The new issue of Metal Hammer features Electric Callboy on the cover

Electric Callboy on the cover of Metal Hammer — (Image credit: Future)

As German electronicore stars Electric Callboy prepare to release new album Tanzneid, we speak to co-vocalists Kevin Ratajczak and Nico Sallach about how they became metal’s ultimate party band.

Kevin was once a salesman at Mercedes, while Nico was an intensive care nurse before joining the band in 2020. Since going viral with the single Hypa Hypa that year, the band’s popularity has continued to rise, and they now play arenas. Shows involve costume changes, pyro, and dance/metal mash-ups.

Nico reveals he partied hard in his 20s, throwing weekly bashes that would get out of hand.

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“At its peak, we had 80 people in this tiny flat. People that we didn’t know were ringing the doorbell,” he says. “They treated our flat like shit. I wanted to go to bed, and there were drinks and liquids that I couldn’t identify all over my bed! Very good memories, even if it doesn’t sound like it.”

Elsewhere, we celebrate 25 years of Slipknot’s iconic second album, Iowa. “We were looking to help Norway burn some more churches,” super-producer Ross Robinson tells us. “We wanted to join that extreme metal club!”

Meanwhile, from Metallica’s Lulu to Iron Maiden’s No Prayer For The Dying, every band has a stinker clogging up their back-catalogue. But are metal’s ‘worst’ albums really that bad? Our writers defend their favourites.

We also get in a dungeon with German zombie sensations Dominum, grill Loathe about why their new album took five years to make, and share the inside story of Nightwish’s Bye Bye Beautiful – symphonic metal’s first-ever diss track.

I Prevail’s Eric Vanlerberghe answers your questions about lasagne-towers, Judas Priest/Elegant Weapons man Richie Faulkner explains why he once summoned the Devil, and Sharon Osbourne reveals how she’s keeping Ozzy’s legacy alive – from a movie of Back To The Beginning to the return of Ozzfest and a controversial AI avatar.

Plus, we meet Eihwar: the mysterious Viking war trance duo bringing an Asgardian rave to the moshpit.

All this, along with Primus, AFI, The Hu, Halestorm, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mortiis, our big Download and Mystic reviews, and much, much more.

Only in the new issue of Metal Hammer, on sale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.

Electric Callboy on the cover of Metal Hammer issue 416 — (Image credit: Future)

Eleanor was promoted to the role of Editor at Metal Hammer magazine after over seven years with the company, having previously served as Deputy Editor and Features Editor. Prior to joining Metal Hammer, El spent three years as Production Editor at Kerrang! and four years as Production Editor and Deputy Editor at Bizarre. She has also written for the likes of Classic Rock, Prog, Rock Sound and Visit London amongst others, and was a regular presenter on the Metal Hammer Podcast.