Rich Hobson

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

Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and Metallica

Rob Halford: “Metallica were very beautiful guys, just like we all are in metal”

By Rich Hobson published

Judas Priest’s Rob Halford on his decades-long love affair with Metallica and their music

Clark

How two extreme metal legends helped bring the year’s wildest TV crime show to the screen

By Rich Hobson published

Netflix show Clark tells the story of a 70s bank robber – and it’s brought to you by Bathory drummer-turned-director Jonas Akerlund and Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt

Trollfest, Floor Jansen, Bullet For My Valentine and Rammstein

The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published

From Rammstein to Trollfest, Floor Jansen and BFMV, these are the week’s best new metal tracks. Plus: vote for your favourite!

Rammstein

“This is a brutalising relationship”: the secrets of Rammstein’s Zeit revealed

By Rich Hobson published

Going deep into Rammstein’s brand new album Zeit

Sick Sense, OU, Ianai

5 new bands you need to hear this month

By Matt Mills, Rich Hobson, Dave Everley, Will Marshall published

From nu-metal partystarters to Chinese prog-metal mavericks, this is the best new noise around right now

Stranger Things Season 4

10 things we learned from the brand new season of Stranger Things

By Rich Hobson published

Monsters, metalheads and milkshakes - how Season 4 of Stranger Things is shaking up the formula for Netflix's monster series

Eluveitie - Alexi Laiho tribute

This all-star Follow The Reaper cover captures Alexi Laiho's virtuosic brilliance

By Rich Hobson published

Members of Eluveitie, Epica and Amon Amarth team up to cover Follow The Reaper in tribute to Children Of Bodom's Alexi Laiho

Municipal Waste x Arch Enemy x Coheed and Cambria

The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published

From Asking Alexandria to Arch Enemy and Wargasm, these are the week’s essential new metal tracks. Plus: vote for your favourite!

New videogame Metal: Hellsinger featuring Serj Tankian

Brand new Serj Tankian song to feature on metal AF video game Metal: Hellsinger

By Rich Hobson published

System Of A Down's Serj Tankian has provided a rager to the soundtrack of ultra-metal friendly game Metal: Hellsinger

Ozzy Osbourne

How Ozzy Osbourne’s No More Tears resurrected metal’s greatest icon

By Rich Hobson published

The story behind No More Tears, the album that saved Ozzy Osbourne’s career – and possibly his life

Nightwish and Within Temptation

“We all want to leave a mark on the planet”: the epic story of the birth of Symphonic Metal

By Rich Hobson published

It’s been 25 years since Within Temptation and Nightwish ushered in an era of operatic vocals, big choruses and even bigger dresses

Coheed And Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez

Coheed and Cambria's Claudio Sanchez: 10 Albums That Changed My Life

By Rich Hobson published

From '80s pop to universe-expanding prog, these 10 records shaped Coheed And Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez

Anthony Vincent covers Queen in the style of Chris Cornell

Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust in the style of Chris Cornell is brilliant and uncanny

By Rich Hobson published

Anthony Vincent covering Queen's Another One Bites The Dust in the style of Chris Cornell is like something unearthed from the Seattle legend's vaults

Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica

“I thought they were taking the piss”: Ozzy Osbourne on his first meeting with Metallica

By Rich Hobson published

Ozzy Osbourne looks back on his four-decade friendship with Metallica

Sid Wilson/Kelly Osbourne

Slipknot's Sid Wilson and Kelly Osbourne are expecting a baby

By Rich Hobson published

Kelly Osbourne was "over the moon" to announce the news she is expecting a baby with Sid Wilson via Instagram

Motionless In White, Five Finger Death Punch, The Hu, Spiritbox

The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published

From Five Finger Death Punch to The Hu and Spiritbox, these are the week’s essential new metal tracks. Plus: vote for your favourite!

Judas Priest

Judas Priest’s Ian Hill: “KK Downing will be at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame”

By Rich Hobson published

Judas Priest’s Ian Hill talks that Hall Of Fame nomination, recent health scares and the state of the new album

Metallica 2000

Echobrain: how one band almost killed Metallica

By Rich Hobson published

Metallica ruled the world through the 90s, but the year 2000 almost spelled the end of the band

Best Albums Of 2022

2022’s best metal albums so far

By Rich Hobson published

From Rammstein to Ghost, these are the best metal albums released so far in 2022

Megadeth 1992

“I’m lucky with my intake of drugs I didn’t end up a glob of sh*t”: how Megadeth made Countdown To Extinction

By Rich Hobson published

How Megadeth's Countdown To Extinction helped a cleaned-up Dave Mustaine realise his superstar ambitions

Ville Valo/Peter Steele

From Type O Negative covers to HIM: how Ville Valo became king of the goths

By Rich Hobson published

From Type O Negative cover sets to appearances on extreme metal supergroups, Ville Valo's forged a unique path in music

Bill Ward

“I’m at peace with myself and Black Sabbath”: the world according to Bill Ward

By Rich Hobson published

From the birth of heavy metal to repairing friendships, this is what life has taught former Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward

Metallica MTV Icons

The night nu metal bowed down before Metallica

By Rich Hobson published

In 2003, everyone from Linkin Park to Snoop Dogg bowed down before Metallica at the MTV Icon show. The result was one of the most memorable tribute gigs ever

Lzzy Hale on the cover of Metal Hammer 361

10 things we learned from our candid conversation with Halestorm in this month's Metal Hammer

By Rich Hobson published

Lzzy Hale opens up on the demons and anxieties that she had to overcome for Halestorm's Back From The Dead

Gene Simmons in Kiss makeup

“I wake up and think, ‘F**k yeah, I get to be Gene Simmons another day’”: the world according to Gene Simmons

By Rich Hobson published

Kiss legend Gene Simmons puts the world to rights on immigration, racism and rock'n'roll history