Vote for the best metal album of 2025
We've crowned Ghost's Skeleta in the writer's poll - but which metal albums from 2025 excited you most?
Latest News
Jane's Addiction are talking again after last year's acrimonious break-up
Six months after filing lawsuits against each other, Perry Farrell and the other members of Jane's Addiction are ready to talk about Boston
Notorious cop killer celebrated in song by multi-million-selling punk band dies aged 89
Harry Roberts, the triple police killer whose 1966 murders outraged Britain, dies 11 years on from controversial release
Watch Avengers megastar Chris Hemsworth’s shambolic attempt to play drums with Parkway Drive earlier this year
Just because you’re worthy of wielding Mjölnir doesn’t mean you’re able to keep time
"A picture-postcard Christmas, with morbid edges..." New animated video released for Greg Lake's perennial seasonal favourite I Believe In Father Christmas
Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas originally reached No. 2 in the UK singles chart in 1975
Artists
How Scars helped Papa Roach shift from nu metal with their first power ballad
At a time when they could have been left behind, Papa Roach wrote a song that set them on a completely different course
Prog's special Christmas Tracks Of The Week
Seasonal prog fun from Alberto Bravin, The Blackheart Orchestra, Robert Reed & Les Penning and The Sanctity Of Crows
The Trews on their most significant gig, kitchen parties and Prince William
In 2007 The Trews were nominated as Best New Band at the Classic Rock Awards - 18 years on, they still have their eyes on the prize
Nickelback's breakthrough hit was defined by a climax suggested by their drum roadie
Chad Kroeger tells the story behind Nickelback's enormo-hit How You Remind Me
Music
Jethro Tull’s manager asked Ian Anderson to write a hit. He tried not to, but failed
1969’s Living In The Past reached the Top 10 in both the UK and US, and led to an uncomfortable experience on Top Of The Pops
The story of Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. – the secret debut album that started Slipknot’s ascent
Before Corey Taylor and before the nu metal takeover, Slipknot launched their career with a DIY release that put the Des Moines scene on notice
How a bold, boundary-breaking song with some taboo lyrics helped break Halestorm
Some of the lyrics on this modern classic were brave, but they helped laid the foundations for what was to come
A bright spark of modern prog brought in big prog names to make an album that’s not prog – and he’s not sorry
His debut solo album forces the concept of music without boundaries back on itself. He believes it brought the best out of his guests too
“The others kept putting it off. Finally I said, ‘We’ve got to do it now’”: Unique band faced the climate crisis head on
Adding elements of jazz digital percussion and alternative composition techniques to their already eclectic sound, they’re so convinced by their new direction that their seventh release will be the second part of their sixth
“We were asked to do Glastonbury. I had no intention”: John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest and the demons that drive him
New album Relativity gave him flashbacks to the 70s – and though the factors that led to his split with Les Holroyd are all in the past, he can’t see how a reunion might happen
Tech
Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 earbuds review
Advanced and affordable, these True Wireless earbuds are a great buy - and they come with a brilliant Easter egg…
Best Christmas gifts for music lovers 2025: Present ideas with a rock'n'roll twist
Christmas is right around the corner and to help you find an excellent present, I've highlighted a bunch of gift ideas covering a range of budgets
28 of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals you can still get right now... if you’re quick
The big sales event of the year has wrapped up, but there's still dozens of top discounts available - but you'll have to be quick to get them
Cyber Monday MP3 player deals 2025: Time is ticking for you to get a new MP3 player for less
Cyber Monday is done and dusted, but there are still discounted MP3 players to be found out in the wild. Get one before they're gone
Latest Reviews
Health dance in the face of despair on new album Conflict DLC
The lyrics on the L.A. trio’s sixth album observe the ugliness of 2025, while the music urges you to wiggle your worries away
Ice Nine Kills' A Work Of Art is metal's most shocking show: Review
Even if they don't carry on (Silver) Screaming, Ice Nine Kills prove they're ready for the big leagues with the brilliantly bonkers A Work Of Art tour
“In many ways a dry run for The Wall”: Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here remains mysterious at 50
Alienation, loss and a legendary live bootleg – the prog giants’ post-Dark Side masterpiece gets an impressive anniversary box set treatment.
Jan Akkerman celebrates four decades of My Focus – Live Under The Rainbow
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Freddie's solo debut remains flawed but sporadically glorious.
More from Louder
If you have a friend who loves Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath, these present ideas should hit the right note this Christmas
If you have a friend who loves Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath, these present ideas should hit the right not this Christmas
One of rock's most inspirational and provocative figures to share her story in "raw" documentary
Antiheroine will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival
Best Christmas gifts for Iron Maiden fans: Rock the festive season with our pick of perfect presents
From clothes to colouring books, these Maiden-related pressies are sure to go down a treat over the festive season
The ultimate review of 2025: The best albums, biggest events and megastars who rocked our world
Also in our unmissable end-of-year issue: The Darkness, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Jethro Tull, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne & Black Sabbath, Guns N’ Roses and more
Improve human-cyborg relations this Cyber Monday with up to 44% off your very own Lego Star Wars C-3PO
You don't need to all the way to Cloud City to rebuild Threepio - you can do it from the comfort of your living room with a Bespin-sized discount
Disney+'s Cyber Monday deal of up to 61% off is only live for a few more hours - as a big fan of Marvel's animated shows, I've got five reasons right here you should consider buying it
From reboots of classic shows to gruesome new iterations of the MCU, you absolutely want to get Disney+ while it's cheap so you can binge these