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Meteoric alternative rock phenom YUNGBLUD has blown the doors off his online critics by releasing a raw, tear-filled public statement tackling severe mental health struggles, internet vitriol, and widespread “industry plant” allegations. Following an emotional onstage breakdown during his headlining set at BLUDFEST in Hradec Králové, Czechia, the artist exposed the dark operational toll of continuous industry warfare—igniting a massive wave of public defense from legendary thrash metal royalty.

YUNGBLUD: FEUD TIMELINE & STREAMING DATA MATRIX

Inside the Czechia Breakdown: “I Have Felt in Pain a Lot”

The operational tipping point for the British singer—born Dominic Harrison—occurred on June 27, 2026, during the international expansion leg of his self-curated BLUDFEST festival in Hradec Králové, Czechia. Standing in front of a staggering field of 20,000 frantic fans, Harrison completely broke down on stage, later sharing a teary-eyed video of the exact moment he realized the sheer weight of his meteoric rise had physically compromised his mental health.

“Lately I have felt so disconnected from everything,” Harrison told the massive crowd. “I have been trying my best to wake up every day. I have felt in pain a lot and I don’t know why for a long time. But every time I find your faces… I know that I belong somewhere. To feel safe from the outside world is something that I can never thank you enough for.”

Taking to Instagram on July 1, 2026, to address the viral video layout, Harrison made a startling admission about the modern music industry’s relentless velocity. He revealed that immediately after stepping off the stage elated, he suffered a massive, isolated breakdown in his dressing room shower. He explicitly noted that modern artists are moving so quickly that they are structurally blocked from navigating or processing critical emotional trauma, both good and bad.

We Also Recommend – “Shut the F*** Up”: mgk Slams ‘Pinocchio’ Yungblud in Savage, Deleted Social Media Attack

The Plant Discourse: Silencing MGK and Ronnie Radke

Harrison’s raw statement addressed the toxic narrative that his career is a manufactured corporate product—an ongoing allegation highly weaponized by mainstream rock rivals. Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) previously ignited a bitter feud by claiming Harrison canceled a recent tour layout due to low ticket sales rather than health concerns, branding him a “silver spooned preachy wanker.”

Similarly, Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke took massive public shots on social platforms, writing that Harrison was nothing more than a “Silicon Valley tech CEO funded punk rock liberator,” while The Darkness singer Justin Hawkins has maintained continuous public skepticism.

Harrison directly targeted the internet hate machine and validating media headlines that recently pointed out: “Yungblud isn’t an industry plant. The internet just missed the grind.”

“The amount of hate and disbelief around me from strangers on the internet or bitter musicians really weighs on my heart,” Harrison wrote. “When things appear to happen so quickly and you get millions of eyes upon you… of course it feels unbelievable, of course it feels disingenuous, of course it feels inauthentic. We relish in a journey together that started nearly 10 years ago in a 100-seater venue upstairs in Amsterdam.”

Check This Out – MGK Confirms Yungblud Diss: “That S*** Hurt Me”—The Betrayal Behind “FIX UR FACE” Revealed

Thrash Metal Legends Step up to Validate the Grind

While mainstream alternative pop-punk figures continue to trade toxic barbs, the foundational masters of heavy thrash metal have stepped directly into the line of fire to defend Harrison’s live legitimacy. Earlier this year, YUNGBLUD secured his first-ever Grammy win for Best Rock Performance following an explosive collaborative live cover of Black Sabbath’s “Changes” at the high-profile Back To The Beginning concert event.

Following his emotional statement, Anthrax icon Scott Ian publicly validated Harrison’s elite status, writing:

“I stood side stage at BTTB and watched you breathe rarified air the way you elevated Changes. You’ve earned it all Dom. Cheers brother.”

Exodus and Slayer guitar legend Gary Holt aggressively backed Ian’s tracking analysis, obliterating the “manufactured” narrative by focusing entirely on Harrison’s raw capability to win over the world’s most unforgiving metal subcultures:

“An industry plant cannot do what you did at Back to the beginning,” Holt asserted bluntly. “Genuine and real and convinced a horde of headbangers of this. Not easy to do.”

With Harrison confirming plans to step away into a temporary hibernation period over the coming months to prioritize heavy personal internal work, his metal-validated legacy remains fully protected against the digital noise of online critics.

