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 →

Venom band portrait in black and white, three members in black band t-shirts and leather making devil-horn and fist gestures

The Culture: Album Covers, Fashion and the Heavy Metal Look

Declan Rourke · Feb 19, 2026

Lita Ford performing live at MGM Northfield Park, Ohio, November 2024

Women in Heavy Metal Bands

Declan Rourke · Feb 18, 2026

Alice in Chains guitarist mid-motion at the Central Tavern, Seattle, 1990, long exposure blurring the drum kit and crowd behind him

What Killed Hair Metal

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Feb 17, 2026

Robb Weir and the bassist of Tygers of Pan Tang performing live on stage at The Patriot Home of Rock, Rotherham, 4 August 2023, guitar and bass in hand under blue and red stage lighting

NWOBHM '79 Revisited

Declan Rourke · Feb 16, 2026

Meshuggah performing at Bloodstock Festival, August 2023

The Heavy Metal Genre Chart, Mapped

Declan Rourke · Feb 14, 2026

Dio's classic lineup, Ronnie James Dio with Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice and Claude Schnell, at Caribou Ranch, Colorado, 1983

The Greatest Heavy Metal Songs

Declan Rourke · Feb 13, 2026

Alice Cooper raising a white top hat on a stage extension surrounded by the crowd, Ol' Black Eyes Is Back tour, November 2019

The Heavy Metal Subgenres, and Where Each One Splits Off

Declan Rourke · Feb 12, 2026

Rage bassist Peavy Wagner pointing toward the crowd beside the guitarist on stage at Out and Loud Festival in Geiselwind

The German Heavy Metal Bands

Declan Rourke · Feb 11, 2026

Sweet performing on Top of the Pops, London, 1975, in full glam rock regalia

Glam Metal vs Hair Metal: Same Thing?

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Feb 10, 2026

Iron Maiden backstage in 1980, Paul Di'Anno holding up a hand-painted fan banner reading Iron Maiden Go Over the Top with an early Eddie drawing, band members laughing behind him.

Metal for Muthas, the First NWOBHM Compilation

Declan Rourke · Feb 9, 2026

A crowd pressed to the barrier with fists and horns raised at a metal show in Helsinki in November 2019

Why People Love Heavy Metal

Declan Rourke · Feb 8, 2026

Iron Maiden at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas, 1983, during the recording of Piece of Mind

The Best Heavy Metal Song

Declan Rourke · Feb 7, 2026

Barón Rojo's bassist playing under red and purple stage lights with the drummer visible behind him in the Plaza Mayor, Valladolid

The Heavy Metal Bands from the 80s

Declan Rourke · Feb 6, 2026

Accept, the German band behind Balls to the Wall, posed as a five-piece studio portrait in 2026, all in black leather and denim against a plain white backdrop

The Essential Heavy Metal Albums of All Time

Declan Rourke · Feb 5, 2026

Mötley Crüe backstage with Ozzy Osbourne on the Bark at the Moon Tour, March 1984

Is Mötley Crüe Glam Metal?

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Feb 4, 2026

Rob Halford of Judas Priest screaming into the microphone in full leather and studs on stage

British Steel: The Record That Set the Rules

Declan Rourke · Feb 3, 2026

Saxon on stage at the Eventim Apollo in London in November 2025, Biff Byford at the microphone with Marshall stacks behind

What Makes Music Heavy Metal

Declan Rourke · Feb 2, 2026

Stryper's four members performing on a purple and yellow lit stage at the Princess Theatre in Brisbane

The Christian Heavy Metal Bands

Declan Rourke · Feb 1, 2026

Jon Bon Jovi performing live before a massive festival crowd, 1980s

Is Bon Jovi Hair Metal?

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Jan 31, 2026

Girlschool's four original members leaning on a railing in front of gig posters for Dingwalls and Brecknock, London, around 1980

Is Motörhead NWOBHM?

Declan Rourke · Jan 30, 2026

Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead playing bass on stage at the Brixton Academy in London, 17 November 2012

The Heavy Metal Bands and Groups You Need to Know

Declan Rourke · Jan 29, 2026

Led Zeppelin performing live at Earls Court, London, 1975, Robert Plant at the mic with John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page behind him

Is Led Zeppelin Heavy Metal?

Declan Rourke · Jan 28, 2026

Poison backstage in full glam makeup and teased hair, 1980s

The Best 80s Hair Metal Songs

Declan Rourke with Saint Sylveszter · Jan 27, 2026

Def Leppard live at the Palladium, New York, 1 August 1980, during the On Through the Night tour

Is Def Leppard NWOBHM?

Declan Rourke · Jan 26, 2026