Genre Histories

The members of Coffins

Japanese Death Metal Bands

Rafael Quintero · Jul 12, 2026

Cadaver performing live on stage

Norwegian Death Metal, Before the Churches Burned

Andrzej Sawicki · Jul 11, 2026

Mystifier on stage in red light

Sarcofago, Vulcano and the South American First Wave

Eirik Solvang · Jul 10, 2026

Carcass in a band portrait, Jeff Walker and Bill Steer among them

Tape Trading: How Death Metal Crossed Oceans in Padded Envelopes

Rafael Quintero · 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

A teenager taping a music show off the television

Thrash on MTV: Headbangers Ball and "One"

Declan Rourke · Jul 7, 2026

Acid, early 1980s. Photo: Iron Fist Magazine

The Dutch and Belgian Heavy Metal Scene

Declan Rourke · Jul 7, 2026

The three members of Ufomammut in a bare concrete room, the drummer crouching in front

Italian Doom Metal

Ilse Brandt · Jul 7, 2026

Tony Foresta of Iron Reagan on stage

Iron Reagan, Enforced, Municipal Waste: Crossover Today

Jonah Pike · Jul 6, 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

Quorthon of Bathory performing

Sweden Before Death Metal: Merciless, Agony, Kazjurol

Declan Rourke · Jul 5, 2026

The members of Impetigo

Death Metal and Horror Cinema

Rafael Quintero · Jul 4, 2026

Blood Ceremony singer Alia O'Brien in a crushed velvet dress singing behind a red organ, the guitarist playing behind her

Doom Metal Fashion

Ilse Brandt · Jul 4, 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

Tom Angelripper of Sodom playing bass under an open sky in 2019

Tape Trading: How a Demo in a Padded Envelope Built a Genre

Declan Rourke · Jun 28, 2026

Blasphemy performing live in Melbourne

Canadian Black Metal

Eirik Solvang · Jun 27, 2026

Pestilence on stage at Hellfest in 2019

Thrash Bands That Became Death Metal

Declan Rourke · Jun 25, 2026