 

 

 

 

 

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FAQ: YUNGBLUD Industry Plant Controversy

Why is YUNGBLUD being called an industry plant? Rivals like MGK and Ronnie Radke have alleged his rapid global rise and massive commercial footprint are the result of corporate tech financing rather than authentic grassroots artist development.

What metal musicians defended YUNGBLUD? Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and Exodus/Slayer guitarist Gary Holt both publicly backed him, stating his elite performance at the Back To The Beginning event proved his undeniable authenticity.

What caused YUNGBLUD’s onstage emotional breakdown? Harrison suffered an emotional release during his headlining set at BLUDFEST Czechia, later detailing severe mental health struggles brought on by relentless industry pacing and continuous internet hate.

Also Recommended – Dave Mustaine Warns Yungblud About All His Collaborations: “Either Take a Break, Or Find Something Else”

TL;DR

• The Statement: YUNGBLUD has broken his silence on Instagram regarding his deteriorating mental health and continuous industry plant allegations.
• The Flashpoint: The singer suffered a major emotional breakdown on stage at BLUDFEST in Czechia after tracking a massive, high-velocity touring schedule.
• The Feuds: High-profile mainstream rock figures like MGK and Ronnie Radke have continuously slammed him as a manufactured corporate product.
• The Defense: Thrash metal icons Scott Ian (Anthrax) and Gary Holt (Exodus) have aggressively come to his defense, validating his undeniable talent and raw live grind.

The lines are officially drawn, the old-school metal gatekeepers have spoken, and YUNGBLUD’s authentic position in alternative rock history is proving completely bulletproof against online cynics.

What is your honest assessment of the continuous “industry plant” allegations targeting YUNGBLUD? Do you agree with thrash icons Scott Ian and Gary Holt that his raw performance abilities completely validate his massive success, or are you tracking this situation aligned with the critical perspectives of MGK and Ronnie Radke? Sound off with your tracking thoughts, festival reviews, and commentary below!

The post YUNGBLUD Explodes Over Insulting ‘Industry Plant’ Allegations After Emotional Onstage Breakdown appeared first on Loaded Radio.

(written by Islander) Maniacally savage and also macabre. A vicious killing spree, but trading off with chords of groaning menace and otherworldly agony. Ruthlessly bludgeoning but also parting interdimensional veils with melodies of hideous and haunting splendor. Those were among our thoughts about the debut album from a group of young Norwegian marauders who took […]

The post AN NCS PREMIERE: HORRIFIER — “BODY HOARDER” appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.

They set new standards in long-form recording – both culturally and commercially. Continue reading…

Gary Holt, David Draiman, Robb Flynn, Mille Petrozza, Nonpoint and more pay tribute to late metal guitarist and bassist Shaun Glass. Continue reading…

Singer reflects on the challenge of being away from kids as they grow up. Continue reading…

Harker have revealed that they are going to be releasing a new album later in the year, adding more layers to their heart-on-sleeve punk legacy.

It’s set to be titled ‘All That Remains’ and will be released on October 02 via Disconnect Disconnect. It’s the band’s first full-length since 2021’s ‘Axiom’, with the years inbetween littered with plenty of standalone singles.

The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is more like this:

1. Violent Delights
2. Redacted
3. Hell Knows When
4. Last Day On Earth
5. I Ruin Everything
6. End On End
7. Back To That
8. No Radio
9. Playing With A Demon
10. Dislocation
11. Palms
12. Athena

The previously unleashed ‘Redacted’ and ‘I Ruin Everything’ can be heard now, as can the freshly released ‘Dislocation’. A incessantly catchy, gruff, thoughtful piece of melodic sensibility, it’s a track all about admitting that the way you deal with the noises in your head may not be the best or safest way to go. It’s an open and honest portrayal of mental health, one that many will find solace within.

Vocalist/guitarist Mark Boniface had this to say about where the song stemmed from:

“One of the things I used to do a lot in my twenties was drive at night. I’d wake at 3am for no reason and it would be the only way to calm my head. I think I did it a lot as I felt like I had no one to share my negative thoughts with. I have to acknowledge I would have had a lot fewer problems if I just spoke to a therapist or friend. The line ‘stuck between stations’ is a nod to The Hold Steady. Thanks guys for always helping me out on the hardest journeys.”

