Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness
Unchained Vengeance ride into battle with *Unbound and Unforgiving*, a debut forged in the fires of classic epic heavy metal. Former Vicious Rumors vocalist Nick Courtney joins forces with multi-instrumentalist Nick Wusz for a storm of galloping riffs, commanding vocals and sword-wielding grandeur, where every chorus feels like a war cry.
Italian heavy metal veterans Skanners are back with *Midnight Call*, bringing over four decades of metal heritage into another defiant chapter. Forged in the spirit of the ’80s, their return promises old-school steel, thunderous energy and the kind of uncompromising attitude that never goes out of fashion.
Cirith Ungol rise from the shadows once again, dragging their unmistakable brand of epic heavy metal through a wasteland of doom, madness and apocalyptic visions. *All the Shadows*, their seventh studio album, is a dark and defiant return from California’s legendary metal warriors, with Tim Baker’s haunting voice still leading the charge.
Genre: Heavy Metal
Country of origin (band): Italy
Year of release: 2026
THE TRACY G. GROUP come in heavy on “Makkinagedoom”, a dark slab of doom-soaked heavy metal built on filthy riffs, grinding grooves and Fabiano Negri’s powerful vocals. It sounds like the spirit of Tracy G’s DIO years dragged through a modern scrapyard and wired back to life.
Australian hard rockers MYSTERY return with “Out For Blood”, sounding tougher, sharper and noticeably more mature than the teenage firebrands who first appeared back in 2013. The hooks are still huge, but now there is more weight behind the riffs and a darker edge underneath the polish.
Nearly three decades of American heavy metal are packed into “Best Of The Witch”, a 27-track career-spanning collection personally assembled by guitarist Jack Frost. Fully remastered, the set runs from the band’s early power-metal fire to darker, heavier later material without losing that unmistakable SEVEN WITCHES steel.
ARMORED SAINT return with “Emotion Factory Reset”, sounding less like veterans protecting a legacy and more like a band still itching for another fight. The riffs are thick, John Bush sounds ferocious, and the whole record carries that rare mix of old-school steel and lived-in confidence.
French heavy metallers LORD GALLERY finally unleash their first full-length with “Insurrection”, a record forged from galloping riffs, high-flying vocals and unapologetic old-school steel. There is nothing polite about it — this is leather-jacket heavy metal with one boot planted firmly in the early ’80s.
Calgary metallers THE ASTRAL PROPHETS launch their first full-length with “Invasion”, an eight-track blast of groove, power and cosmic heavy metal. Big riffs, punchy bass, soaring hooks and sci-fi atmosphere turn the album into something that feels halfway between a battle cruiser and a biker bar in deep space.