-hardcore heroes Svalbard say new album The Weight Of The Mask is all about facing inner demons

Within Temptation 2023

“To protect your freedom, you have to be active": How Within Temptation's new album Bleed Out was inspired by a world in crisis

By Dannii Leivers published

Within Temptation's new album Bleed Out is their most fired up to date, proving there's much more to them than just being "the symphonic band"