The band will be hitting the road for a tour over the course of a few months around when the album drops, and here is where you will be able to see them:

SEPTEMBER

10 – BRISTOL Exchange
11 – NEWPORT Le Pub
12 – BOURNEMOUTH Ripper Fest

OCTOBER

09 – BRIGHTON The Prince Albert
15 – NOTTINGHAM The Grove
16 – HUDDERSFIELD Amped
17 – YORK One For The Road

NOVEMBER

13 – LONDON Hope & Anchor
17 – CANTERBURY Lady Luck

The post Harker Announce New Album ‘All That Remains’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Outspoken rap-rock and country star Kid Rock has dropped a massive bombshell regarding his highly tight-knit, long-running personal friendship with U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Sitting down for a brand-new, televised interview with Sky News Australia, the multi-platinum musician candidly pulled back the curtain on their unrestricted relationship, revealing that calling the leader of the free world acts as his ultimate personal late-night party trick.

THE POLITICAL ROCK TIMELINE: RITCHIE & TRUMP MATRIX

“He Always Picks Up”: The Late-Night Drinking Routine

The shocking revelations emerged during a one-hour travelogue feature titled Trump’s America: 250 Years in the Making, where host Paul Murray asked the musician—born Bob Ritchie—what it is genuinely like to have a close personal “buddy that’s running the world”. Ritchie laughed off the gravity of the query, labeling the scenario “fucking awesome” before explaining how he exploits Trump’s famous late-night insomnia to shock his drinking buddies.

“…It’s one of my late-night drinking tricks,” Ritchie openly confessed. “‘Cause I know when to get him. And he’s so gracious. He always picks up. Or he’ll call and check in, just to shoot the shit most of the time. He’s not calling me to, like, ‘Hey, what should we do in Iran, Bob?’ I don’t get those calls. But I was sitting around having some beers. It’s, like, 11:00, 12:00 on a Friday or Saturday.”

Ritchie further elaborated on the casual nature of dialing the White House switcher after a few drinks:

“I know he’s up. He sleeps like me — he sleeps like five hours. And I’ll be, like, ‘Hey, let’s call the President and bullshit.’ And people will be, like, ‘What?’ And he’ll be, like, ‘Hey, Bob, what’s up?’ And blah, blah, blah. It’s the best. I enjoy the hell out of hanging out with him and talking with him and just having a front-row seat to the greatest show on Earth.”

We Also Recommend – Kid Rock’s AI Abraham Lincoln Reveal: The “Freedom 250” Visual That Has History Buffs Seething

Business Mindsets and Military Helicopters: Reversing the Suspensions

Beyond simply shooting the breeze, Ritchie fiercely defended Trump’s business background against long-standing media critics, stating that the President’s “heart and soul” concern remains entirely anchored in an America First philosophy.

This direct proximity to the commander-in-chief has yielded immense real-world perks for the country-rock icon. Earlier this year, a massive scandal erupted after two military AH-64 Apache helicopters performed an unauthorized flyby and hovered directly over Ritchie’s expansive estate.

The U.S. Army initially launched a rigorous administrative review and suspended the pilots involved for violating aviation safety protocols and FAA regulations. However, the administration immediately stepped in. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth bypassed standard channels to abruptly drop the entire investigation and reinstate the aircrew, prompting Ritchie to brag online, “I think they’re gonna be alright, my buddy’s the commander-in-chief.”

To hammer home the alliance, Hegseth and Ritchie recently recorded a high-profile promotional video package together, flying in separate Apache gunships out of Fort Belvoir for a White House-led initiative. The stunt drew fierce condemnation from political opponents like California Governor Gavin Newsom, who publicly questioned why taxpayers were footing the bill to fly the rock star around on multi-million dollar military machines.

Check This Out – THE MIDDLE FINGER: Kid Rock Taunts Critics By Using Controversial Apache Flyby To Open ‘Freedom 250’ Tour

The North Korea Security Security Breach

This isn’t the first time Ritchie’s direct access to government assets has triggered security alarms. Back in 2022, during a candid interview with Fox News, the singer drew intense heat from intelligence officials after admitting that Trump had openly shown him classified military maps. According to Ritchie, the President explicitly asked for his raw perspective on foreign policy, asking, “What do you think we should do about North Korea?”

With Ritchie actively headlining massive dates on the traveling Rock the Country festival circuit, his status as the premier cultural conduit to the current administration ensures his front-row seat to the political theater remains completely uninterrupted.

