Back and uglier than they used to be Ugly Kid Joe have risen again from the Californian sunshine! They are back bringing you good vibes with their brand new album “Uglier than they used to be”, coming out on the 16th of October (via Metalville/UKJ Records). This is their first record in 19 years, containing…
The Gondoliers of Doom Fresh from winning Metal Hammer’s Best Album of the Year and embarking on their European Tour of that Album “The Plague Within”, HMA talk gothic mystery and new sounds avoiding a mid-life crisis with Aaron Aedy, rhythm guitarist of long-standing doom and metal merchants Paradise Lost. HMA: Welcome to HMA Aaron,…
The Rules of Grindcore Napalm Death is a band that doesn’t need much introduction, they are without question the ruler of grindcore and they have been for more than 30 years. Their 16th album released this year (by Century Media) ‘Apex Predator – Easy Meat’ is loaded with brutal and extreme sounds and in your…
Incendiary rock’n’roll fury to ignite the rebel heart Danko Jones is a Toronto trio of hotter-than-hell rockin’ rollers led by the shaven-headed Danko Jones, a man with so much stage presence and attitude you half expect him to run up to Ozzy during a performance and bite the Prince of Darkness’ head off. The band…
Ireland Thrash Untouchables Thrashers Gama Bomb formed in Newry, Northern Ireland in 2002 and set out their agenda immediately; NO ballads! NO clean sounding guitars! NO synths! They cut their teeth playing backroom shows on the UK punk and hardcore circuit and self-released their debut album (Survival Of The Fastest) in 2005. The band; Philly…
The hatred continues Brujeria is a Death Metal/Grindcore band hailing from Mexico. Their name comes from the Spanish language, meaning ‘Witchcraft’. Their extreme attitude involves the permanent use of urban militia masks, an old custom of refusing to perform live, and performing under pseudonyms to portray themselves as a band of Latino drug lords, and…
Pre show chat with Tatsu Mikami Church of Misery is a Japanese doom metal band with a specific extra-groovy sound that is often described as “stoner doom” but the band tends to snub this term saying “We hate trend. We hate corporate attitude. We hate the word ‘stoner’. Death to false stoners!! Let there be…
Black Moth is a frantic musical force from Leeds, the UK formed in 2010. Filth, dirt and doom descend from its onyx wings. The recent arrival “Condemned to Hope” was produced by Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Grinderman, The Cramps) takes their kaleidoscopic heaviosity and sepulchral style to a whole new plateau…
Gore is just the beginning Desecration is a brutal death metal band from Wales. The band have been causing controversy since 1995 when their “Gore & Perversion” album was infamously seized and incinerated by the police due to its offensive content. The band was told to “tone right down”, but the band continued. Now, with…
Swedish rockers raise temperature to a million degrees at this year’s Download Festival! In a blaze of golden light, stage smoke and to the music of one of rock’n’roll’s truly legendary bands, KISS, yet another Download Festival has come to a thunderous and epic conclusion. I can only presume that this year will leave a…
Shadows of Rebellion ‘Shadow of the Dying Sun’ is the sixth studio release from Finland’s melodic death metal scene Insomnium. They have come a long way in their musical progress since their Demo release in 1999. Insomnium creations are filled with obscure sounds and haunting melodies encompassed by very dark lyrics about pain, life, nature and…
Smacked by Sully Erna at Download! Godsmack is one of the heavy-hitters of metal music. Sporting three consecutive number-one albums and a worldwide fan-base, Godsmack have more than earned the respect of even the most high-brow rock/metal critic. It’s no surprise that so many of the people who attended the last day of Download were…
Guided by the supernatural Norwegian avant-garde metal Arcturus is finally back after a decade with the awaited new album “Arcturian”. Formed in 1987, the first full-length was released in 1996. Current cosmic crew consist of former Dimmu Borgir member ICS Vortex and Mayhem drumming master Hellhammer alongside ex-Ulver and ex-Mortem members. HMA catch up with…
At the edge of the imagination With a musical career that started nearly 30 years ago, Blind Guardian is a cult to an incredible number of faithful fans. The year 2015 saw the release of their tenth studio album ‘Beyond the Red Mirror’ which delivers a flawless fusion of orchestral elements into heavy metal. A…
We are now connected Without a doubt, Voivod is a band that has always pushed musical boundaries and they have gained huge respect in the years becoming one of the most cult and influential bands in the genre. Voivod formed in 1982 in Canada and in three decades they have seen numerous lineup changes including…
Drummer Jimmy gives HMA latest on the new album, Thin Lizzy and Europe tour As I sit in the dressing room waiting for my interview with Black Star Riders drummer, Jimmy DeGrasso to begin, I’m confronted by an interesting question. Can you ever step out from the shadow of your own success? For those of…
All Hail… Pepper’s Return Since they formed in 1982 in North Carolina, Corrosion of Conformity has been creating their own distinct sound and merging, in a perfect way, metal, punk, blues and even some elements funk. There have been line-up changes with Pepper and Reed but now the line-up is the same as ‘Deliverance’. The…
That’s no moon…. It’s Deathstars! New album and the amazing story of the exploding bus tour. Deathstars are not a band to be easily categorized. This company of Swedes is well known for it’s dark, pessimistic and often misanthropic lyrics. In their trademark face paint and uniforms, they appear to be ageless, almost like living…
‘I’m a Soppy Romantic’ They’re back! With a five year ‘hiatus’ 36 Crazyfists are rested and as excited as a puppy with a squeaky toy. The new album is a scorcher. But for a while, it looked like there might not be another album, with the departure of two band members and three family deaths…
Drummer and last original member, Robert Ortiz, talks about adversity and success with HMA Despite a series of sudden lineup changes and controversy, American post-hardcore legends, Escape the Fate have managed to put out four studio albums, tour the world and scale high on the charts. It sounds inspiring to the ear but more often…