Metal Hammer staff's top 20 albums of 2015 - the full list!

If you’ve picked up our new issue, you’ll have seen the blood, sweat and beers that went into our massive 2015 Critics’ Poll, which included our Top 50 albums of 2015! Now, for your unadulterated reading pleasure, we present every single Metal Hammer contributor’s full, individual lists for this year’s noise. Get stuck in.

Alexander Milas (Editor-In-Chief)

1 Iron Maiden The Book of Souls Parlophone
2 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker Music
3 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
4 Myrkur M Relapse
5 Ghost Meliora Loma Vista
6 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search & Destroy
7 Tremonti Cauterize Fret 12
8 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
9 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
10 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
11 Vision Of Disorder Razed To The Ground Candlelight
12 Torche Restarter Relapse
13 Faith No More Sol Invictus Ipecac
14 Baroness Purple Abraxan Hymns
15 Lamb Of God Sturm Um Drang Nuclear Blast
16 Trivium Silence In The Snow Roadrunner
17 Enslaved In Times Nuclear Blast
18 Thy Art Is Murder Holy War Nuclear Blast
19 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
20 Cradle Of Filth Hammer Of The Witches Nuclear Blast

Merlin Alderslade (Deputy Editor)

1 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search & Destroy
2 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Emi
3 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
4 Feed Her To The Sharks The World Is Yours Victory
5 Thy Art Is Murder Holy War Nuclear Blast
6 The Prodigy The Day Is My Enemy Cooking Vinyl
7 The Ongoing Concept Handmade Solid State
8 Baroness Purple Abraxan Hymns
9 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
10 The Black Dahlia Murder Abysmal Metal Blade
11 Counting Days Liberated Sounds Mascot
12 Stick To Your Guns Disobedient Sumerian
13 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
14 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
15 Black Tongue The Unconquerable Dark Century Media
16 Lamb Of God Sturm Und Drung Roadrunner
17 Black Breath Slaves Beyond Death Southern Lord
18 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation
19 Wilson Right To Rise Razor & Tie
20 Miss May I Deathless Rise

Eleanor Goodman (Features Editor)

1 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
2 Bring Me The Horizon That’s The Spirit Sony
3 Tesseract Polaris Century Media
4 Lamb Of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
5 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
6 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
7 Periphery Juggernaut: Alpha/Omega Century Media
8 Cancer Bats Searching For Zero BMG
9 Northlane Node UNFD
10 Puscifer Money Shot Puscifer Entertainment
11 Papa Roach F.E.A.R. Eleven Seven Music
12 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
13 Heart Of A Coward Deliverance Century Media
14 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search And Destroy
15 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
16 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
17 We Hunt Buffalo Living Ghosts Fuzzorama
18 Myrkr M Relapse
19 No Consequence Vimana Basick
20 Counting Days Liberated Sounds Mascot

Vanessa Thorpe (Production Editor)

1 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
2 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
3 Dead Soul The Sheltering Sky Century Media
4 Danko Jones Fire Music New Damage
5 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
6 Royal Thunder Crooked Doors Relapse
7 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
8 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
9 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
10 Lamb Of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
11 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
12 Secrets Of The Moon Sun Prophecy Productions
13 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
14 Avatarium The Girl With The Raven Mask Nuclear Blast
15 Graveyard Innocence & Decadence Nuclear Blast
16 Ufomammut Ecate Neurot
17 Horisont Odyssey Rise Above
18 The Sword High Country Razor & Tie
19 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
20 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast

Jonathan Selzer (Reviews / Subterranea Editor)

1 Mgla Exercises In Futility Northern Heritage
2 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
3 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
4 Secrets Of The Moon Sun Lupus Lounge
5 Royal Thunder Crooked Doors Relapse
6 Forest Of Stars, A Beware The Sword You Cannot See Lupus Lounge
7 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
8 Shape Of Despair Monotony Fields Season Of Mist
9 Ascension The Dead Of The World WTC Productions
10 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
11 Grave Pleasures Dreamcrash Sony
12 Kylesa Exhausting Fire Season Of Mist
13 Ahab The Boats Of Glen Carrig Napalm
14 Venom From The Very Depths Spinefarm
15 Ranger Where Evil Dwells Spinefarm
16 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
17 Pentagram Curious Volume Peaceville
18 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
19 Kontinuum Kyrr Candlelight
20 Avatarium The Girl With The Raven Mask Nuclear Blast