FAQ: Kid Rock & Donald Trump Interview Details

What did Kid Rock say about calling Donald Trump? Kid Rock revealed that he calls President Trump late at night on weekends while drinking with friends, noting that Trump regularly answers the phone to catch up and talk.

What happened with the military helicopters at Kid Rock’s house? Two Army Apache helicopters performed a flyby over his residence, resulting in the crew’s suspension. Secretary Pete Hegseth personally intervened hours later to lift the suspensions and cancel the investigation.

Did Kid Rock actually view classified government maps? Yes. In a 2022 Fox News broadcast, Kid Rock claimed that Trump showed him secret maps and asked for his personal advice regarding North Korea.

Also – Kid Rock Makes Billboard History With First No. 1 On Hot Christian Songs Chart

TL;DR

• The Trick: Kid Rock confessed on Sky News Australia that he uses calling Donald Trump as a late-night drinking trick to shock his friends.
• The Access: He claims Trump regularly answers his weekend calls to shoot the breeze, giving him an unparalleled front-row seat to the administration.
• The Scandal: Rock recently escaped a military probe after Secretary Pete Hegseth reversed the suspensions of Army pilots who flew Apaches over his house.
• The Backstory: The singer previously raised security alarms in 2022 by revealing Trump asked for his advice while looking at classified North Korea maps.

The phone lines are active, the administration connections are completely locked in, and Kid Rock continues to dominate mainstream news cycles far outside the boundaries of standard rock journalism.

What is your honest assessment of Kid Rock’s direct late-night hotline to the President? Do you find his candid drinking tricks and personal military helicopter rides highly entertaining, or do you feel this level of casual access to government leadership poses a legitimate security concern? Sound off with your tracking thoughts, political reviews, and commentary below!

The post Kid Rock Exposes The Outrageous Perks Of Having A Front-Row Seat To The President’s World appeared first on Loaded Radio.

Year two of the Run For Your Lives World Tour saw Iron Maiden play the Live Is Live Festival in Antwerp. This marked the band’s 31st performance in Belgium and came one week after their show at the Paris La Défense Arena, where a total power cut in the building brought everything to a sudden stop.

Iron Maiden

Live Is Live Festival, Antwerp – 29 June 2026

Words And Photography: Dennis De Loor

The mission for this evening was clear. Deliver a seventeen-song celebration marking Iron Maiden’s fiftieth anniversary. Every song in the setlist originated from the band’s first nine studio albums, although one notable omission deserves mentioning. Not a single track from No Prayer for the Dying made the cut.

Since last year, Iron Maiden have replaced their traditional stage backdrops with large LED screens, and it must be said that the visuals work exceptionally well without ever becoming overwhelming.

During the concert’s introduction, accompanied by The Ides Of March, the audience was taken on a visual journey through East London, passing Steve Harris’ childhood home, the famous Cart & Horses pub, widely regarded as Iron Maiden’s birthplace, and numerous other references guaranteed to delight devoted Maiden fans.

Unfortunately, the low evening sun made many of these impressive visuals difficult to appreciate.

The opening trio of Murders In The Rue Morgue, Wrathchild and Killers paid tribute to the Paul Di’Anno era. Since his passing in 2024, we will probably never know whether there had once been plans for him to join the band for selected performances during this anniversary tour. One can only imagine what an unforgettable moment that would have been.

One thing that certainly stood out was the remarkable progress made by new drummer Simon Dawson. Whereas Phantom Of The Opera occasionally showed some rough edges last year, the entire performance this time was delivered with razor-sharp precision.

The same, however, cannot be said for Bruce Dickinson’s French. It remains something of a mystery why he insists on addressing the crowd in French, both in France and in Belgium.

Following the crowd-pleaser The Number Of The Beast, it was time for this year’s welcome addition to the setlist. Infinite Dreams is making its return after last being performed in 1988 and replacing The Clairvoyant.

Next came three songs from the legendary Powerslave album, with Rime Of The Ancient Mariner providing both the musical and visual highlight of the evening. The only disappointment was the absence of fireworks during the song’s dramatic finale.

The classics Run To The Hills and The Trooper followed. During the latter, Iron Maiden’s legendary mascot Eddie made his customary appearance, wildly swinging his sabre as the crowd roared with approval.

Considering Bruce Dickinson’s medical history, it remains astonishing how much power and endurance his voice still possesses. His sustained high notes during Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son and Hallowed Be Thy Name were nothing short of remarkable.

