Master’s Ashes’ New LP Delivers with Valiant Force
Master’s Ashes’ debut, How the Mighty Have Fallen, is a strong reminder of a forgotten time and scene, and how brilliant that was.
heavy metal
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of April 2026
In April’s nest metal, Iron Firmament return to lo-fi, Cascadian alchemy, Lividus set up progressive foundations, and Evil Warriors reach new heights.
Nu Metal Anomalies Slipknot, System of a Down, and the Strange Math of Mass Appeal
Nu metal’s ecosystem in the 1990s allowed unexpected forms of extremity to break into mainstream success, and Slipknot and System of a Down exemplify that.
Music/Feature Sub Head/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music Features/Music Reviews/PopMatters Picks
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of March 2026
In March’s best metal, Neurosis make their surprising return, Bekor Qilish descend to extreme avant-garde paths, and Cruel Force mature their thrash.
‘Rock of Pages’ Argues for the High of Literature in the Low of Heavy Metal
Rock of Pages makes a lively case that the theatricality of 1980s heavy metal concealed a more literate imagination than its critics would admit.
Converge Retake Their Ground on New Record
If Love Is Not Enough announces anything, it’s a return to the stark architecture and the blunt-force grammar Converge helped codify.
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of February 2026
In February’s best metal, Worm go from underground to mainstream, Incandescence unleash blackened Quebecois bliss, and Gorrch offer dissonance and immediacy.
MetalMatters: Best Metal Albums of January 2026
In January’s best metal, Ulver return to their deep electronica, the Ruins of Beverast show off their extreme black/doom, and Zu join free-jazz madness with ambient bliss.
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of December 2025
In December’s best metal, Martröd tap into fiery black-metal dissonance, Lychgate expand extreme-metal, and Rotten Sound show their grind quality.
Music/Feature Sub Head/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2025
The 20 Best Metal Albums of 2025
This year has delivered an embarrassment of riches, from traditional masterworks to forward-thinking madness. These are the best metal albums of 2025.
Rock of Pages: The Literary Tradition of 1980s Heavy Metal (excerpt)
In this excerpt of Rock of Pages, Jesse Kavadlo shows how heavy metal, literature, and the Cold War were bonded from the beginning.
Why the New GWAR Don’t Feel Dangerous Anymore
GWAR have always existed on the edge of chaos, a grotesque blend of satire, violence, and spectacle, but now, it’s predictable and choreographed.