Luke Morton (Online Editor)

1 Faith No More Sol Invictus Ipecac
2 Marilyn Manson Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
3 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search & Destroy
4 Ghost Meliora Loma Vista
5 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
6 Deafheaven New Bermuda ANTI-
7 Stick To Your Guns Disobedient Sumerian
8 Refused Freedom Epitaph
9 Iron Maiden Book Of Souls Parlophone
10 Publicist UK Forgive Yourself Relapse
11 The Prodigy The Day Is My Enemy Cooking Vinyl
12 Myrkur M Relapse
13 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker Music
14 Cancer Bats Searching For Zero BMG
15 Bring Me The Horizon That’s The Spirit Sony
16 Grave Pleasures Dreamcrash Sony
17 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast
18 Last Ten Seconds Of Life Soulless Hymns Density
19 Lamb Of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
20 Thy Art Is Murder Holy War Nuclear Blast

Lewis Somerscales (Art Editor)

1 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
2 Ghost Meliora Loma Vista
3 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
4 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
5 Iron Maiden Book Of Souls Parlophone
6 Tremonti Cauterize Fret12
7 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
8 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
9 Five Finger Death Punch Got Your Six Eleven Seven
10 Lamb Of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
11 Cradle of Filth Hammer Of The Witches Nuclear Blast
12 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
13 Feed Her To The Sharks Fortitude Victory
14 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast
15 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search and Destroy
16 Coal Chamber Rivals Napalm
17 Thy Art Is Murder Holy War Nuclear Blast
18 Motorhead Bad Magic UDR
19 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
20 Wilson Right To Rise Razor & Tie

Louise Brock (Deputy Art Editor)

1 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker Music
2 Faith No More Sol Invictus Ipecac
3 Ghost Meliora Loma Vista
4 Marilyn Manson Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
5 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
6 Muse Drones Warner Bros/Helium-3
7 Danko Jones Fire Music New Damage
8 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
9 Halestorm Into Wildife Atlantic
10 Foo Fighters Sonic Highways Roswell/RCA
11 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search & Destroy
12 The Darkness Last Of Our Kind Canary Dwarf
13 Bring Me The Horizon That’s The Spirit Sony
14 Wilson Right To Rise Razor & Tie
15 Lamb Of God VII Strum Und Drang Nuclear Blast
16 We Are Harlot We Are Harlot Roadrunner
17 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
18 Between The Buried And Me Coma Ecliptic Metal Blade
19 Cancer Bats Searching For Zero BMG
20 Five Finger Death Punch Got Your Six Eleven Seven

Dom Lawson (Editor-At-Large)

1 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
2 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
3 Shape Of Despair Monotony Fields Season Of Mist
4 Swallow The Sun Songs From The North Century Media
5 Danko Jones Fire Music Bad Taste
6 Between The Buried And Me Coma Ecliptic Metal Blade
7 My Dying Bride Feel The Misery Peaceville
8 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
9 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
10 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
11 With The Dead With The Dead Rise Above
12 Avatarium The Girl With The Raven Mask Nuclear Blast
13 Abhorrent Decimation Miasmic Mutation Cold Birth
14 Stoneghost New Age Of Old Ways Mascot
15 Melechesh Enki Nuclear Blast
16 Periphery Juggernaut: Alpha/Omega Century Media
17 Ahab The Boats Of Glen Carrig Napalm
18 Cradle Of Filth Hammer Of The Witches Nuclear Blast
19 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
20 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast

Jason Arnopp (Freelance Writer)

1 Therapy? Disquiet Amazing Record Co
2 Outside The Coma The Battle Of Being Outpatients
3 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
4 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
5 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast
6 The Prodigy The Day Is My Enemy Cooking Vinyl
7 Unleashed Dawn Of The Nine Nuclear Blast
8 Malevolent Creation Dead Man’s Path Century Media
9 Saxon Battering Ram UDR
10 Motorhead Bad Magic UDR
11 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
12 Cradle Of Filth Hammer Of The Witches Nuclear Blast
13 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
14 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
15 Armored Saint Win Hands Down Metal Blade
16 Metal Allegiance Metal Allegiance Nuclear Blast
17 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
18 Queensryche Condition Human Century Media
19 Gama Bomb Untouchable Glory AFM
20 Operation: Mindcrime The Key Frontiers