The encore consisted of Aces High, Fear of the Dark and the immensely popular Wasted Years, written by Adrian Smith following the exhausting Powerslave tour.

Overall, Iron Maiden delivered exactly what generations of fans have come to expect over the past fifty years. A performance that was consistent, reliable, energetic and utterly uncompromising.

With the tour building towards EDDFEST, Iron Maiden will now finish the forthcoming live film at Knebworth. “You all know what happened in Paris, we all know what happened in Paris,” Steve Harris said, “so we’re gonna finish it off at Knebworth, and we’ll see you there.” 

Bruce Dickinson added, “We’re not going to lose what we did in Paris, but we’re going to add to it with some amazing stuff from Knebworth. So Knebworth, be on ya best behaviour.”

EDDFEST will host the Infinite Dreams Museum featuring the iconic pharaoh’s head from the World Slavery Tour, Eddie’s ray-gun from 1986’s Somewhere On Tour, the X-Factor electric chair, tank commander Eddie from the A Matter of Life & Death Tour, Baphomet from Number Of The Beast, the Phantom Of The Opera organ from the Maiden England tour, and personal band mementoes from Paul Di’Anno onwards.

“We’ve raided Eddie’s Archive, Steve’s garden and our very own offices, warehouses and homes to bring you some actual pieces of our history!,” Rod Smallwood said. Full details are at IronMaiden.com.

While Knebworth and EDDFEST are still to come, tonight’s celebrations were very much part of the same golden anniversary story. MetalTalk will have a report from the full Live Is Live Festival shortly, where 40,000 Metalheads had an extraordinary day under a pleasant summer sun.

As for this reviewer, Antwerp was more than just another date on the setlist. I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude for having been able to fulfil a personal dream, while also paying tribute to the countless fans who patiently spend hours waiting in all kinds of weather for the chance to see their favourite band.

I salute you and UP THE IRONS!

The post Iron Maiden Celebrate 50 Years Of Metal Majesty In Antwerp As Knebworth Filming Confirmed first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

As impressive as Metallica already were when they came screeching out of the Bay Area in the early 80s, few could have possibly predicted the journey that their story would eventually take them on. From the early drama of Dave Mustaine’s dismissal to the gutting tragedy of losing Cliff Burton; from the shocking change in direction as the 90s dawned and eventual rise to the very top of the heavy metal tree; through breakdowns, fights, feuds, blockbuster movies and boundary-pushing experiments, theirs is a career like no other.

With most recent LP 72 Seasons now firmly bedded into their considerable back catalogue, we decided to rank every single Metallica studio album from worst to best. In the interest of keeping things straightforward and fair, we didn’t include the S&M live albums or their classic covers album Garage Inc, nor their bold but divisive Lulu experiment with Lou Reed. Here, then, is how Metallica’s main discography stacks up.

11. St Anger (2003)

Is it predictable that St Anger is rock bottom of another list like this? Yup. Is it still justified? Sadly, still yup. Metallica’s most hated album is far from the complete write-off many would have you believe; Frantic and the title track still go hard, songs like Invisible Kid and cult fan fave Dirty Window could have been world class with more work and the countrified re-dub of All Within My Hands the band have experimented with in recent years shows there’s a decent little song hiding under there.

Of course, none of that can cover for compositions that feel messy and disjointed and one of the most infamously disastrous production jobs in metal history. Artistically, St Anger is an interesting chapter in Metallica’s career at least: a raw, ugly cry from a band on the edge. Musically? This just ain’t it, no matter how you try to paint it.

10. Reload (1997)

When Reload hits the mark, it does so in style. Fuel might be basic as hell, but it remains a wonderfully simple, full-throttle burst of heavy metal adrenaline; The Memory Remains packs not just one but two of Metallica’s most earwormy moments (both its iconic chorus and Marianne Faithfull’s ‘Da da da daaa da, da daaaa’ refrain); The Unforgiven II is a more than worthy sequel to its predecessor and an outstanding power ballad in its own right.

That all said, Metallica’s confidence in their leftover material at this time was just a tad too optimistic, because Load’s sequel is packing way too much filler. James Hetfield’s wonderful lyrical streak was at least still in full flow, but even he wasn’t enough to save Reload from feeling largely unnecessary.

