Rich Hobson

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

Jinjer 2024

"I honestly can’t find the inspiration to write": Don't hold your breath if you're hoping for a new Jinjer album in 2024

By Rich Hobson published

Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk says she has "99 problems I have to solve" before she can think of working on the band's next album

Kerry King

Kerry King announces UK headline debut with tiny London show

By Rich Hobson published

The legendary Slayer guitarist will be bringing his solo band to the Electric Ballroom in June for the band's first UK headline performance

Leyan Senay/UnityTX/Kerry King/Nothing More/Heavy Temple

The 14 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published

Kerry King, Architects and Nothing More are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

Kid Kapichi live

With the swagger of Happy Mondays and the politics of Crass, Kid Kapichi's sold out Birmingham show hints they might be Britain's next breakout stars

By Rich Hobson published

With various dates of their UK tour sold out, Hastings punks Kid Kapichi look set for breakout success in the wake of new album There Goes The Neighborhood

Ash Costello

"You have no idea the personal battles I was going through." Ash Costello reveals deeply personal reasons New Years Day pulled out of festivals in 2023, fires back at fans who criticised them

By Rich Hobson published

Ash Costello addresses fan backlash over New Years Day cancelling festival appearances in 2023

Bloodywood/Dev Patel

"Dev Patel was like 'this is Indian, but metal as ****'" Bloodywood just soundtracked 2024's most epic fight scene in new action thriller, Monkey Man

By Rich Hobson published

Indian folk metal heroes Bloodywood appear on the soundtrack to action/thriller Monkey Man, starring (and directed by) Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel

Within Temptation/Arka'n Asrafokor/Kati Rán/Zetra/R.A.I.D.

The 15 best new metal songs you need to hear this week

By Rich Hobson published

Within Temptation, Wadruna and Orange Goblin are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

Sebastian Bach 2024

"I didn't think it would be over and done with so quick." Sebastian Bach says he and Skid Row owe it to the fans to reunite

By Rich Hobson published

Skid Row are again singerless after the departure of Erik Grönwall, but former vocalist Sebastian Bach thinks he has the perfect replacement - himself

SeeYouSpaceCowboy/Priest/Reliqua/Allegaeon/Bodysnatcher

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

By Rich Hobson published

SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Fu Manchu and Full Of Hell are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

Peter Steele in the Type O Negative video

“Between girls, drugs and an entourage he’d bring everywhere, Pete was out of his mind more than at any other point.” How I Don't Wanna Be Me gave gothic metal icons Type O Negative their last big anthem, but spelled the start of the end

By Rich Hobson published

I Don't Wanna Be Me is one of Type Of Negative's hallmark songs, but the story of its conception was, typically, surrounded by controversy, mayhem and a dose of black humour

Ozzy Osbourne/Robert Trujillo

"That was a special adventure – I wouldn’t be here without him": Robert Trujillo says he'd love to work with Ozzy Osbourne again and reveals the classic cult supergroup he wants to resurrect

By Rich Hobson published

Even with a massive world tour looming, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo shares some ideas on how he could keep busy in 2024

The Hu

"America, we will see you very soon": Mongolian folk metal sensations The Hu to support Iron Maiden on expanded North American Future Past Tour

By Rich Hobson published

Iron Maiden's Future Past World Tour gets bigger with the addition of a new date and support from viral Mongolian metallers The Hu

Motorhead classic line-up: Fast Eddie Clarke, Lemmy and Philthy Animal Taylor

"Ballet shoes and Motorhead don't mix": The history of Motorhead in 12 songs

By Rich Hobson published

From the song that gave the band its name to their tribute to a fellow music legend, these are the songs that tell the story of Motorhead - the greatest rock'n'roll band to ever live

Ozzy Osbourne/Blackbriar/Serj Tankian/Arka'n Asrofokor/Perchta

The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published

Ozzy Osbourne, Serj Tankian and Corey Taylor all feature on some of the best new metal songs this week - but not in the way you might think. Plus - vote for your favourite!

Nickelback live

"Nobody picks up a guitar to be the most hated band in the world." Nickelback: Hate To Love isn't likely to win over the haters, but does shine a light on why you should never bet against one of rock's most surprising underdogs

By Rich Hobson published

Our take on Nickelback's interesting - if hardly explosive - new documentary

Fu Manchu/High Priestess/Queens Of The Stone Age

A beginner's guide to desert rock in five essential albums

By Rich Hobson published

A brief history of desert rock as told through five albums that have helped define it

Metallica 2023

Every Metallica album ranked from worst to best

By Merlin Alderslade published

From game-changing debut Kill 'Em All to the emotionally-charged 72 Seasons, this is every studio album by metal's biggest band, ranked

This week's best new metal songs

The 10 best new metal songs you need to hear this week

By Rich Hobson published

An emotional symphonic metal reunion and some of the most exciting young metal bands in the scene have delivered the goods for us this week

Opeth 2003

"Blackwater Park has been hyped as this big breakthrough for us. It really wasn't": How stress, isolation and Grand Theft Auto III inspired Opeth to write Windowpane

By Rich Hobson published

After 2001's Blackwater Park, Opeth knew they needed something special. But when Mikael Åkerfeldt suggested recording two albums at once, the band were almost pushed to breaking point

Babymetal

"I'd cover Metallica's St. Anger": Babymetal talk touring, collaborations and opening the door for Japanese metal

By Rich Hobson published

Babymetal take your questions on dance routines, dream festival line-ups and the kind of videogames they'd love to soundtrack

Slayer live 2018

6 rare Slayer songs we need them to play at their comeback shows

By Rich Hobson published

Five years after bowing out, Slayer have announced some comeback shows. These are the songs we want them to play

Lost Society/Signs of The Swarm/Caskets/Plaguemace

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published

From former thrashers turned modern metal hopefuls Lost Society to lizard-brain Danish death metallers Plaguemace, Yorkshire metalcore mob Caskets and US deathcore brutes Signs Of The Swarm, these are the bands you need to hear in March 2024

Judas Priest

"Fifty years on from their tentative first steps, Priest have produced what may well be the most defiantly, unrelentingly triumphant record of their career." New Judas Priest album Invincible Shield is nothing short of magnificent

By Rich Hobson published

Judas Priest prove yet again that little in this world is as timeless as pure, unadulterated heavy metal

Slaughter To Prevail/Ou/Knocked Loose/Ho99o9/Dool

The 11 best new metal songs you need to hear right now

By Rich Hobson published

Slaughter To Prevail, Accept and Knocked Loose are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!

Ministry 2024

"He’s always waiting for body parts to fall off": Al Jourgensen says Dave Navarro once offered him $20,000 for his amputated toe

By Rich Hobson published

After stepping on a needle, Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen's toe got so infected it required amputation - and almost became part of a curio collection