Essential Albums

Carach Angren on stage

Symphonic Black Metal Bands

Eirik Solvang · May 29, 2026

The Exhumed of the Earth album sleeve by Paramaecium, a stone cross and a mourning angel in a cemetery inside an illuminated border

The Christian Doom Metal Bands

Ilse Brandt · May 28, 2026

The Ruins of Beverast on a large stage in amber light, a long-haired guitarist raising his fist beside the singer

The Black Doom Metal Bands

Andrzej Sawicki · May 28, 2026

The sleeve of Arise, Sepultura, 1991

The 50 Essential Thrash Metal Songs

Declan Rourke · May 27, 2026

Zak Stevens of Savatage singing at the Shepherds Bush Empire in June 2025, the drum kit carrying the band name behind him

The Hardest Heavy Metal Songs to Play

Declan Rourke · May 25, 2026

Helloween's Pumpkins United lineup, featuring Michael Kiske (front left), 2025

The Best Heavy Metal Vocal Performances

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · May 21, 2026

Holy Moses on stage at Metal Frenzy in 2018

Holy Moses, Assassin, Deathrow, Living Death: The German Second Tier

Declan Rourke · May 20, 2026

Immortal posing together in corpse paint

The Best Black Metal Albums of the 1990s

Eirik Solvang · May 18, 2026

Bell Witch on a small club stage in black and white, the bassist and the drummer-singer playing to a crowd

The Best Funeral Doom Metal Bands

Ilse Brandt · May 18, 2026

The shirtless Spirit Adrift singer and guitarist playing a white guitar at the microphone on a festival stage

The Modern Doom Metal Bands

Ilse Brandt · May 18, 2026

The cover of Slowly We Rot, Obituary, 1989

Slowly We Rot: Obituary and the Slowest Riffs in Florida

Rafael Quintero · May 17, 2026

Demilich on stage

The Best Death Metal Debut Albums

Rafael Quintero · May 16, 2026

Krisiun performing live on stage

Brazilian Death Metal Bands

Rafael Quintero · May 16, 2026

Entombed band portrait

The Albums That Defined Swedish Death Metal

Rafael Quintero · May 15, 2026

The cover of Storm of the Light's Bane, Dissection, 1995

Storm of the Light's Bane and the Melodic Line

Eirik Solvang · May 14, 2026

The sleeves of Sadus's Illusions and Nuclear Assault's Game Over

The Best Thrash Debut Albums

Declan Rourke · May 14, 2026

Saxon frontman Biff Byford and guitarist Doug Scarratt performing live on the main stage at Bloodstock Festival 2026.

The Heavy Metal Festivals

Declan Rourke · May 14, 2026

Dimmu Borgir in robes under a stone arch

The Second Wave Bands

Eirik Solvang · May 13, 2026