9. Death Magnetic (2008)

Critics were delighted with Metallica’s return to more traditional heavy metal fare (and solos!) when Death Magnetic arrived five years after the spectacular misfire of St Anger. In the cold light of day, it’s undoubtedly superior to its predecessor, featuring some full-on metal bangers (That Was Just Your Life, Cyanide) and two genuinely great power ballads in The Day That Never Comes and the severely underrated The Unforgiven III. Unfortunately, Death Magnetic as a whole is held back by two pressing issues.

Firstly, while a clear improvement on St Anger, the production is poor, Lars’ drums still sounding like they were recorded using kitchen utensils. Secondly, and not for the first or last time, many of the songs just go too long. The End Of The Line, All Nightmare Long and The Judas Kiss are all solid tracks pulled down by meandering riff repetition, while forgettable instrumental Suicide & Redemption feels particularly self-indulgent at a whopping ten minutes. Decent, but far from a classic.

8. Hardwired…To Self-Destruct (2016)

Hardwired…To Self-Destruct was both a refreshing reminder of Metallica’s ability to pen top-tier metal hits and frustrating further evidence of the problems that come with their now trademark lack of self-restraint. The first half of the record in particular is filled with killer material, from the pulsating thrash assault of Hardwired and Moth Into Flame to the groovy, Load-ish power of Now That We’re Dead and epic, anthemic closing moments of Halo On Fire.

The second half, however, is a big letdown, the likes of Confusion, Am I Savage, ManUNkind and Murder One largely plodding and toothless (a particular shame given the latter’s status as a tribute to the legendary Lemmy Kilmister). Luckily, Spit Out The Bone turns up right at the end to finish things on a big high. What a rager.

7. 72 Seasons (2023)

For the third time in a row, Metallica put out an album that was solid as hell and packing plenty of great moments, but a little bogged down by a lack of incisive editing and at least a couple of tracks that just didn’t quite measure up. What can’t be in any doubt, however, is that 72 Seasons is the best-sounding Metallica album in over 25 years, the likes of its rollocking title track, the triumphant Lux Æterna and majestic album-closer Inamorata sounding truly stadium-sized under the bedded-in fingers of Greg Fidelman.

Papa Het’s voice also has no right sounding this good this far into his career, the band’s talismanic frontman bellowing like a vengeful mountain god during the pounding If Darkness Had A Son. A couple of minutes snipped off here and there and a little more ambition on the musical side of things and this could have been special. As it is, 72 Seasons is still pretty damn decent.

6. Load (1996)

Throwing caution to the wind following the absurd success of The Black Album and confirming that their thrash metal days were well and truly behind them (at least for now), Load saw Metallica dip their toes into everything from grunge to alt-rock to country. The result is a deeply fascinating record that unquestionably features some of the Four Horsemen’s most boldly realised leaps of faith; both the emotional Bleeding Me and album-closing epic The Outlaw Torn remain deservedly thought of as two of the most compelling compositions of the band’s entire career.

There are missteps for sure, and it’s a little too long overall, but for many, Load remains the point where Metallica were still truly blazing their own trail and letting ambition guide their creative impulses. It also features some of Hetfield’s most impactful lyrics, his introspective self-dissection reaching a new level of insight and raw vulnerability.

5. Kill ‘Em All (1983)

Metallica would become far more layered and sophisticated in their songwriting as the 80s wore on, but even four-plus decades later, there’s still something so primal and satisfying about Kill ‘Em All’s snotty, ‘fuck-you’ attitude and relentless, proto-thrash assault. Smashing together Messrs Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton and Hammett’s love of punk rock fury and NWOBHM might with the subtlety of a brick to the groin (with some not inconsiderable help from a certain Mr Mustaine), the quartet kickstarted a movement and produced one of heavy metal’s all-time great debut albums in the process.

It’s easy to overlook just how stacked with classic ‘Tallica cuts Kill ‘Em All is, too: Hit The Lights, The Four Horsemen, Motorbreath, Whiplash, Seek & Destroy…plenty of bands could release all that, call it a day and consider their career a job well done. Incredibly, Metallica were only just getting started.

4. …And Justice For All (1988)

Depending who you ask, …Justice is for all intents and purposes the last of Metallica’s ‘thrash’ records, but sees the band turning their backs on the short, sharp shock stylings they had embraced with their debut in favour of the more epic fare that had become their bread-and-butter. The loss of bassist Cliff Burton can be felt keenly, not least in the controversial decision to completely flatten the mix of newcomer Jason Newsted’s contributions, but also in the subtle shifts away from more classical-leaning compositions that Burton had contributed to the band’s sound.

