Latest articles by Merlin Alderslade
Trivium put on a powerful Download show that might just match that famous 2005 one
Trivium shrug off some windy restrictions to put on a show worthy of the famous 2005 set that made their name
Download might be the home of rock, but Pendulum and Cypress Hill just showed why the festival is wise to mix it up a little
Drum 'n' bass and hip hop might not seem like obvious fits for Download, but Pendulum are now Donington veterans - while Cypress Hill's world class set was long overdue
Limp Bizkit finally headline Download festival - and they absolutely smash it
Metal's biggest party band bring the ruckus to Donington on Friday night
From Metallica surprise shows to Slipknot triumphs, these are the 13 greatest Download festival sets ever
For over two decades, Download has been the premiere rock and metal festival in the UK. These are its finest moments
How thrash kingpins Anthrax and hip hop titans Public Enemy created the greatest rap-metal song of all
"There was an equal chance that both bands would lose audiences"
The story behind Ghost's Mary On A Cross - and what it really means
The story behind Ghost's viral mega-hit, and what its lyrics mean, in Tobias Forge's own words
Evile's Ol Drake has set up a Gofundme to help his family deal with mounting debt
Evile's Ol Drake has helped keep true metal alive in the UK scene over the past two decades, and now he could do with some help
Why this respected author listens to death metal to calm herself while writing
Critically acclaimed novelist Elif Shafak gives a perfect breakdown of why metal is one of the most interesting and exciting genres around
What happened when country icon Dolly Parton met Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford
Two icons met in the most unusual of circumstances and it left an indelible impression on Rob Halford
From a traumatic tube epiphany to representing Iran in the metal scene, Nina Saeidi's incredible life story
Lowen are one of the most exciting bands in British metal - and their frontwoman Nina Saeidi one of the scene's most important emerging voices
Iron Maiden release special glimpse into the epic next leg of their Run For Your Lives world tour
Iron Maiden have released a short new video documenting their recent show in Athens
How one simple question led to Evanescence writing Bring Me To Life
It was a simple conversation with her future husband that helped Amy Lee write the anthem of a generation
"Their fans live, breathe and die for them, and that is my dream." Why Lady Gaga loves Iron Maiden
Pop megastar Lady Gaga is a certified Iron Maiden fan - and the metal icons think pretty highly of her too!
Meet the metal singer-turned vicar who wants Iron Maiden to play her church
Emily Kolltveit will be known to many UK metalheads as the former frontwoman of Pythia, but her life took a surprising turn
The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear this week
Anthrax, Green Lung, Sicksense and Warning lead this week’s heavy picks – vote for your favourite here
Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted opens up on recent cancer battle
Jason Newsted recently got the all-clear from throat cancer
Why founding Korn bassist Fieldy left the band in 2021, according to guitarist Munky
Korn guitarist Munky opens up on why Fieldy left Korn for an extended hiatus five years ago, and whether he's kept in touch since
How In Flames influenced generations of metal bands - but took a while to get the credit they deserved
How one band helped craft a new sound that changed the fate of metal forever
Watch former Alissa White-Gluz make her live debut with Dragonforce
See the Alissa White Gluz-led Dragonforce play their first show at Welcome To Rockville 2026
Sleep Token have just surprise-released a brand new version of Even In Arcadia
Ever wanted to hear what Sleep Token's biggest album would sound like without Vessel crooning all over it? Have we got news for you!
Amy Lee looks back on her internet-breaking collab with Poppy and Courtney LaPlante
When the three modern metal icons united, it was a special moment - and Amy hasn't taken it for granted
Slipknot's Clown reveals how rock icons Kiss changed his life forever
You might not be surprised to find that Clown's sense of showmanship is inspired by the showiest rock band of them all
Get an exclusive blue vinyl edition of new Evanescence album Sanctuary
Evanescence's new album is imminent, and you can bag yourself a beautiful vinyl variant right here