Olivier Badin (Freelance Writer)

1 Tribulation The Children of the Night Century Media
2 Lucifer Lucifer I Rise Above
3 Dead Lord Heads Held High Century Media
4 Crypt Sermon Out of the Garden Dark Descent
5 Heaving Earth Denouncing the Holy Throne Lavadome
6 Firespawn Shadow Realms Century Media
7 Valkyrie Shadows Relapse
8 Enforcer From Beyond Nuclear Blast
9 Chaos Echoes Transient Nuclear War Now!
10 Under the Church Rabid Armageddon Pulverised
11 Black Trip Shadowline SPV
12 Heavydeath Eternal Sleepwalker Svart
13 Hate Eternal Infernus Season of Mist
14 Krisiun Forged in Fury Century Media
15 Gruesome Savage Land Relapse
16 Cattle Decapitation The Anthropocene Extinction Metal Blade
17 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
18 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
19 Regarde les Hommes Tomber Exile Les Acteurs de l’Ombre
20 Putrevore Tentacles of Horror Xtreem Music

Paul Brannigan (Freelance Writer)

1 Refused Freedom Epitaph
2 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation
3 Baroness Purple Abraxan Hymns
4 Deafheaven New Bermuda Anti
5 Therapy? Disquiet Amazing Record Co.
6 Svalbard One Day All This Will End Holy Roar
7 Gallows Desolation Sounds Venn
8 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
9 Failure The Heart Is A Monster Xtra Mile
10 Metz II Sup Pop
11 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
12 Rolo Tomassi Grievancance Holy Roar
13 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
14 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
15 Enter Shikari The Mindsweep Ambush Reality
16 Black Star Riders The Killer Instinct Nuclear Blast
17 Hawk Eyes Everything Is Fine New Damage 4
18 Godspeed You! Black Emperor Asunder, Sweet and other Distress Constellation
19 The Armed Untitled No Rest Until Ruin
20 Blacklisters Adult Smalltown America

Cheryl Carter (Freelance Writer)

1 Mgła Exercises In Futility Northern Heritage
2 Shape Of Despair Monotony Fields Season Of Mist
3 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
4 Panopticon Autumn Eternal Bindrune Recordings
5 Deafheaven New Bermuda Anti
6 Grave Pleasures Dreamcrash Sony
7 Leviathan Scar Sighted Profound Lore
8 Dead To A Dying World Litany Gilead Media
9 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
10 Bell Witch Four Phantoms Profound Lore
11 Abyssal Antikatastaseis Profound Lore
12 Skepticism Ordeal Svart
13 Amorphis Under The Red Cloud Nuclear Blast
14 Barshasketh Ophidian Henosis Blut & Eisen Productions
15 Pyramids A Northern Meadow Profound Lore
16 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
17 Wiegedood De Doden Hebben Het Goed Consouling Sounds
18 Bosse-De-Nage All Fours Profound Lore
19 Akhlys The Dreaming I Blood Music
20 Drudkh A Furrow Cut Short Season Of Mist

Chris Chantler (Freelance Writer)

1 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
2 Satan Atom By Atom Listenable
3 My Dying Bride Feel The Misery Peaceville
4 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
5 Ahab The Boats Of The Glen Carrig Napalm
6 Motorhead Bad Magic UDR
7 Acid King Middle Of Nowhere… Svart
8 Seremonia Kristalliarkki Svart
9 Pentagram Curious Volume Peaceville
10 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
11 Indesinence III Profound Lore
12 Cradle Of Filth Hammer Of The Witches Nuclear Blast
13 Blind Guardian Beyond The Red Mirror Nuclear Blast
14 Arcturus Arcturian Prophecy
15 Uncle Acid The Night Creeper Rise Above
16 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
17 Moonspell Extinct Naplam
18 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
19 Armored Saint Win Hands Down Metal Blade
20 The Atomic Bitchwax Gravitron Tee Pee

Toby Cook (Freelance Writer)