In its place is an almost prog-like approach to song structure, Metallica effectively crafting their own metallic symphonies with even the more straight-ahead fare of Blackened, …And Justice For All and The Frayed Ends Of Sanity having multiple movements and segments. Fans might still clamour for Justice For Jason, but …AJFA shows just how hard Metallica were fighting to reinvent themselves and push their artistry to new levels, towering ballad One awarding them a level of MTV-friendly success that few of their contemporaries have ever been able to match, certainly never surpass.

3. The Black Album (1991)

Responding to the overly-ornate compositions of their previous album, Metallica ground their sound into its essential dust on The Black Album, producing one of the best-selling records of all-time in the process. The band didn’t lose their thrash entirely – Through The Never and Holier Than Thou have the same bulldozer-through-a-China-shop power that Master Of Puppets used so excellently, while the likes of Sad But True, Enter Sandman and Wherever I May Roam deliver an enormity and instantly gratifying sound that better suited the arenas they were now playing.

Even with that, the band also found a whole new universe of depth and artistry with huge ballads like The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters, the latter even setting the stage for the band’s orchestral S&M thanks to some sublime arrangements by Michael Kamen. Naysayers might point to The Black Album as the point where Metallica stopped being Our Band, but therein lies the rub: Metallica were always too ambitious, too commercial and just too damn big to be satisfied with being the biggest fish in a small pond.

2. Ride The Lightning (1984)

There’s still a youthful rawness to …Lightning that captures the sparks flying between a youthful Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton and Hammett, the band already extricating themselves from their peers by sheer dint of having the finest songs and most ambitious compositions around. The album’s title-track is effectively a dry-run for the epic grandeur the band would ride so thoroughly on follow-up Master Of Puppets, while For Whom The Bell Tolls and Creeping Death awarded Metallica their first genuine arena-sized anthems.

There are also moments of respite and reflection; Fade To Black’s anti-suicide ballad might have ruffled feathers with the full-speed-or-nothin’ brigade, but the song’s beautiful composition, reflective lyrics and undeniable breakout headbangable moments showed that they had plenty to say and weren’t afraid to take chances on themselves.

1. Master Of Puppets (1986)

If you drilled down into the atomic structure of heavy metal, the genre’s evolution and its watershed moments, you’d probably find Master Of Puppets embedded at the core. Black Sabbath might have kickstarted the genre almost 16 years earlier, but Metallica codified metal with their third studio album in ways that are evident in the sheer mind-bending number of bands who have professed an undying love for the album over the subsequent decades.

Thrash gone cinematic, Master… refined and reinforced everything Metallica had done with their second album but bigger, better, harder and yes, more metal. From the delirious rampage of Battery to the tooth-gnashing militaristic blows of Disposable Heroes and careening violence of Damage Inc. to the iconic title-track, Metallica never again sounded as all-conquering as they would on Master Of Puppets, slower efforts like The Thing That Should Not Be introducing a sludgy dynamism that showed the band’s toolkit was varied.

Again wetting their beaks with ballad Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Metallica were carrying themselves away from being anybody’s back-up to instead be absolute champions in their own right. A tour with Ozzy Osbourne helped cement them as metal’s Hot New Things and even the tragedy of the crash that took bassist Cliff Burton couldn’t slow the unstoppable machine the band had set into motion by writing an album so undeniably massive and untouchable that it basically created a division between themselves and just about every other metal hopeful at that point.

A serious contender for the greatest metal album of all time, it’s no overstatement that the spirit of Master echoes in everything from Machine Head’s The Blackening to Gojira’s Magma and just about any other grandiose, epic metal effort put to tape. You can all rest easy: the Master is here.

When Silent Planet unveiled the routing for their summer 2026 European tour, fans were shocked to see dates in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Lviv set for June 20 and 21. The Cali metalcore band were going to become the first American musicians to play the war-torn country since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022: an endeavour so seemingly dangerous that no touring van company let them hire a vehicle. Now home following the trek, singer Garrett Russell sits down with Hammer to talk about what it was like – and why he thinks more artists should follow suit.

What made you want to play those two shows in Ukraine?

