Articles by 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

"I was freaking out and bawling in the studio." Korn's classic debut album at 30: the weirdness, the trauma and the birth of nu metal

By Stephen Hill published 11 October 24

On October 11 1994, five misfits from Bakersfield, California would release an album that would change metal forever

"Unquestionably the most extreme entity that Shavo has put his name to". System Of A Down bassist ditches quirky nu metal for brutal, blistering deathcore with Seven Hours After Violet

By Stephen Hill published 10 October 24

Almost 20 years since his last ful-length album, Shavo Odadjian is roaring back with his heaviest band to date

"A pathway to achieve their potential, but they're not there yet." With a new lineup and a new direction, Fever 333 aren't the finished article on Darker White, but it's a good (re)start

By Stephen Hill published 4 October 24

Jason Aalon Butler reignites the sparks of inspiration with an all-new lineup for Fever 333

A beginner's guide to Wu-Tang Clan, one of hip hop's most unique, innovative, wildly creative and untameable powerhouses

By Stephen Hill published 27 September 24

Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to f’ wit, and here's why

"So chaotic you feel like you’re having your noggin walloped about by an entire gang of Mike Tysons." Servitude is the best tribute to Trevor Strnad Black Dahlia Murder fans could have asked for

By Stephen Hill published 27 September 24

Even tragedy can't stop The Black Dahlia Murder being one of extreme metal's most reliably brilliant bands

“It attempts to create order from chaos, but never reaches the goal.” Celebrating Trent Reznor's long, hard road out of a personal hell, as heard on Nine Inch Nails' bleak, challenging masterpiece The Fragile

By Stephen Hill published 24 September 24

Released on September 21, 1999, Nine Inch Nails third studio album, The Fragile, remains a fascinating piece of outsider art

"Our influences are really hard, dark rap tracks." How Sweden's Thrown became breakout stars of metalcore's most aggro subgenre: pissedcore

By Stephen Hill published 18 September 24

Mixing metalcore, groove metal and hip hop, Sweden's Thrown have become unlikely poster boys for a new subgenre

“The most melodic, hook-filled and engaging record of their career.” Crows dazzle in the darkness on excellent third album Reason Enough

By Stephen Hill published 17 September 24

London post-punks Crows evoke the spirit of Joy Division, PiL and ghosts of the past on album three

“One of the most singular, unique and influential catalogues in music history.” Every Talk Talk album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published 6 September 24

The complete studio output of Mark Hollis' groundbreaking, hugely influential band, re-reviewed and ranked

The Verve, Supergrass, Elastica, Lush, Super Furry Animals

10 great Britpop-era indie bands who could reform to ease the pain of fans who missed out on Oasis tickets

By Stephen Hill published 4 September 24

Bummed at missing out on Oasis tickets? Us too. The Verve, Supergrass, Elastica, Super Furries... we need you back now, please

"Bleak and hopeless, beautiful and poignant, desperately uncomfortable to listen to, yet impossible to ignore." Revisiting Manic Street Preachers' dark masterpiece The Holy Bible at 30

By Stephen Hill published 29 August 24

Released on August 30, 1994, the Manic Street Preachers' third album The Holy Bible remains one of the most unique, singular albums in history.

"There’s a sadness to that album." How addiction, thrash royalty and the long tail of 9/11 oversaw Lamb Of God's career-defining Ashes Of The Wake

By Stephen Hill published 29 August 24

Twenty years old this year, Ashes Of The Wake remains a classic of 21st century metal

Every Oasis album ranked from the worst to the best

By Stephen Hill published 29 August 24

Oasis are a British cultural phenomenon, and news of their reunion has sparked outpurings of joy across the planet. Here are the Manchester indie-rock superstars' albums ranked from worst to best

Every Flaming Lips album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published 28 August 24

Ranking the audio wonders of Wayne Coyne's Oklahoma City weirdos, from the most out-there to the truly essential

Every Eminem album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published 19 August 24

We rank Eminem's catalogue, from overlooked debut Infinite to most recent opus, The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)

The Mars Volta: De-Loused In The Comatorium cover art

"Easier on the ears if you're a King Crimson fan than a Kiss fan": The Mars Volta confound the ears on frenetic debut De-Loused In The Comatorium

By Classic Rock Magazine published 19 August 24

From the ashes of post-hardcore punks At The Drive-In something stirred, and it was proggy

Clutch/Crypta/Mimi Barks/Eternal Champion/Hatebreed

The 10 bands that defined Bloodstock 2024

By Rich Hobson published 15 August 24

From Green Lung's massive midday set on Friday to Hatebreed's "Ball of Death", these are the sets that defined Bloodstock 2024.

The Exorcist/Saw 3D/Queen of The Damned/Mad Max: Fury Road/School Of Rock/Thor: Ragnarok/Trick Or Treat/Midsommar

The 50 most metal movie moments ever

By Metal Hammer published 14 August 24

From the sinister appearance of Count Orlok to Iron Man rocking out to AC/DC, these are the 50 most metal movie moments ever

Malevolence vocalist Alex Taylor onstage in 2024

“They’re unquestionably ready for the big time”: Malevolence break records (and a good few bodies) with weekend-stealing Bloodstock set

By Stephen Hill published 13 August 24

At Bloodstock Open Air, Sheffield nasties Malevolence rile up a passionate crowd – to the point that they break a festival record for crowd-surfing

“A good show as opposed to a legendary one”: Architects don’t quite rise to the occasion at first-ever UK festival headline show

By Stephen Hill published 12 August 24

At Bloodstock Open Air, Architects play a set stacked with modern anthems – but they don’t treat headlining a UK fest for the first time like it’s a big deal

Every Run-D.M.C. album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published 5 August 24

We rank the discography of one of hip hop's singularly most influential and important groups

“The 1975 are one of the most unlikely success stories of the modern era.” Your essential guide to every The 1975 album

By Stephen Hill published 29 July 24

The 1975 are one of the UK's best-known and most celebrated rock bands: here's how Matty Healy's band fearlessly climbed into the spotlight, and stayed there

“A bar for live rock music that is surely impossible to match.” Bruce Springsteen bosses it at England's national stadium

By Stephen Hill published 28 July 24

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: the world's greatest rock 'n' roll revue

"It's nice to see that people still care." How beloved thrash metallers Power Trip rose again following the tragic loss of Riley Gale to deliver 2024's most welcome surprise comeback

By Stephen Hill published 26 July 24

They've earned Grammy nominations and made a fan of Gerard Way, now Power Trip are looking at what comes next

The 100 Songs That Changed Metal

By Metal Hammer published 18 July 24

From founding fathers like Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Judas Priest to metal's modern leaders such as Ghost, Sleep Token and Spiritbox, these are the songs that have defined a genre

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Stephen Hill

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