
Merlin Alderslade
Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.
Latest articles by Merlin Alderslade

How Avenged Sevenfold went from metalcore brats to 21st century metal heavyweights
By Merlin Alderslade published
The rise and rise of Avenged Sevenfold, in their own words

Deathcore heroes Fit For An Autopsy have their sights on being extreme metal's biggest band
By Merlin Alderslade published
Fit For An Autopsy want to be extreme metal's biggest band

Glastonbury 2025 lineup confirmed: The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, Biffy Clyro, Deftones, Weezer, Kneecap, Turnstile, The Prodigy and many more set for this year’s festival
By Merlin Alderslade published
Glastonbury has officially unveiled its lineup for 2025!

Watch Ghost's new video Satanized and meet new frontman Papa V Perpetua as the band officially announce brand new album Skeletá
By Merlin Alderslade published
Ghost are back with a new figurehead and some new-look Nameless Ghouls with the devilishly daft video for new single Satanized

Architects sound absolutely livid on The Sky, The Earth & All Between - and it's made for one of the best metal albums of 2025 so far
By Merlin Alderslade published
There's a seething sense of urgency permeating Architects' eleventh studio album and we are very much here for it

Limp Bizkit to play Reading and Leeds 2025, more than 25 new names also added
By Merlin Alderslade published
Nu metal legends Limp Bizkit are amongst dozens of new additions to this year's Reading and Leeds lineup

Sleep Token have shared sheet music for what might be a new song - here's what it sounds like
By Merlin Alderslade published
A pianist has played the sheet music shared by Sleep Token's mysterious new social media accounts. It sounds pretty damn good!

Avenged Sevenfold, Deftones, Bring Me The Horizon, Sleep Token, Bad Omens, Evanescence and more announced for Louder Than Life 2025
By Merlin Alderslade published
Louder Than Life 2025 is go and it is STACKED!

Pre-order your exclusive The Darkness Dreams On Toast Classic Rock bundles, with limited edition signed vinyl and glow-in-the-dark cassette variants
By Merlin Alderslade published
We've teamed up with The Darkness for two exclusive bundles to celebrate their imminent new album, Dreams On Toast

Papa Roach put on a nostalgic classic in London’s Wembley Arena
By Merlin Alderslade published
Papa Roach prove why they’re one of their era’s most enduring and celebrated bands

Every Trivium album ranked from worst to best
By Merlin Alderslade published
Rating the storied career of one of modern metal's most important bands as they head out on tour to celebrate 20 years of Ascendancy

One of the most savage screamers in modern metal is showing off his singing voice in the Employed To Serve video
By Merlin Alderslade published
Will Ramos of Lorna Shore can be seen screaming his guts up and, in a real rarity, singing his heart out in the video for Employed To Serve's excellent new single, Atonement

"A small subset of fans had a practice of showing up to gigs in Nazi regalia." System Of A Down's Serj Tankian on why supporting one iconic metal band was like "rock 'n' roll boot camp"
By Merlin Alderslade published
System Of A Down have a storied career, and Serj has spoken on one of the most challenging support slots the band experienced in their early days

A story of Ghost's concert movie, logistical complexity and Hollywood finance
By Merlin Alderslade published
Ghost’s concert-film-and-much-more Rite Here Rite Now fully immerses fans in what has helped turn them into today's greatest theatrical rockers

“Anger needs to be used as a tool”: The game-changing 2015 album that reinvented metalcore
By Merlin Alderslade published

"Cannibal Corpse have made it to a level where they’re playing to thousands." Gatecreeper want to make death metal as big as possible
By Merlin Alderslade published
Arizonan death metallers Gatecreeper put out one of 2024's best albums - and they're just getting started

Could we get a James Hetfield and Jerry Cantrell project one day?
By Merlin Alderslade published
Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell has discussed the possibility of collaborating with James Hetfield

"I was a dangerous addict." Nita Strauss on the struggles of staying sober while touring
By Merlin Alderslade published
The ultra-talented metal guitarist says her addictions became "insidious"

"It’s actually Sid Wilson’s favourite Slipknot song." Inside nu metal's greatest deep cuts
By Metal Hammer published
From a Slipknot buried treasure to the long-overlooked Korn rarity, these are the overlooked classics in the nu metal canon

Jinjer pick the five songs that have defined their career so far
By Merlin Alderslade published
Jinjer's Tatiana and Eugene dig into their discography

Why the return of Linkin Park was so important
By Merlin Alderslade published
The countdown, the comeback, the controversy - Linkin Park's return was one of the biggest stories of 2024

Stoner rock legend Brant Bjork on why he didn't want Kyuss to be "the next Metallica"
By Merlin Alderslade published
Brant Bjork explains why he had no real interest in seeing pioneering stoner rockers Kyuss become the new Metallica

"It's nonstop badassery." Slayer guitarist Kerry King picks his favourite Black Sabbath album
By Merlin Alderslade published
Kerry King picks what might just be Sabbath's heaviest record. Should we be surprised?
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