“I think the whole world watched in horror in February 2022, when Russia started invading. One of my best friends actually lives in Ukraine with his wife and two kids. Off the bat, I had that personal connection that made it even more visceral, I guess. And I’ve always been fascinated by Ukraine. I wrote about the Holodomor [for 2025 single Wick], which is when the Russians came in [in 1932] and caused a massive famine by taking all the grain and all the food. I’m inspired by the fortitude of the Ukrainian people”

What was the response when you announced the tour plans? Did anyone advise you against going?

“Some people we work with were concerned. None of the van companies would let us take their vans to Ukraine, because I guess they have policies against going to places that are considered warzones. The Ukrainian folks picked us up in Warsaw and drove us in.”

Warsaw to Kyiv is a 10-hour drive…

“It is quite the drive, to be honest, but we stopped in several beautiful small towns. We stopped in this idyllic restaurant that had incredible art on the wall. You see moments of the violence, but the way that they do and don’t react to bomb sirens and stuff is really interesting.”

What do you mean?

“The first day, when we were in Kyiv, we got all the gear in and they started plugging everything in, and I hadn’t eaten all day. I went to this grocery store and, as I’m walking out, Oleksandra – our tour manager, an amazing person – was like, ‘There you are! All the band’s in the bomb shelter!’ There was an air alert: a couple of Russian drones were flying over Kyiv. I checked my phone and there were 50 texts, like, ‘Where the fuck are you?!’ But you look around and no one seems concerned, and there’s supposedly an explosive drone somewhere over town. The danger is very real, but there’s also kind of a casual approach that people take to it.”

How does it make you feel, that something like that has become ‘normal’?

“In the middle of Kyiv, there are flags for every dead Ukrainian soldier. You could spend all day counting and you wouldn’t get through a 10th of them. You see crying mothers. When I came across this piece of pro-Russian, American, right-wing propaganda [after I got home], I felt this hatred come up in me that was new. It was more than ‘I disagree with you’; it was rage this time.”

How many sirens went off during your short time over there?

“Three. The second night we were at our hotel in Kyiv, we got woken up by one, so we went down to the bomb shelter. Then we went back to bed, and apparently there was another bomb warning that same night but I just slept through it. My bandmates went back down, so they basically didn’t sleep the night after the first show.”

There are flags for every dead Ukrainian soldier. You could spend all day counting and you wouldn’t get through a 10th of them.

Were you ever legitimately scared for your safety?

“The day before we went into Ukraine, Ukraine landed a huge blow to Russian oil infrastructure [drones attacked a Moscow oil refinery on June 18]. All of us received messages saying that Moscow is going to retaliate. Oleksandra explained to us the reality: from the outside looking in, you see ‘Ukraine does something, Moscow retaliates’, but it’s a war. If one side could land a bigger blow than the other, they would.”

You’re the first American band to play Ukraine since the war started. How does that make you feel?

“It makes me sad. What breaks my heart is bands have been playing Moscow for the last few years, and getting paid really well to do it, and it seems fucked-up that the country getting invaded by Moscow is not getting shows because of Moscow.”

It was probably the first time most of the people in those crowds had seen an international metal band in four-and-a-half years. The gigs themselves must have been wild.

“They really were. I was wandering around Kyiv before the show, and it felt like, every other street I was on, someone was on their way to the gig. We would hug and chat, and they’d tell me what they’ve been through. There was one gentleman [named Michael] who lost his leg in the war.”

You wrote about him on social media. Didn’t he crowd-surf?

“Yeah! Apparently his wheelchair broke because he was going so crazy, but he had a really good time. There were quite a few people who were in the military and got a day or two’s leave to catch the show. A lot of people at the show were still actively fighting Russia, or, in some cases, like Michael, were wounded and not serving anymore.”

Bands have been playing Moscow for the last few years, and the country getting invaded by Moscow is not getting shows

Would you urge other international artists to play Ukraine?

“Yeah. I really do believe, in the scheme of things, it’s safe. Touring is inherently dangerous: we went through a van flip [in November 2022] and my back’s not been the same since. I think a tour across the United States between November and February is probably more dangerous than going to Ukraine.”

So you want to go back?

“Oh, yes! We were already chatting with them about the possibility of returning next summer.”

Silent Planet will play Inkcarceration festival in Mansfield, Ohio on July 19 and support The Amity Affliction across the UK and Europe from September to October. Get tickets now.

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