1 Bad Guys Bad Guynaecology Riot Season
2 Dark Buddha Rising Inversum Neurot
3 The Body/Thou You, Whom I have Always Hated Thrill Jockey
4 Locrian Infinite Dissolution Relapse
5 Luminous Bodies Luminous Bodies Box Records
6 Chelsea Wolfe Abyss Sargent House
7 UFOmammut Ecate Neurot
8 Blown Out Jet Black Hallucinations Golden Mantra
9 Autokrator Autokrator Iron Bonehead
10 Pissgrave Suicide Euphoria Profound Lore
11 Zombi Shape Shift Relapse
12 Ghold Of Ruin Ritual Productions
13 Bong We Are, We Were And We Will Have Been Ritual Productions
14 Pigs Wronger Solar Flare
15 Pyramids A Northern Meadow Profound Lore
16 MAKE The Golden Veil Self Released
17 Revenge Behold.Total.Rejection SOM/Underground Activities
18 High On Fire Luminiferous Century Media
19 Hills Frid Rocket recordings
20 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone

Joe Daly (Freelance Writer)

1 Lamb of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
2 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
3 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
4 Obsequiae Aria Of Vernal Tombs Buck Spin
5 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
6 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
7 Royal Thunder Crooked Doors Relapse
8 Sons of Death Valley The Day Of Reckoning Prime
9 We Hunt Buffalo Living Ghosts Fuzzorama
10 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Partophone
11 Black Yoga Asanas Ritual, Vol. 1 Screaming Crow
12 Falloch This Island, Our Funeral Candlelight
13 Five Finger Death Punch Got Your Six Eleven Seven Music
14 Keep of Kalessin Epistemology Indie Recordings
15 Toundra IV Century Media
16 Act of Defiance Birth And The Burial Metal Blade
17 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
18 Abyssion Luonnon Harmonia Ja Vihreä Liekki Svart
19 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
20 Coal Chamber Rivals Napalm

Tom Dare (Freelance Writer)

1 Kontinuum Kyrr Candlelight
2 Melechesh Enki Nuclear Blast
3 Cattle Decapitation The Anthropocene Extinction Metal Blade
4 Ensiferum One Man Army Metal Blade
5 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
6 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
7 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
8 Bosse-de-Nage All Fours Profound Lore
9 Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful Nuclear Blast
10 TesseracT Polaris Kscope
11 Nile What Should Not Be Unearthed Nuclear Blast
12 Keep Of Kalessin Epistemology Indie
13 Powerwolf Blessed & Possessed Napalm
14 Corrections House How To Carry A Whip Neurot
15 Amorphis Under The Red Cloud Nuclear Blast
16 Enslaved In Times Nuclear Blast
17 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
18 Sunset In The 12th House Mozaic Prophecy
19 Grave Pleasures Dreamcrash Sony
20 Gloryhammer Space 1992: Rise Of The Chaos Wizards Napalm

Thea De Gallier (Freelance Writer)

1 For Today Wake Nuclear Blast
2 Svalbard One Day All This Will End Holy Roar
3 Buried In Verona Vultures Above, Lions Below UNFD
4 New Years Day Malevolence Century Media/Universal
5 Novelists Souvenirs Nuclear Blast
6 Radkey Dark Black Makeup Little Man
7 Papa Roach F.E.A.R. Eleven Seven Music
8 Bring Me The Horizon That’s The Spirit Sony
9 Stray From The Path Subliminal Criminals Sumerian
10 In Hearts Wake Skydancer UNFD
11 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
12 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
13 Northlane Node UNFD
14 August Burns Red Found In Far Away Places Fearless
15 Being As An Ocean Being As An Ocean Impericon
16 Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes Blossom International Death Cult
17 Crossfaith Xeno UNFD
18 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
19 Disturbed Immortalized Reprise
20 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph

Stephen Hill (Freelance Writer)

1 Failure The Heart Is A Monster INgrooves Music Group
2 Coheed And Cambria The Colour Before The Sun 300 Entertainment
3 The Ongoing Concept Handmade Solid State
4 Employed To Serve Greyer Than You Remember Holy Roar
5 Palm Reader Besides The Ones We Love In At The Deep End
6 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
7 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation Recordings
8 Vision Of Disorder Razed To The Ground Candlelight Records
9 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker Music
10 Murdock Dead Lung Basick Records
11 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
12 Raised Fist From The North Epitaph
13 Thy Art Is Murder Holy War Nuclear Blast
14 Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes Blossom Kobalt Label Services
15 No Devotion Permanence Collect
16 Cattle Decapitation The Anthropocene Extinction Metal Blade
17 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
18 While She Sleeps Brainwashed Search And Destroy
19 Heart Of A Coward Severance Century Media
20 Refused Freedom Epitaph

