Articles by Rich Hobson

Writer for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Louder, Rich has never met a feature he didn't fancy, which is just as well when it comes to covering everything rock, punk and metal for both print and online. Passionate about seeing the spread of metal on a global scale, Rich has spent the last decade seeking out emerging acts from around the world, covering everyone from Alien Weaponry and The Hu to Kaoteon, Nine Treasures and Jinjer, whilst also re-examining rock and metal history with bands like Faith No More, Sepultura and Ozzy Osbourne, alongside legendary events like Rock in Rio and the 1991 Clash Of The Titans tour.

Articles by: Rich Hobson

“People think we sing about Vikings. We don’t and we never did. We’re concerned with nature and our relationship with nature”: If other Nordic folk bands overtake Wardruna, Einar Selvik doesn’t mind

By Rich Hobson published 24 April 25

Inspired by a bear, a moose and a wolf, new album Birna is extending the band’s “beautiful broken family” as they tell modern tales through ancient instruments

Cryptopsy/Electric Citizen/The Devil Wears Prada/Bratakus/Royale Lynn

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 18 April 25

Cryptopsy, Rivers of Nihil and The Devil Wears Prada lead this week's best new metal songs

"They'd throw shrapnel at us - coins. I collected enough to buy a beer." Burton C. Bell recalls the trials of supporting Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath in the 90s

By Rich Hobson published 16 April 25

The former Fear Factory frontman did meet Brian May though, so it wasn't all bad

Linkin Park will headline this year's UEFA Champion's League Final

By Rich Hobson published 16 April 25

The band's performance follows previous headliner Lenny Kravitz in 2024

"I never thought I’d make my living playing heavy metal." How Sabaton's Joakim Broden became the singer of the biggest power metal band in the world

By Rich Hobson published 14 April 25

Sabaton might not agree with the power metal tag, but they reinvented the genre for the 21st Century

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 11 April 25

From Ghost and Turnstile to Sodom, Left To Suffer, Shadow Of Intent and beyond, these are the best new metal songs this week

We got rock and metal's best bands to pick the greatest Ozzy Osbourne (and Black Sabbath) songs ever

By Rich Hobson published 11 April 25

Members of Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Halestorm and more choose the best songs featuring the Prince Of Darkness

"Ozzy and I were like a couple of naughty schoolkids." Zakk Wylde shares his favourite (not so) wholesome memory of hanging out with The Prince Of Darkness

By Rich Hobson published 9 April 25

Sneaking beers on tour in Japan? Heaven forbid

"Five were f***ing horrible." Skunk Anansie icon Skin shares what it was like being buddies with David Bowie and Lemmy, and run-ins with 90s boybands

By Rich Hobson published 9 April 25

"Five were f***ing horrible." Skunk Anansie icon Skin shares what it was like being buddies with David Bowie and Lemmy, and run-ins with 90s boybands

The best metal albums of 2025 (so far)

By Rich Hobson published 5 April 25

From Cradle of Filth to Whitechapel, Bloodywood to Spiritbox, these are some of the best metal releases of 2025 so far.

Kid Bookie/Babymetal/Sleep Token/Machine Head/Dogma

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 4 April 25

Babymetal, Sleep Token and Machine Head lead the best new metal songs this week.

The procession of Papa Emeritus I - IV and Papa V Perpetua

Ghost: the definitive guide to every member of their crazy universe

By Merlin Alderslade last updated 2 April 25

From Papa Emeritus I to IV to Papa V Perpetua, Papa Nihil, Sister Imperator and beyond, here's everything you need to know about Ghost's colourful cast of characters

Grima/Melancolia/Church Tongue/Catch Your Breath

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 1 April 25

Meet Knocked Loose spin-off spinkickers Church Tongue, Siberian black metallers Grima, Texan metalcore mob Catch Your Breath and Melbourne deathcore brutes Mélancolia

"Lemmy was the real deal, right to the end." Metallica's Kirk Hammett on his love for Motorhead

By Rich Hobson published 29 March 25

It's no secret the members of Metallica love Motorhead. But Kirk Hammett shares just what the rock'n'roll legends mean to him

Imha Tarikat: Void Revelations /Linkin Park: Press /Evanescence: Travis Shinn /Wednesday 13: Anabel DFlux /The Yagas: Franco Vogt

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 28 March 25

From big-hitters Evanescence and Linkin Park to underground heroes Imha Tarikat, Employed To Serve and Esprit D'Air, these are the best new metal songs you need to hear this week

"He and I have that kanaka thing, we're bros!" Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett on his friendship with Jason Momoa

By Rich Hobson published 26 March 25

What do a heavy metal and Hollywood star have to bond over? A lot, it turns out.

Lord Of The Lost/Blackbriar/District 105/Calva Louise/House Of Protection

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 21 March 25

Lord Of The Lost, Malevolence and The Haunted lead this week's best new metal songs

"Lars Ulrich came barging in. He’s like, ‘Hey, I’m Lars!’ F*** yeah you are!" Bullet For My Valentine's Matt Tuck recalls meeting his heroes for the first time (and regrets falling out with Rob Zombie)

By Rich Hobson published 21 March 25

From touring with Iron Maiden and Guns N' Roses to meeting Metallica, Killswitch Engage and Zakk Wylde, 2005 - 2007 was a massive time for Bullet For My Valentine

Every Lacuna Coil album ranked from worst to best

By Dannii Leivers published 20 March 25

We’ve ranked every studio album to bear the Lacuna Coil logo, from In A Reverie to Sleepless Empire

Ever wondered what it's like putting on a metal festival? Music podcast Two Promoters One Pod reveals all

By Rich Hobson published 20 March 25

Created by Damnation organiser Gavin McInally and 2000 Trees/ArcTanGent boss James Scarlett, Two Promoters One Pod shares behind the scenes stories of the music world

"It was a middle finger to everyone who’d told us we wouldn’t do anything." A track-by-track guide to Bullet For My Valentine's The Poison

By Rich Hobson published 19 March 25

Frontman Matt Tuck shares the stories behind the songs on Bullet's groundbreaking debut

Cradle Of Filth/Epica/Sleep Token/Prompts/Face Yourself

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 14 March 25

Sleep Token, Cradle Of Filth and Epica are among the best new metal songs this week

Every Jinjer album ranked from worst to best

By Emily Swingle published 12 March 25

We’ve put the five studio records by Ukraine’s sonic wrecking machine in reverse-order of magnificence

Volbeat/Nungara/Ghost/Kittie/Dymna Lotva

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 7 March 25

Ghost, Kittie and Volbeat lead this week's best new metal songs

Spiritbox on the cover of the new issue of Metal Hammer

"A band who could contend with Bring Me The Horizon and Sleep Token as the next zeitgeist-setting metal act." Spiritbox have unleashed another absolute stunner with Tsunami Sea

By Rich Hobson published 3 March 25

Spiritbox's second album doesn't just match the instant-classic status of their debut: it surpasses it

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
View Archive

Rich Hobson

Get the Louder Newsletter