Matt Mills

Matt Mills

Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

Articles by: Matt Mills

David Ellefson in 2010 and Metallica in 2002

“Lars called me, and you’re on a shortlist”: Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson was in the running to replace Jason Newsted in Metallica

By Matt Mills published

Megadeth’s David Ellefson was shortlisted to join Metallica in 2003 – and he found out because Dave Mustaine told him

Iron Maiden in 2024

The 9 classic deep cuts Iron Maiden need to play on their Run For Your Lives tour

By Matt Mills published

As Iron Maiden promise a setlist of vintage hits and fan-favourites for their next world tour, we propose some oddball choices that need dusting off

Evanescence’s Amy Lee against a yellow background

Evanescence to record new album in November: ”We’ve been doing a lot of creating”

By Matt Mills published

The gothic rock legends will bring new songs to life towards the end of the year

Imperial Triumphant in 2024

Masked jazz-metal weirdos Imperial Triumphant go pop with new track Eye Of Mars. Not really: they’re still masked and weird.

By Matt Mills published

Tech-metal’s golden boys sound as incomprehensible as ever on their new song

Tetrarch in 2024

New nu metal champions Tetrarch return with new nu metal single Live Not Fantasize

By Matt Mills published

New nu metal band Tetrarch have released their first new nu metal song since 2021

Metallica in 2024

The four horsemen ride! Metallica announce 2025 North American tour, including Sick New World and Sonic Temple festivals

By Matt Mills published

Metallica will continue their M72 world tour as they trek across North America next year

Jens Kidman of Meshuggah performing live in 2024

Watch the full, pro-shot footage of Meshuggah decimating Summer Breeze festival last month

By Matt Mills published

Tech-metal masters Meshuggah played a crushing 80-minute set at Summer Breeze in August, and you can watch the whole thing online for free

Swollen Teeth in 2024

“This is our way of saying welcome to the world”: Nu metal mystery men Swollen Teeth release new single Family, produced by Slipknot’s Sid Wilson and genre god Ross Robinson

By Matt Mills published

Your favourite masked nu metal band (apart from that one and the other one) have returned with a new single, backed by two of their genre’s most influential figures

The Ocean in 2023

“All good things will eventually come to an end, and so will we”: Prog metal collective The Ocean announce The End Of An Eon, final tour with current lineup

By Matt Mills published

Prog/post-metal beloveds The Ocean will embark on one more European tour before resurfacing with different members

Alissa White Gluz and Charlotte Wessels in 2024

Watch Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz team with Charlotte Wessels (ex-Delain) in video for brand-new single Ode To The West Wind

By Matt Mills published

The team-up is taken from Wessels’ upcoming solo album, The Obsession

Mac Cavalera onstage in 2024

“Roots Bloody Roots is like a baby’s lullaby”: Sepultura/Soulfly legend Max Cavalera picks the five songs that define his career

By Matt Mills published

Brazilian metal icon and man of a thousand projects Max Cavalera names the five songs that have shaped his career, including Sepultura, Soulfly and more

Linkin Park performing on The Tonight Show in 2024

Watch Linkin Park play new single The Emptiness Machine live on The Tonight Show

By Matt Mills published

Nu metal heroes Linkin Park took over Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show and performed the first single from upcoming comeback album From Zero

Thumbnail image for Poppy single They’re All Around Us

Poppy teams with former Bring Me The Horizon and Fever 333 members for metallic new single They’re All Around Us

By Matt Mills published

Former Bring Me The Horizon man Jordan Fish produced the heavy new Poppy track, which was also co-written by ex-Fever 333/The Chariot guitarist Stephen Harrison

Sophie Lloyd 2024 press pic

“We put so much work and love into the Imposter Syndrome album and we’re so excited to finally bring that to the stage”: Viral shredder Sophie Lloyd announces debut US concert, shares cover of Alice Cooper’s Poison

By Matt Mills published

Guitar virtuoso Sophie Lloyd will play her first-ever US headliner at the Whisky A Go Go in January

Trivium x Bullet For My Valentine

“It’s the metal tour of 2025, so don’t miss out!” Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine add North American dates to Poisoned Ascendancy world tour; August Burns Red, Sylosis and Bleed From Within supporting

By Matt Mills published

One of 2025’s most exciting tour packages is going stateside, with some stellar support acts added in

The Ashes Of The Wake album cover, next to Youtuber Catherine Fearns at the piano

This piano cover of Lamb Of God’s Laid To Rest is the most elegantly metal thing you’ll hear today

By Matt Mills published

Youtuber Catherine Fearns has given Lamb Of God the classical treatment, and it sounds shockingly good

Kerry King in 2024 and Ozzy Osbourne in 2022

“Every time I hear it on the radio it’s like, ‘I’m glad they’re playing this instead of Crazy Train!’” Slayer’s Kerry King names his favourite Ozzy Osbourne song, and it’s one of his most obscure

By Matt Mills published

When we asked Slayer’s guitarist to name the best Ozzy Osbourne track, he picked the deepest of deep cuts

Rob Halford performing live with Judas Priest in 2024

Rob Halford says another Judas Priest album is “inevitable”: “This band thrives on the metal that we make”

By Matt Mills published

Mere months after Judas Priest released 19th album Invincible Shield, their frontman is already looking towards a followup

Testament onstage in 2024

Watch thrash legends Testament perform live with 11-year-old on guitar

By Matt Mills published

Guitar prodigy Maya Neelakantan joined Testament onstage in Vegas last week

Slift in 2023

“We played a cave underground. There was water on the floor and all our electrical stuff was in the water.” How Slift became heavy music’s least likely viral sensation

By Matt Mills published

From playing in caves and kitchens to becoming Youtube stars during the pandemic, Slift are psychedelic rock’s quirkiest success story

MHR392 Slipknot Cover

“People are gone. Craig’s out. Chris is out, Joey’s out, Paul’s out. The band is different.” Slipknot’s Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan admits the band aren’t as “close” now as they were 25 years ago

By Matt Mills published

After lineup changes and the deaths of Joey Jordison and Paul Gray, Clown says Slipknot “will never be like” how it was in the early days

Opeth in 2024

“There’s some screams on there. It’s cool that people appreciate it. It’s also a bit annoying.” Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt is slightly irritated by all this talk about his growls

By Matt Mills published

We’re all happy that Opeth are screaming again, but Mikael Åkerfeldt isn’t happy with how happy we are

Arc De Triomphe with lights and fire

Watch Gojira’s fiery Olympic Games performance get projected onto the Arc De Triomphe

By Matt Mills published

Paris celebrated its recent hosting of the Olympics by blaring death metal from a national monument, complete with fire and spotlights

Fernanda Lira

"I love being a poser!" Five minutes with Fernanda Lira of fast-rising Brazilian death metallers Crypta

By Matt Mills published

Can you be TRVE while rocking a Beyonce tattoo? According to Fernanda Lira, hell yeah

Zetra

Zetra's debut album sounds like a black metal band swapped screams and blastbeats for croons and synthesisers, then rehearsed on the set of a 70s Doctor Who episode. And it's not bad!

By Matt Mills published

Zetra haven't mastered their formula yet, but their debut album is promising all the same