Malcolm Dome (Freelance Writer)

1 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
2 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
3 Lamb Of God VII: Sturn Und Drang Nuclear Blast
4 Armored Saint Win Hands Down Metal Blade
5 Motörhead Bad Magic UDR
6 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
7 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast
8 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
9 Metal Allegiance Metal Allegiance Nuclear Blast
10 Avatarium The Girl With The Raven Mask Nuclear Blast
11 Gentlemans Pistols Hustler’s Row Nuclear Blast
12 Graveyard Innocence & Decadence Nuclear Blast
13 Annihilator Suicide Society UDR
14 Trivium Silence In The Snow Roadrunner
15 Deadly Circus Fire The Hydra’s Tailor Musicarchy
16 Shinedown Threat To Survival Napalm
17 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
18 Periphery Juggernaut: Alpha/Omega Century Media
19 Between The Buried And Me Coma Ecliptic Metal Blade
20 Saxon Battering Ram UDR

Connie Gordon (Freelance Writer)

1 Satan Atom By Atom Listenable
2 Vhol Deeper Than Sky Profound Lore
3 Beaten To Death Unplugged Mas-Kina
4 Hate Eternal Infernus Season Of Mist
5 Envy Atheist’s Cornea Temporary Residence
6 Lightning Bolt Fantasy Empire Thrill Jockey
7 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
8 Ironsword None But The Brave Shadow Kingdom
9 Vattnet Viskar Settler Century Media
10 Pyogenesisa Century In The Curse Of Time AFM
11 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
12 Torche Restarter Relapse
13 Enabler Fail To Feel Safe Century Media
14 Baroness Purple Abraxan Hymns
15 Feral Where Dead Dreams Dwell Cyclone Empire
16 Mutoid Man Bleeder Sargent House
17 Unleashed Dawn Of The Nine Nuclear Blast
18 Lord Dying Poisoned Altars Relapse
19 Terveet Kadet Lapin Helvetti Svart
20 Retox Beneath California Epitaph

Jason Hicks (Freelance Writer)

1 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media
2 Cattle Decapitation The Anthropocene Extinction Metal Blade
3 Abhorrent Decimation Miasmic Mutation Self-released
4 Veilburner The Three Lightbearers Obscure Divinity
5 Nile What Should Not Be Unearthed Nuclear Blast
6 Arcturus Arcturian Prophecy Productions
7 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
8 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
9 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
10 Enslaved In Times Nuclear Blast
11 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
12 Between The Buried And Me Coma Eclipitic Metal Blade
13 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
14 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
15 Black Dahlia Murder Abysmal Metal Blade
16 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
17 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
18 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
19 Black Breath Slaves Beyond Death Southern Lord
20 Lamb Of God VII: Sturn Und Drang Nuclear Blast

Emma Johnston (Freelance Writer)

1 Faith No More Sol Invictus Ipecac
2 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
3 Sleater-Kinney No Cities To Love Sub Pop
4 War On Women War On Women Bridge Nine
5 Failure The Heart Is A Monster Ingrooves Music Group
6 Mutoid Man Bleeder Sargent House
7 Torche Restarter Relapse
8 Refused Freedom Epitaph
9 Will Haven Open The Mind To Discomfort Artery Recordings
10 Against Me! 23 Live Sex Acts Xtra Mile
11 Hawk Eyes Everything Is Fine Red Vole
12 Cancer Bats Searching For Zero BMG Rights Management
13 Deaf Heaven New Bermuda ANTI-
14 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
15 Vennart The Demon Joke Superball Music
16 The Icarus Line All Things Under Heaven Agitated
17 Le Butcherettes A Raw Youth Ipecac
18 KENMode Success Season OF Mist
19 Rolo Tomass Grievances Holy Roar
20 Tesseract Polaris Kscope

Dave Ling (Freelance Writer)

