“Kirk Hammett said, ‘Ah, Cannibal Corpse – that’s an interesting name!’” 20 legendary metal bands remember their first shows By Matt Mills published 3 January 24 Everybody starts somewhere! Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slipknot and more remember their first times onstage.
"I am writing... and it's sounding really good": Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi looks back on a "fun" 2023, and promises long-awaited box set release plus new music By Paul Brannigan published 2 January 24 You'll be hearing more from heavy metal's greatest ever riff writer this year
"It was a very magical time. The right people came together at the right moment": Ronnie James Dio's track-by-track guide to Dio's classic Holy Diver By Geoff Barton published 31 December 23 Many believed Ronnie James Dio was finished when he quit Black Sabbath, but he proved the doubters wrong with an all-time classic
“I’m so fortunate not to have died. I’ve overdosed, been pistol-whipped, shot at, stabbed, run over in a car... and I’m still here”: Glenn Hughes, The Voice of Rock, has lived the lives of 10 men, and he's not finished yet By Paul Brannigan published 27 December 23 Glenn Hughes, The Voice of Rock, looks back upon a lifetime of fabulous, and sometimes terrifying, rock 'n' roll adventures
Ozzy slams clickbait death hoax video: "I'm not dead. I'm not going any-f***ing-where." By Stef Lach published 27 December 23 Black Sabbath icon Ozzy Osbourne gives his take on internet death hoaxes – and reiterates desire to return to the stage
"He used to do it all the time": Noddy Holder reckons Ozzy Osbourne started the tradition of shaving a sleeping drunk's eyebrows By Fraser Lewry published 20 December 23 Slade's Noddy Holder looks back fondly on some Ozzy Osbourne-related shenanigans
“Everybody thought they were gonna get blown to bits!” The track-by-track guide to Black Sabbath’s Paranoid By Joe Daly published 20 December 23 From War Pigs to Fairies Wear Boots, this is everything you need to know about each song on Black Sabbath’s chart-topper
"I’ve never felt comfortable about that title" Ozzy Osbourne explains why he doesn't like being called metal By Merlin Alderslade published 13 December 23 The Godfather of metal would rather you didn't call him that, actually
The 10 greatest compilation albums in heavy metal history By Will Marshall published 10 December 23 From greatest hits to rarity-stacked soundtracks, these are the best compilations in the history of heaviness
“I don’t mean to be arrogant, but we had the goods. We knew what we were doing”: how Bad Company hit the bullseye with their classic second album Straight Shooter By Jon Hotten published 10 December 23 Bad Company’s second album, Straight Shooter, was the one that sealed their superstardom
“Black Sabbath are afraid of us blowing them offstage. I’d feel the same in their position”: Lemmy, Ozzy and the story of legendary 80s rock festival the Heavy Metal Holocaust By Dave Ling published 9 December 23 In August 1981, 40,000 rabid fans descended on an English football ground to watch Motörhead headline the Heavy Metal Holocaust. And it got chaotic
System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian and Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi have teamed up for a brand new single, Deconstruction By Matt Mills published 8 December 23 System Of A Down’s singer and Black Sabbath’s guitarist collaborated with Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian to release a brand new song for charity
Lzzy Hale: 10 records that changed my life By Liz Scarlett published 8 December 23 Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale talks the albums that changed her life, from Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper to Sevendust and Disturbed
"We haven’t had to take the devil's bargain just yet": meet Green Lung, the occult rockers who've stumbled on a formula for infernal success By Rich Hobson published 8 December 23 Green Lung's horror theatricality and Zeppelin-style folk diversify the doom diet beyond Black Sabbath alone
"I won't go on stage until I've slaughtered 15 puppy dogs": Ozzy Osbourne on the most ridiculous rumour he's heard about himself By Liz Scarlett published 7 December 23 The Prince of Darkness says his bloodthirsty reputation once got him stopped from entering a circus because the performers thought he would try to kill the lions
"Our intention was to go out on stage and destroy all living things": How Gene Simmons intimidated Geezer Butler when Kiss supported Black Sabbath By Paul Elliott published 7 December 23 Kiss supported Black Sabbath for three dates on the Sabotage tour, and Gene Simmons remembers it well
Ozzy Osbourne ponders making new music with A.I. Randy Rhoads riffs: “I’m open for anything, if it was good quality.” By Matt Mills published 6 December 23 The Prince Of Darkness says he’s “open” to using A.I. riffs based on recordings by his late guitarist Randy Rhoads
In 1995 Ozzy Osbourne revisited his old school in Birmingham: The kids didn't know who he was By Fraser Lewry published 5 December 23 In which Ozzy Osbourne shows the BBC the band name he carved into the brickwork outside his childhood home
The 60 best Ozzy Osbourne songs of all time By Rich Hobson published 5 December 23 The finest songs Ozzy Osbourne has ever put his name to - whether that be solo releases, guest spots or collaborations
“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper is about hope, rather than the finality of death. It’s a song about wishful thinking”: how Blue Oyster Cult’s Agents Of Fortune album became their passport to immortality By Malcolm Dome published 3 December 23 Blue Öyster Cult‘s career was stuck in cruise control until their breakthrough album Agents Of Fortune and its haunting lead single elevated them to stardom