Explainers

Metallica on stage at the Monsters of Rock festival, Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 September 1991, a floodlight sweeping across a crowd stretching to the horizon

Heavy Metal Around the World: The Scenes That Shaped the Sound

Declan Rourke · Mar 26, 2026

Lemmy Kilmister playing bass live at Wacken Open Air, Germany, 2013, fretting hand gripping a chord shape on the neck

The Power Chord

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Mar 25, 2026

Dave Murray playing guitar and Steve Harris playing bass side by side at the front of a festival stage

Is Iron Maiden Power Metal?

Julien Vasseur with Declan Rourke · Mar 24, 2026

Chuck Schuldiner rehearsing with Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert during the Human sessions, 1991

Heavy Metal vs Death Metal

Declan Rourke · Mar 23, 2026

The five members of Kamelot standing together in a candlelit gothic interior for an official band portrait

US Power Metal vs European Power Metal

Julien Vasseur with Declan Rourke · Mar 23, 2026

The five members of Deafheaven standing together in a black and white portrait

Blackgaze Explained

Eirik Solvang · Mar 22, 2026

Ronnie James Dio in a black and white photograph, sitting on the front wing of a limousine at night with a lit tree behind him

Is Dio Power Metal?

Julien Vasseur with Declan Rourke · Mar 22, 2026

A festival crowd with arms and horns raised in the foreground, the lit stage beyond them and fireworks bursting overhead

Why Power Metal Belongs to Europe

Julien Vasseur · Mar 20, 2026

Sabaton performing live at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, 18 April 2023, band members in camouflage stage fatigues on a war-themed set with a mounted gun barrel, sandbags and flame jets along the barricade

What Heavy Metal Sings About: War, Myth, Madness and the Road

Declan Rourke · Mar 19, 2026

The three members of Rage standing in a derelict greenhouse, Peavy Wagner in the middle with both hands raised towards the camera

Teutonic Power Metal: The Sound of the German School

Julien Vasseur · Mar 17, 2026

Krisiun performing live on stage

Why Death Metal Declined in the Mid Nineties

Rafael Quintero · Mar 15, 2026

Eddie Van Halen playing live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, October 1978, fretting hand gripping the neck of his striped guitar

What Is Drop D Tuning?

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Mar 15, 2026

Ulver performing live on stage

Atmospheric Black Metal

Eirik Solvang · Mar 14, 2026

Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister and Phil Campbell performing live at the Gods of Metal festival, Idroscalo, Segrate, Italy, 3 June 2006

Heavy Metal vs Punk

Declan Rourke · Mar 13, 2026

The seven members of the reunited Helloween line-up posed together in a studio, some seated on a red armchair and a crate, others standing behind them

How Helloween Wrote the Power Metal Rulebook

Julien Vasseur · Mar 13, 2026

The Odd Fellows Rest album sleeve by Crowbar

Is Crowbar Sludge Metal?

Ilse Brandt · Mar 13, 2026

Ritchie Blackmore playing his Fender Stratocaster onstage with Rainbow

The Riff, the Tritone and the Tuning: How Heavy Metal Is Built

Declan Rourke with Julien Vasseur · Mar 12, 2026

Overkill on stage at Trees in Dallas in 2023

Thrash Metal Myths, Debunked

Declan Rourke · Mar 11, 2026