
Emily Swingle
Full-time freelancer, part-time music festival gremlin, Emily first cut her journalistic teeth when she co-founded Bittersweet Press in 2019. After asserting herself as a home-grown, emo-loving, nu-metal apologist, Clash Magazine would eventually invite Emily to join their Editorial team in 2022. In the following year, she would pen her first piece for Metal Hammer - unfortunately for the team, Emily has since become a regular fixture. When she’s not blasting metal for Hammer, she also scribbles for Rock Sound, Why Now and Guitar and more.
Latest articles by Emily Swingle

Inside the wild and wonderful world of Hanabie - Japan's next metal superstars
By Emily Swingle published
Fashion, fuzzy plushies, and hanging out with Fred Durst - Hanabie are bringing a splash of colour to metal

Five chaotic minutes with Vukovi's Janine Shilstone
By Emily Swingle last updated
Nobody does chaotic fun like Scottish alt. metallers Vukovi

“We want to inspire the next generation." From playing Glastonbury to get the sel of approval from Tom Morello Nova Twins are smashing barriers
By Emily Swingle published
From playing for a field of sheep to electrifying thousands at Glastonbury, Nova Twins are leading the charge for alternative music's next generation

How Arch Enemy wrote a revolutionary anthem for the masses with Nemesis
By Emily Swingle published
The Swedish melodeath masters didn't expect such a huge response to this modern metal classic

"It’s incredible to feel like part of something." Inside the devoted fanbase of Sleep Token, the biggest metal band of the decade
By Emily Swingle published
Dressing up, deciphering codes and creating sex playlists: We explore the cult of Sleep Token at their biggest show to date

"It’s an utterly visceral display of raw catharsis." The bands that defined 2000Trees festival 2025
By Emily Swingle published
This year's 2000Trees line-up boasted an embarrassment of riches: here are the bands who impacted hardest

Green Day mark their long-awaited Download debut by calling out Trump and Musk and playing all the bangers
By Emily Swingle published
Green Day finally made it to Download, and boy did they make up for lost time

From addiction and alcohol abuse to parenthood and poetry, here are Bert McCracken's life lessons
By Emily Swingle published
Bert McCracken has lived one hell of a life, that's for sure

"We found the sweet spot in the middle of our Venn diagram of Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins." How Thornhill are bringing 90s cool to a new generation
By Emily Swingle published
The hottest band in Deftones-core, Australia's Thornhill have found the perfect balance on their third record, Bodies

Six bands that defined Slam Dunk 2025
By Emily Swingle published
Boasting everything from cheeky pop-punk to guttural metalcore, Slam Dunk delivered another er, slam dunk in Leeds last weekend

How Harper became metal's youngest star
By Emily Swingle published
From appearing on America's Got Talent to getting endorsements from Bring Me The Horizon and Spiritbox, Harper is leading metal's next generation

Pup's Who Will Look After The Dogs? is a mantra for the down-but-not-out generation trying to survive in this burning shitheap of a world
By Emily Swingle published
PUP's bizarrely optimistic nihilism shines through on their cathartic fifth album

The best new metal bands you need to hear in May 2025
By Rich Hobson published
Meet "denture-core" maniacs Melted Bodies, marine biology-inspired post-black metallers Dawn Of Ouroboros, Lady Gaga-inspired industrial metallers Tayne and melodic hardcore heroes Bloom

"People assume my whole life has changed since Eurovision, but I still don’t have a firm place to stay."
By Emily Swingle published
How Bambie Thug went from ballet and Catholic school to witchcraft, Eurovision and touring with Babymetal

Ghouls Aloud: The Horrors come back from the dead with "a dazzling nocturnal spectacle of sombre reflections and oozing catharsis"
By Emily Swingle published
The Horrors promote new album Night Life by painting Manchester's Night & Day Cafe several shades of black

Every Jinjer album ranked from worst to best
By Emily Swingle published
We’ve put the five studio records by Ukraine’s sonic wrecking machine in reverse-order of magnificence

"Andrew Lloyd Webber said 'Be yourself - you're a rock star.'"
By Emily Swingle published
How Vukovi traded West End aspirations for joyous, liberating pop metal

"People are baffled if I say I love Taylor Swift"
By Emily Swingle published
Chris Motionless on ice hockey, being a Swiftie and why Motionless In White are taking their time on the new album

Alt Blk era's debut album has officially announced one of the most exciting new bands in alternative music
By Emily Swingle published
Formed of sisters Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam, Alt Blk Era are spinning metal, hip hop and EDM into irresistibly fun new shapes

"This album wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t toured with Cult of Luna." How avant-metal maverick Julie Christmas made the weird and wonderful Ridiculous and Full Of Blood
By Emily Swingle published
Julie Christmas explains the weird and wonderful processes behind Ridiculous And Full Of Blood

How Eurovision helped Bambie Thug became Ireland's next breakout star
By Emily Swingle published
From wowing audiences at Eurovision to selling out dates of her headline tour, 2024 was a massive year for Bambie Thug - and they're just getting started

Lzzy Hale talks joining childhood heroes Skid Row
By Emily Swingle published
Lzzy Hale grew up watching 80s rock stars on TV. In 2024, she got to be one, playing with a beloved childhood band

Kalandra mix ethereal prog, Nordic folk and, er, bird songs. So why can't metal fans get enough of them?
By Emily Swingle published
Kalandra are not a heavy metal band, and yet they've bewitched the underground metal scene all the same
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