1 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
2 Halestorm Into The Wild Life Atlantic
3 Raven ExtermiNation SPV
4 Saxon Battering Ram UDR
5 Symphony X Underworld Nuclear Blast
6 Motörhead Bad Magic UDR
7 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
8 Helloween My God Given Right Nuclear Blast
9 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
10 Tremonti Cauterise Fret 12
11 Venom From The Very Depths Spinefarm
12 Ghost Meloria Loma Vista
13 Stratovarius Eternal Ear Music
14 Blackberry Smoke Holding All The Roses Earache
15 Tesseract Polaris KScope
16 Biters Electric Blood Earache
17 Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful Nuclear Blast
18 Shinedown Threat To Survival Roadrunner
19 DragonForce In The Line Of Fire Edel
20 Lamb Of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast

Edwin McFee (Freelance Writer)

1 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
2 Therapy? Disquiet Amazing Record Co.
3 Mutoid Man Bleeder Sargent House
4 Kylesa Exhausting Fire Season Of Mist
5 Goatsnake Black Age Blues Southern Lord
6 Teenage Time Killers Greatest Hits Vol. 1 Rise
7 Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes Blossom International Death Cult
8 Gallows Desolation Sounds Play It Again Sam
9 Radkey Dark Black Makeup Little Man
10 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
11 Man The Machetes Av Nag Indie Recordings
12 The Sword High Country Razor & Tie
13 Monster Magnet Cobras & Fire (The Mastermind Redux) Napalm
14 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
15 Sabbath Assembly Sabbath Assembly Svart
16 High On Fire Luminiferous Century Media
17 KEN Mode Success Season Of Mist
18 Agnostic Front The American Dream Died Nuclear Blast
19 And So I Watch You From Afar Heirs Sargent House
20 Poison Idea Confuse & Conquer Southern Lord

Mörat (Freelance Writer)

1 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
2 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
3 Motorhead Bad Magic UDR
4 Poison Idea Confuse & Conquer Southern Lord
5 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
6 Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes Blossom International Death Cult
7 Monster Magnet Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux) Napalm
8 Teenage Time Killers Greatest Hits Vol 1 Rise
9 Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats The Night Creeper Rise Above
10 The Prodigy The Day Is My Enemy Cooking Vinyl
11 Cancer Bats Searching For Zero Metal Blade
12 Napalm Death Apex Predator-Easy Meat Century Media
13 Lamb Of God Vii Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
14 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
15 King Parrot Dead Set Angonia
16 Atari Teenage Riot Reset Dhr
17 Skindred Volume Napalm
18 High On Fire Luminiferous Century Media
19 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
20 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast

Catherine Morris (Freelance Writer)

1 Lucifer Lucifer I Rise Above
2 Bring Me The Horizon That’s The Spirit Sony
3 Grave Pleasures Dreamcrash Sony
4 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
5 Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful Nuclear Blast
6 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
7 Graveyard Innocence & Decadence Nuclear Blast
8 Myrkur M Relapse
9 Vintage Caravan Arrival Nuclear Blast
10 Leprous The Congregation Inside Out
11 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
12 Uncle Acid The Night Creeper Rise Above
13 Amorphis Under The Red Cloud Nuclear Blast
14 Avatarium The Girl With The Raven Mask Nuclear Blast
15 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Spinefarm
16 Stream Of Passion A War Of Our Own Graviton Music
17 Witchsorrow No Light, Only Fire Candlelight
18 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast
19 Marriages Salome Sargent House
20 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone

Tom O’Boyle (Freelance Writer)

1 Ahab The Boats of the Glen Carrig Napalm
2 Marriages Salome Sargent House
3 Tribulation The Children of the Night Century Media
4 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
5 VI De Praestigiis Angelorum Agonia
6 Kylesa Exhausting Fire Season of Mist
7 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
8 Enslaved In Times Nuclear Blast
9 Antichrist Imperium Antichrist Imperium Apocalyptic Witchcraft
10 Vattnett Viskar Settler Century Media
11 Make The Golden Veil Black Iron Records
12 Chelsea Wolfe Abyss Sargent House
13 Deafheaven New Bermuda Anti-
14 Secrets of the Moon Sun Prophecy Productions
15 Goatsnake Black Age Blues Southern Lord
16 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
17 This Gift is a Curse All Hail the Swinelord Season of Mist
18 C.R.O.W.N. Natron Candlelight
19 Cattle Decapitation Anthropocene Extinction Metal Blade
20 Kontinuum Kyrr Candlelight

