Articles by Alex Deller

Articles by: Alex Deller

"Wardruna remain a genuine force of nature." Heilung might've played Glastonbury, but Birna shows Wardruna are still the grand daddies of Nordic folk

By Alex Deller published 24 January 25

As one of the leading figures behind the Nordic folk renaissance, Einar Selvik returns to claim the crown with Birna

Metal Hammer's 50 best albums of 2024

By Metal Hammer published 31 December 24

From Judas Priest's Invincible Shield to Nightwish's Yesterwynde and Opeth's return to extremity, these are the metal albums that ruled 2024

"Why limit yourself to retreading what's already been done?" New Age philosophy, conspiracy theories and the cosmos: how Blood Incantation made death metal nerdier and cooler than ever

By Alex Deller published 18 December 24

Mixing death metal, prog, krautrock and a dozen other ingredients besides, Blood Incantation made one of 2024's most essential records with Absolute Elsewhere

"Like being unexpectedly dragged down into cold depths and finding yourself surrounded by blind, carnivorous eels." Oranssi Pazuzu's Muuntautuja is the weirdest and most wonderful black metal record you'll hear this year

By Alex Deller published 7 October 24

The Finnish blackened psychonauts dive to new depths of sonic depravity on album six

"Heilung have become a bona fide phenomenon." Lifa Iotungard (Live At Red Rocks) shows off one of the best shows in music at one of the world's most magical venues

By Alex Deller published 5 August 24

Heilung's awe-inspiring live show is captured marvellously on this latest release

“We’re young, hungry, and we want to punch people in the balls”: Nu metal up-and-comers Vended announce debut album and US headline tour

By Alex Deller published 30 July 24

As Vended announce their self-titled debut, read our exclusive interview with singer Griffin Taylor and drummer Simon Crahan

"Whether it’s scuttling, crunching, or throwing off showers of incandescent sparks, there’s a giddy, genreless joy to it all." Maverick vocalist Julie Christmas stuns on bold new album Ridiculous And Full Of Blood

By Alex Deller published 12 June 24

Former Made Out Of Babies and Battle Of Mice vocalist Julie Christmas offers a bizarre, bold new vision on new album Ridiculous And Full Of Blood

All For Metal/Future Static/END/Whom Gods Destroy

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 1 June 24

From sword'n'sorcery loving power metallers All For Metal to Will Putney's all-star metalcore mob END, these are the bands you need to hear in June 2024

"Thumps to the back of the head are tempered by prog, synths, sax and slowcore." Doom champions Pallbearer branch out on emotionally devastating new album Mind Burns Alive

By Alex Deller published 14 May 24

After dipping their toes in the prog pool with 2020's Forgotten Days, Arkansas doom-mongers Pallbearer embrace experimental sounds with new album Mind Burns Alive

"An enveloping paean to grabbing for one’s own future with both hands." Chelsea Wolfe proves she is one of music's most distinctive forces with She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She

By Alex Deller published 6 February 24

After working on movie soundtracks, Chelsea Wolfe returns to the wellspring for a bold new vision on She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She

Trivax/Fuming Mouth/To Kill Achilles/Hyperia

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 1 February 24

From Middle Eastern black metallers Trivax to crusty death metal from Fuming Mouth, Dundee post-hardcore troupe To Kill Achilles and Canadian thrashers Hyperia, these are the new bands you need to hear in February 2024

Metal Hammer's 50 best albums of 2023 (and the stories behind them)

By Rich Hobson published 27 December 23

Sleep Token, Creeper, Within Temptation: 2023 has been a massive year for metal, and these 50 records represent the very best the year has had to offer

The 50 best metal albums of 2023 - as voted by the readers of Metal Hammer

By Rich Hobson published 13 December 23

From Metallica to Sleep Token, Avenged Sevenfold to Babymetal, these are the best metal albums of 2023 - as voted by you!

“My whole motive was to open the door for kids who look like me." UnityTX are fighting for metal to be a scene for everyone. As it happens, their blend of hardcore, rap, nu metal and industrial absolutely slaps, too

By Alex Deller published 11 December 23

Growing up in a "not-so-good neighbourhood" and even being homeless at one point, it's safe to say Jay Webster has fought hard to get UnityTX off the ground

A portrait of members of Superchunk stood in a row

“We didn't emulate Mudhoney's behaviour because we might not be alive if we had!" Superchunk look back on the decade that helped birth and destroy US alt rock

By Alex Deller published 14 November 23

Superchunk's Mac McCaughan and Jim Wilbur talk us through a life spent on the fringes of alt rock – and being inadvertent godparents of mainstream emo

A montage of members of guns n roses, metallica and nirvana on a colourful background

Ten times massive bands covered punk songs (and didn’t ruin them)

By Alex Deller published 4 October 23

The rock and metal titans who managed the tricky task of paying homage to their punk roots without messing it up

Crypta, Allfather Ottto and Wallowing pose for different promo shots

Grizzly death metal, electrifying hardcore, sludgy thrash and extreme weirdness...here are the best new bands you need to hear this month

By Matt Mills published 18 September 23

Gagging for some brilliant new metal to wrap your ears around? We have you covered

Baroness may have dropped the colour-coded albums, but Stone sees them on as vibrant and glowing form as ever

By Alex Deller published 14 September 23

Baroness' sixth studio album is another wonderful journey through myriad emotions

Kvelertak's Endling is another thrilling reminder of why they're one of modern metal's most unique and riotously entertaining bands

By Alex Deller published 7 September 23

Though not every wild swing on Endling quite lands, it's hard not to get swept up in Kvelertak's brilliant chaos

Bob Mothersbaugh, Mark Mothersbaugh, Alan Myers, Gerald Casale and Bob Casale of the punk new wave music group "Devo" pose for a portrait covered in tape and nylon material in circa 1980

“You could hear real outsider music easily - mix all that up with working class attitude and you've got the essence of the stew”: How Ohio became the unofficial home of the world's weirdest music

By Alex Deller published 6 September 23

Ohio might not be but the world's most obvious hub of outlier rock'n'roll, but the sounds spawned by its underground music scenes shaped the darkest corners of indie, punk and grunge as we know them – and the world's biggest cult band

The 50 best metal albums of the 2000s

By Merlin Alderslade published 28 July 23

From nu metal classics by Slipknot, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit to metal legends like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest bouncing back in style, these are the albums that defined the 2000s

Jesus Piece/Punk Rock Factory/Distant/Fvnerals

4 brilliant new bands you need to hear this month

By Alex Deller published 12 July 23

From the brutal hardcore of Jesus Piece to Distant's sci-fi deathcore, Fvnerals' nihilistic drone-metal and Punk Rock Factory's fun covers, you need to check out these brilliant new bands

A beginner’s guide to Dischord Records in five essential albums

By Alex Deller published 29 June 23

The story of Dischord, home of harDCore, and the most ethical institution in the music industry, told via five essential records

Nina Simone, Bob Marley and powerviolence: why Zulu are the most vital hardcore band of 2023

By Alex Deller published 14 June 23

Code Orange and Turnstile might have put hardcore back on mainstream radars, but LA's Zulu are paving the genre's future

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Stephen Hill published 25 May 23

From masked nu metal revivialists Blackgold to 'cyber-grind' pioneers Thotcrime, you need to check out these brilliant new metal bands

Alex Deller

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