Articles by Rich Hobson

Writer for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Louder, Rich has never met a feature he didn't fancy, which is just as well when it comes to covering everything rock, punk and metal for both print and online. Passionate about seeing the spread of metal on a global scale, Rich has spent the last decade seeking out emerging acts from around the world, covering everyone from Alien Weaponry and The Hu to Kaoteon, Nine Treasures and Jinjer, whilst also re-examining rock and metal history with bands like Faith No More, Sepultura and Ozzy Osbourne, alongside legendary events like Rock in Rio and the 1991 Clash Of The Titans tour.

Articles by: Rich Hobson

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 1 March 25

Meet the "deathcore Slipknot" Paleface Swiss, to Danish prog metallers Danefae, concept-driven Texan metalcore mob Cantervice and UK alt metallers Vower

The Wildhearts/Employed To Serve/Esprit D'air/Forlorn/Grima

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 28 February 25

Bad Omens, Employed To Serve and Deafheaven lead this week's best new metal songs

"Someone get Papa Emeritus on the phone." Green Lung just confirmed they're doom metal's breakout band with a massive London show

By Rich Hobson last updated 28 February 25

Green Lung's mix of Black Sabbath dread and Ghost theatricality makes them perfectly suited for massive venues

Slayer are teasing a return to the UK

By Rich Hobson published 28 February 25

The thrash metal legends' surprise reunion rumbles on as they confirm shows in Canada and the US, and tease appearances in England and Wales

"There are some things AI can’t replace, and that is drinking two-litre bottles of cider and ****ing yourself in a field." We're going to miss Ithaca dearly, and this interview with Djamila Azzouz shows why

By Rich Hobson published 27 February 25

Ithaca might be about to head off into the sunset, but not before we get one last brilliantly chaotic interview with singer Djamila Azzouz

The Yagas/Black Label Society/Machine Head/House Of Protection/Wednesday 13

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 21 February 25

From Hollywood star Vera Farmiga to Black Label Society, Machine Head and Disturbed, these are the best new metal songs this week

Babymetal/Ghost/Sleep Token/Bloodywood/Halestorm

The 50 metal albums you need to hear in 2025

By Rich Hobson published 21 February 25

From Ghost to Babymetal, Halestorm to Sleep Token, these are the metal albums you should keep an eye out for in 2025

I used to work in concert ticketing. When did it become such an utter hellscape?

By Rich Hobson published 21 February 25

From the agony of trying to get Black Sabbath tickets to the ongoing Oasis reunion ticketing fiasco, buying tickets to big shows has got worse than ever - here's how to try and navigate the madness

"I feel like crying, that was beautiful." Spiritbox's Alexandra Palace show is the end of an era: where they go from rising stars to metal's next big thing

By Rich Hobson published 17 February 25

With live debuts, old favourites and stunning visuals, Spiritbox's headline show at Alexandra Palace is nothing short of magic

Ozzy Osbourne/Battlesnake/Lordi/Imperial Triumphant/Lacuna Coil

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 15 February 25

Ozzy Osbourne, Lacuna Coil and Lordi lead this week's best new metal songs

Abduction/Spiritbox/Arch Enemy/Godless/Divide And Dissolve

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear this week

By Rich Hobson published 7 February 25

Spiritbox, Arch Enemy and Rivers Of Nihil are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

"They take your song and put it on the radio and it ends up becoming f***ing propaganda." How Scars On Broadway's They Say helped Daron Malakian move on from System Of A Down

By Rich Hobson published 6 February 25

How Scars On Broadway helped Daron Malakian dust himself off after System Of A Down's breakup

"People characterised both of our bands as being arrogant and cocky." How Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium helped revitalise metal in 2005

By Stephen Hill published 5 February 25

How Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine ushered in metal's next generation

Conquer Divide/Avoid/Defences/Faetooth press shots

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 4 February 25

Conquer Divide/Avoid/Defences/Faetooth

"It's about going the extra mile in the pursuit of a greater flavour." New Delhi nu metal band Bloodywood just released a brilliant new music video celebrating Indian cuisine

By Rich Hobson published 31 January 25

The Indian viral sensations will release new album Nu Delhi in March - just in time for their UK tour.

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 31 January 25

Epica, Jinjer and Bloodywood are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

Nightwish/Spiritual Beggars/Black Label Society/The Yo-Yos/Queenadreena

10 brilliant but overlooked rock and metal albums you need to hear from 2000

By Rich Hobson published 29 January 25

The year 2000 gave us massive releases from Deftones, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit, but these 10 albums flew under the radar

"No one else is making contemporary heavy metal on their level." Every Trivium album ranked from worst to best

By Merlin Alderslade published 27 January 25

Rating the storied career of one of modern metal's most important bands as they head out on tour to celebrate 20 years of Ascendancy

Papa Roach/Employed To Serve/Nova Twins/Cradle of Filth/Electric Callboy

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 24 January 25

Dream Theater, Killswitch Engage and Electric Callboy lead a stacked week of brilliant new metal singles. Plus, vote for your favourite!

"The stunt co-ordinator said, 'Don't put your hand here - you'll blow it off.'" The story behind Ice Nine Kills' ultra-gory Terrifier 3 tie-in A Work Of Art

By Rich Hobson published 22 January 25

"It's not a movie, it's a cultural movement." The story behind Ice Nine Kills' ultra-gory Terrifier 3 tie-in A Work Of Art

Alien Weaponry/Alt Blk Era/Avantasia/Tariot/Conquer Divide

The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published 17 January 25

Architects, Alien Weaponry and Whitechapel are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 15 January 25

From the post-hardcore squall of Hidden Mothers to Lutharo's invigorating mix of power metal and melodeath, to one-woman black metaller Hulder and Saudi Arabian tech-prog-metallers Ana.n7n, these are the bands you need to hear in January 2025

"My friend’s mom had connections with the Grateful Dead and could score good acid." Kyuss legend Brant Bjork was destined for a life in rock'n'roll

By Rich Hobson published 15 January 25

Brant Bjork sharies his stories of desert rock, generator parties and why he never wanted Kyuss to be Metallica

A collage of metal names including Ghost, Babymetal, Bloodywood, Linkin Park and more

The 50 best metal songs of 2024

By Rich Hobson published 13 January 25

Ghost, Judas Priest, Babymetal, Gojira, Knocked Loose... 2024 was a massive year for metal songs. But which song did you vote as the very best?

"System Of A Down isn’t working right now, so do you want me to just sit around and wait?" How Shavo Odadjian ditched nu metal for deathcore with Seven Hours After Violet

By Rich Hobson published 10 January 25

Shavo Odadjian hadn't released an album in almost 20 years, but a chance encounter at a party gave birth to his heaviest project yet

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Rich Hobson

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