Dayal Patterson (Freelance Writer)

1 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
2 Arcturus Arcturian Prophecy Productions
3 Mgla Exercises In Futility Northern Heritage
4 Alfahanne Blod Eld Alfa Dark Essensce
5 Macabre Omen Gods of War - At War Ván
6 Solefald World Metal. Kosmopolis Sud Indie Recordings
7 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
8 Tsjuder Antiliv Season Of Mist
9 Tribulation The Children Of The Night Century Media
10 Chelsea Wolfe Abyss Sargent House
11 Dødheimsgard A Umbra Omega Peaceville
12 Prodigy, The The Day Is My Enemy Cooking Vinyl
13 Vreid Sólverv Indie Recordings
14 Forgotten Tomb Hurt Yourself And The Ones You Love Agonia
15 The 3rd Attempt Born In Thorns Dark Essensce
16 Marduk Frontschwein Century Media
17 Scythian Hubris in Excelsis Hells Headbangers
18 Kampfar Profan Indie Recordings
19 Crom Dubh Heimweh Ván
20 Cradle Of Filth Hammer Of The Witches Nuclear Blast

Alice Pattillo (Freelance Writer)

1 Pentagram Curious Volume Peaceville
2 Faith No More Sol Invictus Ipecac
3 Satan’s Satyrs Don’t Deliver Us Bad Omen
4 Goatsnake Black Age Blues Southern Lord
5 Graveyard Innocence & Decadence Nuclear Blast
6 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker Music
7 Acid King Middle Of Nowhere… Svart
8 Weedeater Goliathan Season OF Mist
9 The Darkness Last Of Our Kind Canary Dwarf
10 Monster Magnet Cobras and Fire (The Mastermind Redux) Napalm
11 Radkey Dark Black Makeup Little Man
12 Wednesday 13 Monsters of the Universe: Come Out & Plague DevCo/Cargo
13 Refused Freedom Epitaph
14 Agnostic Front The American Dream Died Nuclear Blast
15 Hogslayer Defacer Undergroove
16 The Midnight Ghost Train Cold Was The Ground Napalm
17 Mirror Queen Scaffolds Of The Sky Tee Pee
18 Nekrogoblicon Heavy Meta Mystery Box
19 Katatonia Sanctitude Kscope
20 The Bastard Sons Smoke Self-Released

Adam Rees (Freelance Writer)

1 Between the Buried And Me Coma Ecliptic Metal Blade
2 Steven Wilson Hand. Cannot. Erase Kscope
3 Iron Maiden The Book of Souls Parlophone
4 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
5 Sylosis Dormant Heart Nuclear Blast
6 TesseracT Polaris Kscope
7 Hate Eternal Infernus Season Of Mist
8 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
9 Deafheaven New Bermuda Anti-
10 Thy Art Is Murder Holy War Nuclear Blast
11 Soulfly Archangel Nuclear Blast
12 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
13 Nile What Should Not Be Unearthed Nuclear Blast
14 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast
15 Abhorrent Decimation Miasmic Mutation Self-Released
16 Enslaved In Times Nuclear Blast
17 36 Crazyfists Time And Trauma Spinefarm
18 The Darkness Last of Our Kind Kobalt Label Services
19 Cattle Decapitation The Anthropocene Extinction Metal Blade
20 Napalm Death Apex Predator – Easy Meat Century Media

Alastair Riddell (Freelance Writer)

1 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
2 Mgla Exercises In Futility Northern Heritage
3 Christian Mistress To Your Death Relapse
4 Tau Cross Tau Cross Relapse
5 Sorceror In The Shadow Of The Inverted Cross Metal Blade
6 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
7 Abyssion Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki Svart
8 Ranger Where Evil Dwells Spinefarm
9 Macabre Omen Gods of War - At War Ván
10 Pentagram Curious Volume Peaceville
11 Cruciamentum Charnel Passages Profound Lore
12 WASP Golgotha Napalm
13 Gentlemans Pistols Hustler’s Row Nuclear Blast
14 Satan Atom By Atom Listenable
15 Cult Of Endtime In Charnel Lights Svart
16 Armored Saint Win Hands Down Metal Blade
17 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
18 Ascension The Dead Of The World WTC Productions
19 Galley Beggar Silence & Tears Rise Above
20 Deathhammer Evil Power Hells Headbangers

