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

"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

"We want to be the biggest heavy band in the world." How Knocked Loose are taking hardcore to the mainstream - by going heavier, harder and more brutal than ever

By Stephen Hill published 27 May 24

Knocked Loose look set to be heavy music's next major breakout band. But how?!

A beginner's guide to Warp Records in five essential albums

By Stephen Hill published 15 May 24

Plug yourself in to one of electronic music’s most consistently brilliant labels with our handy beginner's guide

"With the discovery of Tupac, Death Row found the voice of a generation." A beginner's guide to Death Row Records in five essential albums

By Stephen Hill published 10 May 24

Hip hop's most notorious label, Death Row Records also served up some of the most influential albums of modern times

"The mainstream has no idea what’s about to hit it." Demi Lovato and Billie Eilish might love them, but Knocked Loose haven't cashed in on You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To - they've made their heaviest album ever

By Stephen Hill published 9 May 24

Blowing up on TikTok and getting namechecked by pop stars hasn't affected Knocked Loose's ability to produce top-tier hardcore brutality

“Men screaming – not singing, screaming!” Watch the chaotic time extreme metal antagonists Cradle Of Filth took a Christian mum on tour

By Stephen Hill published 8 May 24

In 1998, Cradle Of Filth let a fan’s concerned mum join them on the road for a TV show. Things got pretty haywire pretty quickly.

"Public Enemy gave the establishment something to fear, an intelligent, angry, politicised, uncompromising voice for disenfranchised black America." A beginner's guide to Def Jam Recordings in five essential albums

By Stephen Hill published 3 May 24

Def Jam is the most influential record label in hip-hip history. Here is your guide to its most significant releases

“To promote an album and play some football, it’s the ultimate for me”: The bizarre story of the time Iron Maiden became a football team

By Stephen Hill published 2 May 24

In 1998, Iron Maiden tried to promote Virtual XI by putting on football games with journalists and professional players. It was all a bit weird.

"Tommy Lee and Billy Idol liked our band; we were doing pretty well." Milquetoast could have made Helmet MTV superstars, but they weren't interested

By Stephen Hill published 2 May 24

When Milquetoast was picked up for 1994 cult hit The Crow, it looked like Helmet were about to hit the big time - but the New York band had other plans

“We wore silly hats, but in those days, you did silly things”: Listen to the doo-wop bands Ronnie James Dio sang in before becoming a metal star with Black Sabbath and Rainbow

By Stephen Hill published 20 April 24

Before Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio, one of heavy metal’s most powerful voices sang in skiffle and doo-wop groups. This is what they sounded like…

"Metallica is huge everywhere, but extra-huge in Mexico because Robert Trujillo’s like a saint." Suicidal Tendencies might be one of metal's most influential bands, but Mike Muir is thankful they never became celebrities

By Stephen Hill published 13 April 24

From playing with Guns N' Roses and Metallica to appearing on Miami Vice, Mike Muir shares the lessons that kept Suicidal Tendencies humble even as they became one of crossover's most important bands

"I think we’ve got a reputation locally as having done something pretty awesome." From taking over hospital wards to setting pianos on fire, While She Sleeps are still doing things their way

By Stephen Hill published 8 April 24

We spent a day up North with one of the UK's finest and most fearless metal bands

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Stephen Hill

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