Every member of Ghost's Clergy
From Papa Emeritus I to IV to Papa V Perpetua, Papa Nihil, Sister Imperator and beyond, here's everything you need to know about Ghost's colourful cast of characters
Metal Hammer Features
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Marko Hietala found a new normal after leaving Nightwish. The result is Roses From The Deep
Marko Hietala explains why he had to leave Nightwish, and believes there’s no hate involved in the split, as he focuses on second solo album Roses From The Deep
The best new metal bands you need to hear in April 2025
From Siberian black metallers Grima to Texan metalcore heroes Catch Your Breath, loving hardcore heroes Church Tongue and Melbourne deathcore champs Mélancolia, these are the bands you need to hear in April 2025
The greatest year in heavy metal history, revisited
A look back at 12 memorable months for loud music
Dee Snider on the Twisted Sister song that transcended its era
We're Not Gonna Take It had a long and difficult birth, but the song Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider predicted would become a “monster” is reportedly now the most licensed song in heavy metal history
"I had Nails, Oathbreaker, Power Trip, Billie Eilish and Labrinth on my writing playlist.”
We have a quick catch up with the frontwoman of one of UK metal's most exciting bands
Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher wrote songs for Emperor Of Sand at his mum’s deathbed
A cancer tragedy and other real-life dramas inspired Mastodon’s seventh album Emperor Of Sand, which they believe was 17 years in the making
The classic Megadeth song that was originally supposed to feature Lisa Marie Presley
This Megadeth anthem could have sounded very different
The epic story of Meshuggah’s rise from thrash metal wannabes to tech metal giants
How Meshuggah inspired a generation of tech metal bands
How Bloodywood became Indian metal's breakout stars
Bloodywood weren't India's first metal band, but they've become the country's loudest champions
How Heaven & Hell resurrected Black Sabbath’s other classic line-up with The Devil You Know
Heaven & Hell’s The Devil You Know was a Dio-era Sabbath record under any other name
Metallica's Kirk Hammett shares what Motorhead mean to him
It's no secret that Metallica's members love Motorhead - but Kirk Hammett shares his own personal journey to discovering the rock'n'roll legends
How Candlemass changed metal forever with doom landmark Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Doom metal never sounded so huge as it did on Candlemass’ game-changing 1986 debut album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Metal Hammer's tracks of the week: March 28 2025
Evanescence, Linkin Park and Wednesday 13 are among the best new metal songs this week. Plus, vote for your favourite!
The Gospel according to Alice Cooper: Snakes, guns, alcohol and Bible study
After decades in the business of rock'n'roll, this is the Gospel according to Alice Cooper
Ginger Wildhearts’ wild tales of Lemmy, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Cheap Trick and more
Meet Ginger Wildheart, the multi-tasking musical superhero who's shared stages with Cheap Trick and Motörhead and drinks with Axl Rose, Tony Iommi and Liza Minnelli
Psychic tests! Pet wolves! Chicken coops! Guns N' Roses and the wild ride towards Chinese Democracy
Ever wondered why Chinese Democracy took so long to make? This is the truly unbelievable story of a year in the life of Axl Rose
"Exul ended up being recorded at 10 different studios over two and a half years." Ne Obliviscaris and the heroic story of their fourth album
Australian prog metallers Ne Obliviscaris tell how without their Patreon-funding they might not have got to make album number four, Exul
“We embrace the spirit of early 70s prog as being the way that you should always approach music." Mastodon and their prog epic Crack The Skye
In 2009 US prog metallers Mastodon released their conceptual opus Crack The Skye. It proved to be the step up to the big time the band deserved...
