Stephen Hill

Stephen Hill

Since blagging his way onto the Hammer team a decade ago, Stephen has written countless features and reviews for the magazine, usually specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal, and still holds out the faint hope of one day getting his beloved U2 into the pages of the mag. He also regularly spouts his opinions on the Metal Hammer Podcast.

Articles by: Stephen Hill

Mount Westmore - Snoop, Cube, 40, $hort

Mount Westmore's Snoop, Cube, 40, $hort: rollicking, aggressive, old school bluster from some of the most recognisable voices in hip-hop

By Stephen Hill published

West Coast hip-hop supergroup throw it back to the golden age on big and brash debut album

System Of A Down standing against a white wall

Every System Of A Down album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published

System Of A Down have released five albums, and here they are in order of greatness

Evanescence’s Amy Lee against a yellow background

Evanescence’s Amy Lee on dealing with childhood grief: “When you’re hurting, you grab on to anything that helps”

By Stephen Hill published

Amy Lee talks rising above tragedy, why money should never dictate art and Evanescence’s unexpected longevity

Killing Joke

Every Killing Joke album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published

On a mission to recreate 'the sound of the earth vomiting', the back catalogue of West London's dark prophets of doom Killing Joke is no laughing matter

Jason David Frank throwing a martial arts pose

"I remember System Of A Down going to the Roxy and giving out their eight-track!" - Power Rangers star Jason David Frank on metal, the 90s and making "history" as The Green Ranger

By Stephen Hill published

Back in 2017, we talked to the original Green Ranger himself, Jason David Frank, about his career and love of alternative music

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm

Lzzy Hale: "When Dio gives you a mission, you follow"

By Stephen Hill published

Halestorm's Lzzy Hale talks sibling rivalries, discovering her sexuality and being the first woman to win a Grammy for best metal performance

The Strokes

Every The Strokes album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published

They may have been one of the most hyped bands ever, but The Strokes also have style, substance and songs to burn. Here are their studio albums ranked from worst to best

ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted posing against a pale background

Jason Newsted on thrash metal, the Black Album and life after Metallica: “Playing Enter Sandman for the 1,000th time kinda wears on you”

By Stephen Hill published

Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted looks back on the highs and lows of his epic career

Murderolls dressed as American football players

Murderdolls’ Dead In Hollywood: how a Slipknot side-project delivered a horror-punk classic

By Stephen Hill published

Murderdolls’ early 00s classic Dead In Hollywood was the sound of Slipknot’s Joey Jordison living out his horror-punk fantasies

Greatest Download festival sets

The 20 greatest Download festival sets of all time

By Stephen Hill, Rich Hobson published

From Metallica and Slipknot to Trivium and Linkin Park, these are the most legendary sets from the Download festival’s history

Alice in Chains

The greatest Alice In Chains songs ever, picked by members of Slayer, Soulfly, Halestorm, Incubus, Napalm Death and more

By Metal Hammer published

The grunge icons’ best songs, chosen by 22 of today‘s biggest musicians

Dave Lombardo wearing sunglasses against a blue background

Ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo: “Would I join Kerry King’s new band? I don’t think he’d have the need to ask me”

By Stephen Hill published

Dead Cross, Misfits and whether he’ll ever play with Slayer again – you ask the questions, Dave Lombardo answers them

Lulu artwork

Lulu revisited: why Metallica and Lou Reed's controversial album is far better than you remember

By Stephen Hill published

Lou Reed and Metallica's concept album Lulu remains the most divisive record released by either artist. Is it simply misunderstood?

Horror movies

The 50 greatest horror movies of all time

By Merlin Alderslade last updated

From gruesome slashers and iconic monsters to terrifying spirits and beyond, these are the 50 films that have defined horror over the last century

Around The Fur artwork

Around The Fur at 25: the sound of Deftones gleefully detonating a bomb under nu metal

By Stephen Hill published

Released on October 28, 1997, Deftones' second album Around The Fur found the Sacramento band striding away from nu metal convention

Brandon Boyd

Every Incubus album ranked from worst to best, by vocalist Brandon Boyd

By Stephen Hill published

Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd takes a long, hard look at the Californian band's back catalogue, and sorts the mediocre from the masterpieces

Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, m.A.A.d City artwork

Great outta Compton: how Kendrick Lamar revolutionised hip-hop with the darkly poetic concept album Good Kid, m.A.A.d City

By Stephen Hill published

Released on October 23, 2012, here's how Kendrick Lamar's bold and brilliant second album ushered in a new golden age of hip-hip

Architects: The Classic Symptoms Of A Broken Spirit album review

Architects’ The Classic Symptoms Of A Broken Spirit: former metalcore heroes shoot for arena rock success

By Stephen Hill published

Album review: metalcore breakdowns are out, big hooks and bigger ambition are in on Architects’ The Classic Symptoms Of A Broken Spirit

Incubus standing against a white background

The Story Behind The Song: A Certain Shade Of Green by Incubus

By Stephen Hill published

It was the song that gave Incubus a pass to the nu metal party – even though they hated being part of it

Slayer’s Kerry King and Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell playing guitar onstage

“The Cowboys From Hell bottled it”: the chaotic story of the Tattoo The Planet festival

By Stephen Hill published

Headlined by Pantera and Slayer, 2001’s Tattoo The Planet was shaping up to be one of the greatest festivals the UK had ever seen. Then 9/11 happened…

Alter Bridge: Pawns & Kings album cover

Alter Bridge’s Pawns & Kings: more colossal anthems from the modern kings of arena rock

By Stephen Hill published

Album review: Alter Bridge carry on doing what they do best on new album Pawns & Kings

Cypress Hill rappers B Real and Sen Dog behind a chain link fence

The story behind Cypress Hill’s Insane In The Brain, the crossover hip hop banger that metalheads love

By Stephen Hill published

“I f**ked hard with Led Zeppelin”: Cypress Hill rapper Sen Dog on how three weed-fuelled rappers created their 1992 mega-hit Insane In The Brain

Brandon Boyd of Incubus singing onstage

Incubus' Brandon Boyd says being called nu metal hurt his feelings

By Rich Hobson published

Brandon Boyd looks back on the making of Incubus' 1997 breakthrough S.C.I.E.N.C.E. in this month's Metal Hammer

Wednesday 13

Wednesday 13: “Joey Jordison was like a brother to me”

By Stephen Hill published

How the deaths of Joey Jordison, Alexi Laiho and his own mother shaped horror icon Wednesday 13’s new album Horrifier

James Hetfield/Axl Rose/Jeff Hannemann/Joe Duplantier/Mike D

10 legendary lost metal side-projects we'd kill to hear

By Stephen Hill published

From a Slayer/Suicidal Tendencies hardcore punk team-up to Metallica joining Guns N' Roses: who wouldn't want to hear these legendary lost side-projects?

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