The Magazine

The long reads. Genre histories told chapter by chapter, band biographies, the essential albums, the label stories and the portraits, written by the KaosMetal editors.

Narrowed to Heavy Metal. The whole magazine →

Queen live, 1977. Photo: QueenConcerts.com

Is Queen Heavy Metal?

Declan Rourke · Jul 15, 2026

Judas Priest on stage at the Motocultor festival in August 2026, the band lit under video screens and the Birmingham crest

The Best Heavy Metal Music Videos

Declan Rourke · Jul 14, 2026

Uriah Heep at Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, 2022. Photo: Aggie Anthimidou

Heavy Metal Subgenres by Decade

Declan Rourke · Jul 13, 2026

Rolf Kasparek of Running Wild on stage at Wacken in August 2026, a gold Flying V in his hands and a pirate ship painted across the backdrop

The 80s Heavy Metal Albums

Declan Rourke · Jul 12, 2026

Joan Jett and Lita Ford of the Runaways playing face to face at the Whisky in West Hollywood in August 1977

The All-Female Heavy Metal Bands

Declan Rourke · Jul 11, 2026

Crazy Lixx, 2025. Photo: Nils Sjöholm

The Modern Hair Metal Bands

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Jul 10, 2026

Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy singing into the microphone at the Eventim Apollo in London in October 2024

The Types of Metal Vocals

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Jul 9, 2026

Jon Bon Jovi performing before the crowd at Wembley Stadium, London, 1995

Metal Studies: When Academia Took Heavy Metal Seriously

Declan Rourke · Jul 8, 2026

Acid, early 1980s. Photo: Iron Fist Magazine

The Dutch and Belgian Heavy Metal Scene

Declan Rourke · Jul 7, 2026

Rob Halford of Judas Priest astride a Harley-Davidson in front of a wall of Marshall cabinets

Motorcycles, Highways and the Freedom Myth

Declan Rourke · Jul 6, 2026

Teemu Mantysaari of Megadeth with both hands on the neck of his guitar at the O2 in London in October 2025

The Greatest Metal Riffs

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Jul 5, 2026

Def Leppard at Wembley Stadium, 2023. Photo: Robert Sutton

Recording Heavy Metal Vocals

Declan Rourke with Curtis Vance · Jul 4, 2026

AC/DC at Hockenheim, 2015. Photo: acdc.com

Is AC/DC Heavy Metal?

Declan Rourke · Jul 3, 2026

Marc Hudson of DragonForce leaping across the stage past the dragon-head kick drums, Kentish Town Forum, London, 8 November 2019.

The Heavy Metal Video Games

Declan Rourke · Jul 2, 2026

Mercyful Fate at rehearsals, 1983. Photo: courtesy of the band

The Progressive Rock DNA in Heavy Metal

Declan Rourke · Jul 1, 2026

The crowd at Monsters of Rock, Donington, in August 1984, facing the empty stage rig between sets

1984, Heavy Metal's Biggest Year

Declan Rourke · Jun 30, 2026

Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy at the microphone with his mirrored bass at the Manchester Apollo in 1983, the band around him

Heavy Metal Bands with Black Singers

Declan Rourke · Jun 29, 2026

Alice in Chains at Wembley Arena, London, 2019. Photo: Scott Dachroeden

Was Alice in Chains Ever Hair Metal?

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Jun 28, 2026

Sebastian Bach mid-scream on stage at the Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, 24 October 2024

How Metal Singers Scream

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Jun 27, 2026

A packed crowd fills the field as Judas Priest plays the main stage at Wacken Open Air 2026.

Heavy Metal Fan Stereotypes

Declan Rourke · Jun 26, 2026

Angra on stage at Bangers Open Air in Sao Paulo in 2026, the singer and a guitarist at the front

Latin American Heavy Metal

Declan Rourke · Jun 25, 2026

Alice Cooper on stage at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow in October 2024, cane raised above his head

Madness and Asylums in Metal Lyrics

Declan Rourke · Jun 24, 2026

Kirk Hammett of Metallica playing guitar with Robert Trujillo, The Collection: Live book event, Frankfurt, May 2026. Photo: BraveWords

How Metal Riffs Are Built

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Jun 23, 2026

An Ampeg Portaflex bass cabinet with a single microphone set in front of it in a studio isolation room

Where Did the Bass Go?

Declan Rourke with Curtis Vance · Jun 22, 2026