Articles by Dannii Leivers

Danniii Leivers writes for Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, The Guardian, NME, Alternative Press, Rock Sound, The Line Of Best Fit and more. She loves the 90s, and is happy where the sea is bluest.

Articles by: Dannii Leivers

"What is this band about? I’m not sure. I like that it’s a mystery to me.” Meet five excellent young bands inspired by Tool

By Dannii Leivers published 17 April 24

Hawxx, Ou, Mountain Caller, Wheel and Every Hell are channelling current Metal Hammer cover stars Tool in a variety of weird and wonderful ways

"This is the quartet’s darkest, most varied and heaviest album by some margin." Symphonic metalcore mavericks Imminence have stepped out of the shadows of their influences in style with The Black

By Dannii Leivers published 11 April 24

Imminence have spread their wings to deliver the goods on album number five

"We’ve never done a proper, real tour together. Which is nuts, because we’ve toured with everyone!": How Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine have teamed up for 2025's biggest metal event

By Dannii Leivers published 7 April 24

In 2005, two rising stars of metal's next generation released landmark albums. Next year, they'll tour together for the first time to celebrate them

“We were coming back and taking no prisoners”: every Kittie album in their own words

By Dannii Leivers published 6 April 24

Ahead of the release of their new album Fire this summer, we asked Kittie’s Morgan and Mercedes Lander to look back over every album they’ve made so far

"The work of a band on the form of their career": Fresh from supporting Bad Omens and Northlane, unsung metalcore heroes Erra step up to the big leagues with new album Cure

By Dannii Leivers published 5 April 24

Six albums in and Alabama's Erra are pushing their progressive metalcore sound to greater heights than ever before on new album Cure

"Nightwish can nail anything they turn their hand to." Nightwish’s cover of Symphony Of Destruction by Megadeth may be obscure, but it’s an ingeniously out-of-character triumph

By Dannii Leivers published 30 March 24

In 2004, symphonic metal masters Nightwish covered Megadeth’s gritty thrash anthem, and the result was shockingly excellent

“We knew if we stuck together, we would create great things.” Amaranthe have three vocalists and make music that resembles ABBA on a bloodthirsty rampage. They might just be the most extra band in heavy metal

By Dannii Leivers published 8 March 24

Swedish metallers Amaranthe open up on a career - and a sound - like no other

For 10 years Sheer Mag were hounded by record labels but refused to sign: Now they're ready for the attention

By Dannii Leivers published 8 March 24

Mixing power-pop with peacocking seventies rock and disco, Philadelphia's Sheer Mag have finally found a home at Jack White's Third Man Records

"Love them or dismiss them, Exit Emotions will only propel Blind Channel towards the arenas calling their name": Former Eurovision contestants step up as leading lights in the nu metal revival

By Dannii Leivers published 1 March 24

The self-described "Backstreet Boys of metal", Blind Channel capture the anthemia and energy of peak nu metal with new album Exit Emotions

Brat/Blackgold/Alt Blk Era/The Sun's Journey Through The night/Militarie Gun

7 brilliant new metal bands to watch out for in 2024

By Dave Everley published 28 February 24

From Japanese Samurai metallers Ryujin to 'bimboviolence' pioneers BRAT, rising alt metal stars Alt Blk Era and mysterious black metallers The Sun's Journey Through The Night, these are the bands you need to hear in 2024

"Paris Hilton is a huge icon to me." Bimbocore, righteous feminism and "twerkle pits": how Scene Queen became the unlikely heroine metal needs right now

By Dannii Leivers published 5 February 24

Scene Queen isn't your average metal icon. And she wouldn't have it any other way

“Computers crashed several times… I recorded vocals four or five times. But on the other hand, I started doing my job alone, learning many things”: Why Tarja Turunen recruited Mike Oldfield, Trevor Rabin and Steve Rothery for Outlanders

By Dannii Leivers published 5 February 24

Former Nightwish singer’s new direction took nearly a decade to deliver – but she’s ready to do it all over again

Bring Me The Horizon Download Festival 2023

"We need to keep bringing new bands through": we talk to a Download Festival booker about the future of metal and running the UK's biggest rock fest

By Dannii Leivers published 9 January 24

Download Festival has been the biggest celebration of alternative music in the UK for over 20 years - but its ability to foster the next generation has never been more crucial

"We felt like we'd failed": SiM were one of Japan's best kept metal secrets, but after writing a song for Attack On Titan they're ready to conquer the world

By Dannii Leivers published 6 January 24

Mixing nu metal, funk and reggae, SiM already enjoyed succcess in Japan, but after almost 20 years they finally broke through internationally - with the help of an anime about flesh-eating giants

Every Halestorm album ranked from worst to best

By Dannii Leivers published 27 December 23

We rank the discography of one of modern rock's most beloved bands

Here are the best new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Merlin Alderslade published 14 December 23

From Skyrim-inspired nu-industrial noise to happy-go-lucky black metal (wait, what?!), here are some of the best new metal bands we've found for you this month

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!

"It’s everything from super-organic to super-symphonic, to super-poppy, to super-harsh." We get in the studio with Amaranthe to find out why the Swedish pop-metallers have gone "a little bit crazy" for new album The Catalyst

By Dannii Leivers published 13 December 23

Amaranthe are pushing their sound further than ever for their next chapter

"I’ve got my own coach that I only share with a few people. Some might look at me like ‘Dang!’ but listen: I paid my dues.” Maria Brink on her rock 'n' mom, open mic nights and earning In This Moment's seat at the table

By Dannii Leivers published 12 December 23

In This Moment's talismanic singer imparts some of the life lessons she's learned

"Every second of this debut album has something to say and ensures you remember the message long after it meets its squalling end." Hawxx's Earth, Spit, Blood And Bones is the righteous racket heavy music needs right now

By Dannii Leivers published 21 November 23

Hawxx have crafted a debut album brimming with hooks, heaviness and lyrics that actually have something to say

Spiritbox released the hottest metal debut of 2021. The Fear Of Fear EP shows they're only just getting started

By Dannii Leivers published 9 November 23

Spiritbox might not be in a rush to make a full-length follow-up to Eternal Blue, but The Fear Of Fear EP is all about pushing their boundaries

The best metal albums of 2023 so far

By Rich Hobson published 8 November 23

From Metallica to Babymetal, Cattle Decapitation to Sleep Token, these are the best metal albums of the year to date

A screenshot of Rob Zombie's Dragula music video

“It almost didn’t happen!” Dragula: how a last-minute demo turned into Rob Zombie’s immortal horror hit

By Dannii Leivers published 8 November 23

In 1998, Rob Zombie wanted to forge a solo career beyond White Zombie. Releasing Dragula as his debut single put him on the fast track to cult celebrity.

Slick, heavy and anchored by the brilliant Maria Brink, Godmode is the album that, if there's any justice in the world, will take In This Moment further than ever

By Dannii Leivers published 25 October 23

Godmode is a reminder that for all their charisma and show(wo)manship, In This Moment have become some of modern metal's most reliable songwriters

Every Within Temptation album ranked from worst to best

By Dannii Leivers published 23 October 23

From doomy debut album Enter to their newest, magnificent opus Bleed Out, we rate every entry in the Dutch symphonic metal heavyweights' catalogue

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Dannii Leivers

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