Explainers

Black Sabbath outdoors in 1970, Bill Ward, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler sitting together for a color group portrait

Who Invented Heavy Metal?

Declan Rourke · Sep 26, 2026

Sabaton, the five members standing in a city alley, 2025

What Genre Is Sabaton?

Julien Vasseur · Sep 25, 2026

Slayer backstage together in 1985

What Thrash Metal Actually Is: Sound, Speed and Style

Declan Rourke · Sep 20, 2026

Anthrax fans at the barrier, Enmore Theatre, Sydney, 2026. Photo: Rob Mezzatesta

Heavy Metal Concert Etiquette

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Sep 13, 2026

Motörhead live, 1981. Photo: Graham Mitchell

Heavy Metal Live Sound

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Sep 12, 2026

Kiss in a Casablanca Records publicity portrait, 1976. Photo: Casablanca Records

Heavy Metal Myths

Declan Rourke · Sep 10, 2026

Tony Iommi playing his guitar live at the Gibson Garage, London, August 2025. Photo: Gibson

Heavy Metal Song Structure

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Sep 8, 2026

Matt Pike of Sleep backlit on a smoky stage at Terminal 5 in New York, a drum kit and a projection screen beside him

The Doom Metal Fonts

Ilse Brandt · Sep 8, 2026

Saint Vitus guitarist Dave Chandler in a bandana playing under white stage lights, the drummer behind him

What the Doom Metal Genre Covers

Ilse Brandt · Sep 8, 2026

A Bongripper guitarist holding his instrument aloft in red stage light above a crowd of raised hands

Instrumental Doom Metal

Ilse Brandt · Sep 8, 2026

Alice in Chains playing a large outdoor stage under teal smoke and white beams, William DuVall at the centre microphone

Is Alice in Chains Sludge Metal?

Ilse Brandt · Sep 8, 2026

Two Khemmis guitarists leaning into their instruments on stage under warm amber light

What Doom Metal Actually Means

Ilse Brandt · Sep 8, 2026

Sleeves from records built around the high shriek, from the second wave through to the bands working now.

How Black Metal Vocals Got That Shape

Eirik Solvang · Sep 8, 2026

Sleeves from the eight years in which each record had to go further than the last

Why Death Metal Became So Extreme

Rafael Quintero · Sep 8, 2026

Amon Amarth band portrait

Viking, Folk and Everything Else Death Metal Absorbed

Andrzej Sawicki · Sep 8, 2026

Immortal posing together

Why Black Metal Musicians Use Pseudonyms

Eirik Solvang · Sep 8, 2026

The sleeve of Under the Sign of the Black Mark, Bathory, 1987

Why Is It Called Black Metal?

Eirik Solvang · Sep 7, 2026

Cannibal Corpse playing live, the five piece line-up on a dark stage under white light.

Is Cannibal Corpse Death Metal, or Something Else by Now?

Rafael Quintero · Sep 7, 2026