Articles by Jason Arnopp, Freelance Writer

Jason Arnopp is a veteran metal scribbler, with a passion for thrash metal, horror movies, vinyl and VHS. He's also the author of scary novels like The Last Days Of Jack Sparks (2016) and Ghoster (2019). Runs two YouTube channels, including Possessed By Metal. Guess what that one's about, eh?

Articles by: Jason Arnopp

System Of A Down posing for a photograph backstage

“Being crazy is being free, man. Completely free!”: the unhinged story of System Of A Down’s Hypnotize, the last album they might ever make

By Jason Arnopp published 27 July 24

In 2005, System Of Down released their fifth, and possibly final, album Hypnotize

Voivod's discordant, psychedelic sci-fi oddness excels on Synchro Anarchy

By Jason Arnopp published 12 February 22

French-Canadian oddballs Voivod celebrate their fourth decade with the storming Synchro Anarchy

In a world of uncertainty, Saxon's Carpe Diem is reliably certain

By Jason Arnopp published 4 February 22

Carpe Diem is business as usual for British metal institution Saxon, and business is good

The Monster Roars by Magnum: genuinely lovely, with a silky-smooth underbelly

By Jason Arnopp published 15 January 22

Brummie veterans Magnum continue to put songcraft first on The Monster Roars, their best album for some time

Persona Non Grata by Exodus is not an album you'd want to meet in a dark alley

By Jason Arnopp published 21 November 21

Exodus continue to thrash, bang and wallop on 11th album Persona Non Grata

Rob Zombie's horror movies ranked from worst to best

By Jason Arnopp last updated 25 October 21

Wading through industrial legend Rob Zombie's directorial run of horror movies from the baneful to the gloriously painful

How Carcass twisted grindcore into repulsive new shapes on Symphonies Of Sickness

By Jason Arnopp last updated 9 July 21

With their second album Symphonies Of Sickness, Carcass put grindcore through the mincer – and made an underground metal classic

Dio live albums: repackaged but still offering more Heaven than Hell

By Jason Arnopp published 12 February 21

Ronnie James Dio's live albums Evil Or Divine: Live In New York City and Holy Diver Live get taken out for another spin

Manowar: Black Wind, Fire And Steel: The Atlantic Albums 1987-1992

Manowar's Black Wind, Fire And Steel: three albums of the truest metal

By Jason Arnopp published 4 December 20

Black Wind, Fire And Steel: The Atlantic Recordings 1987-1992 is a barebones repacking of Manowar's major label adventure

Pantera: Reinventing The Steel (20th Anniversary)

Pantera celebrate 20 years of Reinventing The Steel with a vibrant new mix

By Jason Arnopp published 30 October 20

Heavy, heavy metal on the 20th anniversary Pantera's Reinventing The Steel

U.D.O. And Das Musikkorps Der Bundeswehr: We Are One album review

By Jason Arnopp published 17 July 20

Former Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider hooks up with the concert band of the German armed forces on We Are One. Of course he does.

The Top 10 essential horror movie soundtracks

By Jason Arnopp last updated 25 May 20

Every day is Halloween with these 10 essential horror movie sountracks for the discerning metal fan

A photograph of Kirk Hammett in front of some creepy skeletons

Metal and horror: a match made in hell

By Jason Arnopp published 25 October 19

As Halloween rolls around, we investigate why metal enjoys such a close relationship with horror, and how they’ve shaped each other in the darkest of ways