Latest articles by Merlin Alderslade
Iron Maiden respond to that jaw-dropping 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple scene
If you've seen the film, you know it has one of the most surprising and bonkers heavy metal needle drops ever
Seven classic metal albums you forgot came out in 2016
From some French metal titans reaching a new peak to incredible bands we wish were still making records, here are some albums that blew our tiny minds ten years ago
Reliving the absolute insanity of Daphne & Celeste at Reading Festival 2000
In 2000, one of the strangest festival bookings in history unsurprisingly ended in chaos
How Unholy Confessions made Avenged Sevenfold - and why they don't dig it that much
How Avenged Sevenfold embraced heavy metal and wrote the song that took them to the next level
WWE's Drew McIntyre reveals what's on his workout mix - and the role music plays in his life
Listening to heavy music and lifting heavy stuff apparently go hand in hand. Who knew?!
How Metallica's crazy team-up with Lady Gaga almost ended in total chaos
One of the most unlikely collaborations in Grammys history was also one of the most cursed, but they pulled it out of the bag
How Metallica wrote the power ballad that saved Miley Cyrus - and that Elton John adored
James Hetfield wasn't sure about letting his Metallica bandmates hear Nothing Else Matters. Thank goodness he did
A study suggested that men who play guitar in extreme metal bands do it to impress other men
Time to smash those preconceptions about playing guitar to show off to girls, lads
How Shania Twain, Christina Aguilera's songwriters and an iconic tie launched Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne's first single drew cynicism from quarters of the rock world, but it didn't stop her becoming absolutely massive
The 10 best metalcore albums of 2025
From legends coming back strong to young artists pushing the genre forward, it's been a standout year for metalcore - and here's the proof
The 50 best metal songs of 2025
Sleep Token, Ghost, Babymetal - these are the songs you picked as the finest 2025 had to offer
Metal Hammer staff pick the best metal concerts of 2025
The Hammer team name their greatest gigs of the year, from stadium extravaganzas to sweaty basement dust-ups
The 10 best death metal albums of 2025
Guts and glory - these are the finest cuts to emerge from the fields of death metal in 2025
Rob Halford on his love for Ozzy Osbourne, covering Motörhead and a whole lot more
The Metal God opens up on his friendship with the Prince Of Darkness and a whole lot more
Metal Hammer's albums of the year: 2025
From chart-toppers Ghost and Sleep Token to rising stars Lorna Shore and Spiritbox, 2025 has been a massive year for metal
The 10 best black metal albums of 2025
Blackbraid, Cradle Of Filth, Deafheaven - black metal continued to dominate in 2025
Robert Plant on how Wales and Tolkien influenced Led Zeppelin
Robert Plant channelled Tolkien into his lyrics - even if his Led Zep bandmates didn't realise it at the time
John 5 reveals the secret to stepping into the shoes of Van Halen, Mick Mars and more
John 5 has picked up the axe for the likes of Mötley Crüe and Rob Zombie, and he's learned a few lessons along the way
Ghost's Mary On A Cross has officially just gone platinum in the UK
Ghost's biggest song has just achieved a major milestone
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
Tobias Forge reveals the surprising conversation he had with a Black Sabbath member
Tobias Forge got to speak with all four members of Sabbath at Back To The Beginning, but it was one conversation that stuck with him
Evanescence made a surprise appearance at The Game Awards last night
Evanescence are capping off their year in style!
Ghost's Skeletá has been named the album of the year by Metal Hammer
Ghost's fabulous latest album is officially our album of the year - but who else made the list?
