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

The 50 best metal albums of the 2000s

By Merlin Alderslade published 28 July 23

From nu metal classics by Slipknot, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit to metal legends like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest bouncing back in style, these are the albums that defined the 2000s

The album covers of Slayer's Show No Mercy, Amon Amarth's Twilight of the Thunder God, Unearth's The Oncoming Storm and Cannibal Corpse's Tomb of the Mutilated

A beginner’s guide to Metal Blade Records in five essential albums

By Stephen Hill published 27 July 23

From the ferocity of Slayer to Amon Amarth’s viking melodeath, Metal Blade Records are masters of getting in on the ground floor with the next big thing

Members of Heriot, Blackgold, Wargasm, Loathe and Ithaca hanging out

"It feels like we're poised to take the reins." We got Wargasm, Loathe, Heriot, Ithaca and Blackgold together to discuss why British metal is entering a new golden age

By Stephen Hill published 25 July 23

British metal is more exciting, diverse and vibrant than ever, so we got five of the scene's leading young figures to talk about why it's finally coming of age

Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Cavalera and Thrice logos

10 times metal bands re-recorded their classic songs – and it actually went well

By Stephen Hill published 25 July 23

Re-recording your greatest hits is rarely a good idea. Such superstars as Iron Maiden, Anthrax and Tool absolutely nailed it though.

Kula Shaker, Liam Gallagher, Tim Burgess and The Seahorses

10 terrible Britpop albums with one classic song

By Stephen Hill published 23 July 23

There were some era-defining records made during the Britpop boom, but some stinkers too. Here's ten terrible efforts that were saved by one song.

"If Bruce Springsteen saw Slipknot live, he'd be into it." A conversation with Slipknot drummer and one-time E-Street member, Jay Weinberg

By Stephen Hill published 23 July 23

Jay Weinberg talks drumming with Bruce Springsteen, how Motorhead bridged punk and metal, and replacing Joey Jordison in Slipknot

Conjurer, Sleep Token and Heriot performing onstage

10 up-and-coming British metal bands that every self-respecting metalhead needs to know

By Stephen Hill published 19 July 23

The birthplace of heavy metal is still leading the pack – and bands like Conjurer, Sleep Token and Employed To Serve prove it

Members of Stone Temple Pilots, L7, The Vines and Bush

10 terrible grunge albums with one classic song

By Stephen Hill published 16 July 23

Grunge brought us some classic albums, but a lot of stinkers, too. Luckily, these poor efforts were all saved by one brilliant song

Photo of FAITH NO MORE; L-R Bill Gould, Jim Martin, Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum, Mike Patton

Five new bands you need to hear if you love Faith No More

By Stephen Hill published 15 July 23

Sure, there's never been another band quite like Faith No More, but these newcomers take their distinctive, unpredictable energy and run with it

Jesus Piece/Punk Rock Factory/Distant/Fvnerals

4 brilliant new bands you need to hear this month

By Alex Deller published 12 July 23

From the brutal hardcore of Jesus Piece to Distant's sci-fi deathcore, Fvnerals' nihilistic drone-metal and Punk Rock Factory's fun covers, you need to check out these brilliant new bands

10 songs by 'one hit wonders' that are actually way better than their most famous hit

By Stephen Hill published 12 July 23

The likes of L7 and Temple Of The Dog only enjoyed mainstream attention briefly. However, these follow-up singles prove their stints in the limelight should have been longer.

Here’s everything we know about Slayer guitarist Kerry King’s new band so far

By Stephen Hill published 11 July 23

Ex-Slayer axeman Kerry King has been teasing us with notions of a new band for years. Here are all the details we’ve seen so far.

"We’re proud to show our commitment to thrash metal." The bizarre moment Napalm Death turned up on 90s TV staple TFI Friday to smash out three songs in 90 seconds

By Stephen Hill published 10 July 23

When Napalm Death were invited onto TFI Friday in 1999, it led to one of the show's most ludicrous segments

Smashing Pumpkins, Slow Crush, Teenage Wrist, Tigercub

Five new bands you need to hear if you love Smashing Pumpkins

By Stephen Hill published 8 July 23

Smashing Pumpkins sound like no-one but themselves, but here are five new bands who've taken inspiration from Billy Corgan's band

Morrissey and George Michael on Eight Days A Week in 1984

"They're just beautiful, musically." Watch George Michael defend Joy Division against Morrissey and Tony Blackburn in this peak 80s exchange

By Stephen Hill published 6 July 23

Turns out The Smiths frontman Morrissey was not a big Joy Division fan, but pop superstar in the making George Michael definitely was

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

By Stephen Hill published 5 July 23

The story of the Manchester indie label that changed the world

Cave In's Anchor: how the "emo-metal Radiohead" helped put the final nail in the nu metal coffin

By Stephen Hill published 4 July 23

Cave In almost became metal's next big thing after ditching metalcore, writing "their own Black Hole Sun" and touring with Foo Fighters and Muse

Adam Levine, Toris Amos, Trent Reznor and Kerry King performing at various shows

10 pop covers of metal songs you won't believe actually happened

By Stephen Hill published 4 July 23

From Lil Uzi Vert covering Chop Suey to Maroon 5 defanging a Nine Inch Nails classic, these covers will stun, embarrass and, in some cases, delight you!

A montage of pictures of Oasis, The Verve and Primal Scream

A beginner's guide to 90s UK indie in five essential albums

By Stephen Hill published 1 July 23

There was more to 90s indie than just Britpop, but it's a pretty good place to start... Here, the story of how one decade saw a genre morph beyond all recognition, told by the albums that made it happen

Ozzy Osbourne performing live in 1999, and a poster for the cancelled UK Ozzfest that year

"The prospect of rockers descending on Earls Court is too awful to contemplate.” How angry locals, a Tory councillor and a jailed Scott Weiland killed Ozzfest UK '99

By Stephen Hill published 30 June 23

Ozzfest UK 1999 was set to be one of the best metal weekenders ever. Then a combination of political interference and bad luck ruined everything

Robb Flynn, Kerry King, Matt Heafy and Jonathan Davis

10 terrible metal albums with one classic song

By Stephen Hill published 30 June 23

These metal albums were pretty much all stinkers - apart from one absolute banger that saved the day

Every single Avenged Sevenfold album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill published 28 June 23

From debut album Sounding The Seventh Trumpet to proudly off-the-rails latest album Life Is But A Dream..., this is every Avenged album ranked in order of awesomeness

Every Depeche Mode album ranked from worst to best

By Stephen Hill last updated 28 June 23

Updated From synth-pop to industrial-noir, Depeche Mode have one hell of a catalogue. But which album is your Personal Jesus? Here's our guide to every studio album, worst to best