Metal Hammer Amaranthe have been in a state of perpetual motion since 2014’s experimental juncture, Massive Addictive. The Swedes have sometimes found themselves inaccurately lumped in with Europe’s symphonic fare, but other than their penchant for grandiosity, and singer Elize Ryd’s Nightwish connections (she infamously stepped in for ex-Nightwish vocalist Anette Olzon at a gig […]

Metal Hammer Smith & Myers will release two new albums this October. Vol 2 will be released on October 23, and will follow the release of the already announced Vol 1 on October 9. The duo, comprised of Shinedown‘s frontman Brent Smith and guitarist Zach Myers, formed in 2014 and released two EPs of cover versions, Acoustic Sessions, Part […]

Metal Hammer Uada became rapidly noteworthy for their technicolour take on black metal traditionalism on 2016’s Devoid Of Light. 2018’s Cult Of A Dying Sun was a more ambitious affair that further explored their evident love for the Norwegian second wave’s bombastic proponents, the duelling guitars of necrotic vocalist Jake Superchi and James Sloan the main […]

Metal Hammer Tim Morse’s The Archaeology Project is out on September 30 via Bandcamp and digital streaming services. The 14-track collection sees the keyboard player, who’s no relation to Neal Morse, gathering songs recorded between 2005 and 2020. Says Morse, “It was fun revisiting these songs and choosing what I consider to be the best […]

Metal Hammer When they released It’s Hard To Have Hope in 2018, Svalbard proved themselves as masters of channelling the zeitgeist. Outspoken, unflinching and obviously pissed off, the album saw the band blend hardcore with black metal and post-rock to rage against the relevant issues of the day. Revenge porn, unpaid internships and sexual assault […]

Metal Hammer Former Trivium bassist and guitarist Brent Young has died. Young played on the band’s Caeruleus EP (also known as ‘the blue demo’), released in 2003, and the following year’s debut album, Ember To Inferno.   The news was confirmed by Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, who posted, “We have just been given word on […]

Metal Hammer District 97 have teamed up with ProgStock to host a virtual Screening Tour on October 3 at 9pm BST/4pm EST. The band, whose touring plans for latest album Screens, were scuppered by the pandemic, have put together a 90-minute set which contains unseen footage of the band live at Spirit Of 66 in […]

Metal Hammer TesseracT are to release their 2013 album, Altered State on vinyl on November 6 via Century Media. The band’s acclaimed second full-length recording will be available as a 4LP + 2CD set with bonus instrumentals, which have never been released before on vinyl. One of these also features a guest appearance from Paul Waggoner […]

Metal Hammer When it comes to OTT theatricality, rock and metal have got it covered. A gig’s not a gig without several tonnes of pyro, onstage guillotines or gigantic alien power station towers that can be seen for miles around. These are 10 retina-searing stage sets that have taken the art of the rock show […]

Metal Hammer Guitar supremo Joe Satriani has been talking to MusicRadar about problems he faced coming up in the golden age of shred. Best known for his series of instrumental solo albums, the Chickenfoot guitarist was talking from his home as part of this weekend’s Virtual Guitar Show, looking back over his career as one […]

Metal Hammer When they released Precambrian in 2007, progressive intellectuals The Ocean started the most epic of epic voyages: using their music to tell the entire history of the Earth. Two albums and 13 years later, Phanerozoic II caps off Robin Staps and co’s gargantuan odyssey. It bridges the Triassic period and the present day […]

Metal Hammer Late Rush drummer Neil Peart has been named the greatest prog musician of all time by readers of Prog magazine. The magazine had a shortlist of just under 250 figures from the prog world, from which fans were encouraged to vote in an online poll – and it was Peart who came out […]