Articles by Stephen Hill

Since blagging his way onto the Hammer team a decade ago, Stephen has written countless features and reviews for the magazine, usually specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal, and still holds out the faint hope of one day getting his beloved U2 into the pages of the mag. He also regularly spouts his opinions on the Metal Hammer Podcast.

Articles by: Stephen Hill

“A good show as opposed to a legendary one”: Architects don’t quite rise to the occasion at first-ever UK festival headline show

By Stephen Hill published 12 August 24

At Bloodstock Open Air, Architects play a set stacked with modern anthems – but they don’t treat headlining a UK fest for the first time like it’s a big deal

Every Run-D.M.C. album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published 5 August 24

We rank the discography of one of hip hop's singularly most influential and important groups

“The 1975 are one of the most unlikely success stories of the modern era.” Your essential guide to every The 1975 album

By Stephen Hill published 29 July 24

The 1975 are one of the UK's best-known and most celebrated rock bands: here's how Matty Healy's band fearlessly climbed into the spotlight, and stayed there

“A bar for live rock music that is surely impossible to match.” Bruce Springsteen bosses it at England's national stadium

By Stephen Hill published 28 July 24

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: the world's greatest rock 'n' roll revue

"It's nice to see that people still care." How beloved thrash metallers Power Trip rose again following the tragic loss of Riley Gale to deliver 2024's most welcome surprise comeback

By Stephen Hill published 26 July 24

They've earned Grammy nominations and made a fan of Gerard Way, now Power Trip are looking at what comes next

The 100 Songs That Changed Metal

By Metal Hammer published 18 July 24

From founding fathers like Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Judas Priest to metal's modern leaders such as Ghost, Sleep Token and Spiritbox, these are the songs that have defined a genre

MTVoid/Going Off/Tvinna/They Came From Visions

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published 12 July 24

From Justin Chancellor's alt-metal side project MTVoid to Ukrainian black metallers They Came From Visions, German folk metal heroes Tvinna and hardcore mob Going Off, these are the bands you need to hear in July 2024

"I came out in that knight costume to God Save The Queen...The Queen died like a week later.” A conversation with Joey Valance & Brae, the duo finally bringing some fun back to hip hop

By Stephen Hill published 10 July 24

We talk to the hip hop tag team bringing some much needed silly energy back to rap

Various artists from this year's Glastonbury

11 acts that defined Glastonbury 2024

By Liz Scarlett published 2 July 24

From a modern hip hop great to a pop punk princess, these epic Glasto performances shone brightest

"If it’s energy you’re after, there’s only one place to be." Justice close out Glastonbury's West Holts stage with a thunderously heavy, effortlessly cool set for the ages

By Stephen Hill published 1 July 24

Justice show why it's possible to go harder than many rock bands without so much as picking up as a guitar

"Dexys feel like the greatest secret at Glasto 2024 and the perfect band for the festival." Kevin Rowland et al might have just stolen the show at Glastonbury

By Stephen Hill published 30 June 24

Dexys roll back the years with a classy and career-affirming set

"It might just be the greatest Skindred show of all time." Benji Webbe's ragga metal party boys steal Friday night at Glastonbury

By Stephen Hill published 30 June 24

Skindred don't do bad sets, but this was something special

"Everyone in this field has gone feral." The Streets bring some magnificent chaos to Glastonbury's Other Stage

By Stephen Hill published 30 June 24

Mike Skinner and his crew tear Glasto a new one in style

"A reminder of just how fantastic and influential a band they are." Bloc Party's stunning Glastonbury set shows why they were always far too good for the 2000s indie landfill scene

By Stephen Hill published 30 June 24

Bloc Party put on a stellar showing on Saturday afternoon on Glastonbury's Other Stage

"Personality, charm, heart and passion in abundance." High Vis prove that UK punk rock deserves a platform at Glastonbury

By Stephen Hill published 29 June 24

London's High Vis bring grit and passion to Worthy Farm

"As rip-snorting a set of Priest, Maiden and Sabbath-inspired metal as you'll get at Glastonbury." Voice of Baceprot bring the steel to Somerset's summer spectacular

By Stephen Hill published 29 June 24

Voice of Baceprot storm Glastonbury in thrilling fashion

"This feels like the beginning of something very special." Kneecap's lairy, explosive pre-noon set starts Glastonbury's Saturday bill with a bang

By Stephen Hill published 29 June 24

Kneecap, Ireland's most provocative rap group, kick off Saturday at Glastonbury in rude and raucous fashion

The 13 most iconic Glastonbury Festival performances ever

By Stephen Hill published 25 June 24

As Glastonbury 2024 approaches, we run through the 13 sets that have defined the festival over its lifespan

"Is there anyone left I'd like to collaborate with? Ozzy!" Body Count frontman and rap icon Ice T on horror movies, Slayer and who he considers the "Dr Dre of metal"

By Stephen Hill published 24 June 24

We catch up with the one and only Ice T

"A glorious, beautiful, wonderful return: you really should have been there." The Black Dahlia Murder just put on the most vital and emotional set of Download 2024; it sucks more people weren't there to see it

By Stephen Hill published 17 June 24

The Black Dahlia Murder move into an emotional new chapter in glorious fashion at Download

"There aren't many metal bands that can live with Machine Head." Robb Flynn's warriors remind Download Festival what they've sorely missed

By Stephen Hill published 17 June 24

Machine Head finally returned to Download - and how!

"Wes Borland still dresses like a hard rock Grace Jones and Fred Durst still holds 80,000 people in the palm of his hand." Limp Bizkit show Download why they remain metal's greatest party band

By Stephen Hill published 17 June 24

Download bears witness to why no one does it quite like Limp Bizkit

"I’ve died three times through my own self-abuse." From helping shape industrial metal to hanging up on Stanley Kubrick and being Timothy Leary's drug guinea pig, Ministry's Al Jourgensen reflects on 40 years of madness and music

By Stephen Hill published 6 June 24

Ministry might be looking to bow out after their next album, but they leave behind one of metal's most colourful and event-filled legacies. We asked frontman Al Jourgensen to look back on his life

"Quite possibly one of 2024’s finest death metal albums." Jacob Bannon's extreme metal supergroup Umbra Vitae have stuck gnarled gold with Light Of Death

By Stephen Hill published 5 June 24

One of the best extreme metal albums of 2024 has arrived

“Listen all y'all it's a sabotage!” How the riotous, raucous and joyously irreverent Ill Communication put the Beastie Boys back on top of the world

By Stephen Hill published 31 May 24

Released on May 31, 1994, Beastie Boys' fourth album Ill Communication sounds like the most fun you can have with your clothes on

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Stephen Hill

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