John Doran

Articles by: John Doran

The 69 Eyes posing for a photograph in 2009

“I’m not a role-playing games guy. I’m not about drinking beer and singing folk songs. I’m all about sex, blood and rock’n’roll”: How Finnish glam-goth metal icons The 69 Eyes blazed a trail for HIM

By John Doran published

Before Ville Valo and HIM, there was Jyrki 69 and The 69 Eyes

High On Fire posing for a photograph in 2012

“I was eating tons and tons of painkillers. It was as hard to kick as heroin. It was really, really bad”: How High On Fire’s Matt Pike pulled back from the edge of darkness to make De Vermis Mysteriis

By John Doran published

The story of High On Fire’s bonkers stoner doom landmark De Vermis Mysteriis

Mastodon posing for a photograph in 2011

“Death happens to everyone and if it hasn’t happened yet it’s going to happen. So what better way to deal with it?”: How Mastodon found light in darkness with The Hunter

By John Doran published

With 2011’s The Hunter, Mastodon ditched the concepts and came up with something different

Soulfly posing for a photograph in 2010

“The seven deadly sins were invented by the church. They weren’t invented by God so I don’t give them too much credence“: How Max Cavalera came through his personal dark ages to make Soulfly’s Omen album

By John Doran published

Quitting? That’s not Max Cavalera’s style

Deftones posing for a photograph in 2006

“In my mind I was thinking this could be the last record we ever made, They thought I wanted to leave it”: How Deftones pulled back from the brink of oblivion to make Saturday Night Wrist

By John Doran published

Tensions between bandmates, bust-ups with their producer, divorce – Deftones’ fifth album Saturday Night Wrist almost didn’t happen

Venom posing for a photograph in 1982

“Our practice room was a church. The vicar used to let us in and then leave. We ransacked the place, basically”: How Venom made their unholy masterpiece Black Metal and changed the course of metal

By John Doran published

The story of Venom’s Black Metal, the record that inspired everyone from Metallica to Dave Grohl

Danzig backstage at a gig in 19889

“MTV said, ‘When we look at bands like Mötley Crüe, we know it’s a joke.’ I’m not going to be some clown for MTV”: The twisted, turbulent story of Danzig’s classic Metallica-approved debut album

By John Doran published

Danzig’s classic debut album was released on this day in 1988

Lemmy with collaborators Dave Grohl, Samantha Fox and Slash

10 brilliant, bizarre and utterly WTF Lemmy collaborations

By John Doran published

From Slash and Dave Grohl to glamour models and 80s girl groups, Lemmy worked with ’em all

John Doran and Kerry King from Slayer

Slipknot, stabbings and Samurai: The hard lessons I learned working for Hammer

By John Doran last updated

The drunken trials and tribulations of being a heavy metal journalist

System Of A Down’s Shavo Odadjian: My Life Story

By John Doran last updated

From a childhood in Armenia to ripping up Hollywood in the 90s, this is the life and times of System Of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian

a portrait of nirvana in the early 90s

How Nirvana gave birth to a rock'n'roll revolution

By John Doran last updated

With the advent of grunge, heavy music was dominating the mainstream for the first time since punk. We look back at how Nirvana helped change the course of rock music forever

Dopethrone: Hochelaga

By John Doran published

Canada’s stoner/doom fanatics delve into the dread

Godflesh: A World Lit Only By Fire

By John Doran published

Birmingham's seminal eggheadbangers return

Swans: To Be Kind

By John Doran published

US legends conjure an epic act of deliverance

Killing Joke: In Dub

By John Doran published

Apocalyptic visionaries amplify the echoes of their past

Holy Mountain: Ancient Astronauts

By John Doran published

Psych rockers make their transformation complete

Mastodon: Once More 'Round The Sun

By John Doran published

Prog metal masters head back to the garage

Bong: Stoner Rock

By John Doran published

Tantric drone wizards look to their Sunn-y side

Sunn O)))/Ulver: Terrestrials

By John Doran published

Avant-metal overlords pool their forces

Black Mare: Field Of The Host

By John Doran published

Ides Of Gemini ice queen uncovers new sonic depths

Satelliti: Transister

By John Doran published

Mind-altering Italian electonic duo can see for Miles

Melvins: Tres Cabrones

By John Doran published

Washingtons’s avant-sludge originals return to their roots

Jesu: Everyday I Get Closer To The Light From Which I Came

By John Doran published

Godflesh mainman summons up his wistful side once more

The Body: Christs, Redeemers

By John Doran published

Malevolent sludge duo introduce some choral grief

Grails/Pharaoh Overlord: Black Tar Prophecies/ Palmu

By John Doran published

Split release teams up stoner rock and Krautrock metallers