Latest articles by Merlin Alderslade
"This is a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last album." Megadeth to retire, announce final album and farewell tour to come in 2026
Thrash metal legends Megadeth are officially calling it a day
"One of the best metal albums of 2025 so far - extreme or otherwise."
Blackbraid III beefs up the sound and feel of his first two albums to spectacular effect
Alter Bridge are hosting their own music festival - and it's happening at a castle in Wales
Alter Bridge will host their own festival at Cardiff Castle in Wales next year
Debate: which is the coolest Iron Maiden Eddie ever?
Trooper Eddie? Killers Eddie? Samurai Eddie? Mummy Eddie? Too many to choose from!
Linkin Park are returning to a country they haven't played for 12 years
The millennial metal icons are taking their From Zero world tour somewhere long overdue for a Linkin Park visit
Lacuna Coil's Bloodstock set shows they are a band operating at the peak of their powers
30 years into their career, Lacuna Coil are writing some of their very best music - and putting on some of their best live shows
"I didn't have a clear idea of what I was doing...I just felt lost." Iron Maiden legend Bruce Dickinson on the existential crisis that helped shape one of his most beloved songs
This classic power ballad was seen by many as a goodbye to Iron Maiden, but the real meaning runs a little deeper
Debate: what is the greatest metal riff of all time?
Creeping Death? Raining Blood? The Trooper? Blind? Which metal riff towers above the rest?
Halestorm’s exclusive track by track guide to their new album Everest
Halestorm guitarist Joe Hottinger breaks down the band’s upcoming album Everest
You can now get an exclusive Babymetal Metal Hammer issue with a limited edition variant cover
Celebrate Babymetal's new album Metal Forth with this special edition cover!
Debate: what was metal's greatest decade?
70s? 80s? 90s? 00s? 10s? Which decade in metal has given us the greatest bands and albums?
Order your exclusive Scars On Broadway t-shirt and Daron Malakian Metal Hammer cover now
The System Of A Down legend recently released Scars On Broadway's brand new album, Addicted To The Violence
Babymetal's new album Metal Forth reaffirms their status as one of metal's most unique and exciting bands
Babymetal team up with a bunch of metal pals to make another bold stride forwards
I have to stop fighting the overwhelming evidence: nu metal and metalcore are officially dad rock now
Slipknot t-shirts being sold by Debenhams. Spotify 'Dad Rock' mixes featuring System Of A Down, Avenged Sevenfold and Killswitch Engage. Game over, mates
"Iron Maiden's crew said, ‘We can't believe it. No middle fingers, no coins or shoes being thrown!'"
Lzzy Hale on why she relishes the challenge of winning over potential hostile crowds
Tom Morelllo on how Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath changed his life
Rage Against The Machine's mercurial guitarist helped curate the Back To The Beginning spectacular. It was a job he'd been training for his whole life
The bizarre story of Hulk Hogan's phantom 'audition' for Metallica
This week, wrestling icon Hulk Hogan passed away aged 71. We revisit one of the strangest stories involving the Hulkster, which included the world's biggest metal band
Debate: who is the greatest heavy metal singer of all time?
Ozzy? Bruce? Het? Corey? Floor? Halford? Who is the true GOAT of heavy metal singers?
Watch fans gather in Birmingham with flowers, speakers and a big screen to pay respects and celebrate the life of Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy fans have gathered in Birmingham across the night to pay tribute to the Prince Of Darkness, who has died aged 76
9 moments that made me cheer, laugh, despair and cry like a baby at Black Sabbath's epic Back To The Beginning show
Filing down the biggest heavy metal show ever to pick out some key moments was hard - but I did it anyway
"One of the scariest songs I ever heard." Slipknot's Corey Taylor pays tribute to Black Sabbath, reveals the song he listens to so he can "go some place mentally."
Slipknot aren't playing Black Sabbath's final show, but the metal legends have had a profound impact on Corey et al all the same
Tony Iommi explains why Black Sabbath are "all nervous" ahead of final show
Even metal icons get the pre-show jitters, as Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi reveals ahead of tomorrow's historic final gig
Sophie Lloyd picks out her five favourite guitar solos of all time
Guitar hero and YouTube sensation Sophie Lloyd picks out the solos that changed her life - featuring Guns N' Roses, Pink Floyd, Avenged Sevenfold and more