Natasha Scharf (Freelance Writer)

1 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
2 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
3 Lindemann Skills In Pills Warner
4 Killing Joke Pylon Spinefarm
5 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
6 Kontinuum Kyrr Candlelight
7 Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful Nuclear Blast
8 Grave Pleasures Dreamcrash Sony
9 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
10 Hanging Garden Blackout Whiteout Lifeforce
11 Amorphis Under The Red Cloud Nuclear Blast
12 Babymetal Babymetal EARMusic
13 Mötorhead Bad Magic UDR
14 Fear Factory Genexus Nuclear Blast
15 Between The Buried And Me Coma Ecliptic Metal Blade
16 Swallow The Sun Songs from the North Century Media
17 My Dying Bride Feel The Misery Peaceville
18 Skindred Volume Napalm
19 Radkey Dark Black Makeup Little Man
20 The Great Discord Duende Metal Blade

Holly Wright (Freelance Writer)

1 Lamb of God VII: Sturm Und Drang Nuclear Blast
2 Faith No More Sol Invictus Reclamation/Ipecac
3 Deafheaven NewBermuda Anti-
4 Ghost Meliora Spinefarm
5 Babymetal Babymetal EarMusic
6 Enslaved In Times Nuclear Blast
7 Leprous The Congregation Inside Out
8 Marilyn Manson The Pale Emperor Cooking Vinyl
9 Iron Maiden The Book of Souls Parlophone
10 Paradise Lost The Plague Within Century Media
11 Tesseract Polaris Kscope
12 Sylosis Dormant Heart Nuclear Blast
13 Heart of a Coward Deliverance Century Media
14 Halestorm Into The Wild Life Atlantic
15 High on Fire Luminiferous Century Media
16 Between the Buried and Me Coma Ecliptic Metal Blade
17 Svalbard OneDay All This Will End Holy Roar
18 Stoneghost New Age of Old Ways Mascot
19 Swallow the Sun Songs From the North Century Media
20 Slayer Repentless Nuclear Blast

Liam Yates (Freelance Writer)

1 Tribulation The Children Of the Night Century Media
2 Horisont Odyssey Rise Above
3 Mirror Mirror Metal Blade
4 Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls Parlophone
5 Sulphur Aeon Gateway To The Antisphere Imperium Productions
6 Marduk Frontschwein Century Media
7 Mgla Excercises In Futility Northern Heritage
8 Ninkharsag Blood Of Celestial Kings Candlelight
9 Revenge Behold.Total.Rejection SOM
10 Macabre Omen Gods Of War Van
11 Cruciamentum Charnel Passages Profound Lore
12 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Spinefarm
13 Archgoat The Apocalyptic Triumphator Debemur Morti
14 Flight Flight Bad Omen
15 Abyssal Antikatastasies Profound Lore
16 Lunar Mantra Genesis Invictus Productions
17 Abominator Evil Proclamation Hells-Headbangers
18 Inculter Persisting Devolution Edged Circle Production
19 Clutch Psychic Warfare Weathermaker
20 Ascension The Dead Of The World WTC Productions

Nik Young (Freelance Writer)

1 Agnostic Front The American Dream Died Nuclear Blast
2 Salvation Resurrect The Tradition Mighty Music
3 Raised Fist From The North Epitaph
4 The Hell Brutopia Prosthetic
5 Halestorm Into The Wild Life Atlantic
6 Being As An Ocean Being As An Ocean Impericon
7 Counterparts Tragedy Will Find Us Pure Noise
8 Bring Me The Horizon That’s The Spirit Sony
9 Rolo Tomassi Grievances Holy Roar
10 Gallows Desolation Sounds Play It Again Sam
11 Terror The 25th Hour Victory
12 We Are Harlot We Are Harlot Roadrunner
13 Blessthefall To Those Left Behind Fearless
14 Coliseum Anxiety’s Kiss Deathwish Inc
15 Of Mice And Men Restoring Force: Full Circle Rise
16 Arcturus Arcturian Prophecy Productions
17 White Widows Pact True Will New Damage
18 Svalbard One Day All This Will End Holy Roar
19 Parkway Drive Ire Epitaph
20 Refused Freedom Epitaph

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He is also probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.