Metal Hammer UK

Future PLC, 121 - 141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, London, W2 6JR Web: www.metalhammer.com Letters: metalhammer@futurenet.com Editorial Editor Eleanor Goodman eleanor.goodman@futurenet.com Production Editor Vanessa Thorpe vanessa.thorpe@futurenet.com Reviews Editor Jonathan Selzer jonathan.selzer@futurenet.com Art Editor Louise Brock louise.brock@futurenet.com Associate Editor Dave Everley dave.everley@futurenet.com Staff Writer Rich Hobson rich.hobson@futurenet.com Content Director – Music Scott Rowley Contributors Steve Appleford, Robert Arellano, Oliver Badin, Adam Brennan, Richard Chamberlain, Chris Chantler, Alec Chillingworth, Joe Daly, Hywel Davies, Remfry Dedman, Alex Deller, Jerry Ewing, Paris Fawcett, Spencer Grady, Stephen Hill, Emma Johnston, Tyler Damara Kelly, Hannah May Kilroy, Dom Lawson, Elliot Leaver, Dannii Leivers, Dave Ling, Clay Marshall, Will Marshall, Sophie Maughan, Edwin McFee, Joel McIver, Matt Mills, Mörat, Catherine Morris, Tom O’Boyle, Alastair Riddell, Liz Scarlett, Rosie Esther Solomon, Kevin Stewart-Panko, Paul Travers, James Weaver, Christina Wenig,…

WHEN IT CAME to choosing this month’s cover, we couldn’t decide between Sabaton and Babymetal – so we did them both! Four years ago, Sabaton frontman Joakim Brodén guested on Babymetal song Oh! MAJINAI – and now his band are set to take them out on a UK arena tour come April. In anticipation of that tour, we flew to both bands’ home countries to witness their live shows in person. In Sweden, Sabaton took over Visby, a village on an actual island known for its former battles, old churches and medieval re-enactments. In Japan, just 30 miles from Tokyo, Babymetal returned from their hiatus with two high-gloss, high-octane shows full of big reveals. We also grilled them about their new album, The Other One, and that potential third member.…

MANNEQUINS OF A young Papa Nihil and his Nameless Ghouls went on display during a Ghost pop-up event at LA’s legendary Whisky A Go Go. The installation was designed to represent the band’s ‘first gig’ at the venue, back when Nihil was their singer in the 60s. In reality, it was a celebration of the band’s 2019 EP, Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic, which features Kiss The Go-Goat and the now-viral Mary On A Cross. In true Ghost fashion, the museumstyle event, held on February 1, was equal parts mysterious and ridiculous, with exhibits of their ‘history’ ranging from a napkin sketch of the first Ghost logo to a still of a Scooby-Doo episode featuring Papa. The dummies of the Nameless Ghouls and the young Nihil were overseen by a…

YOU MAY THINK it’s strange that Moby – writer of the kind of chill-out anthems you might hear in a spa – has made a documentary about hardcore punk and vegan activism. He’s aware of this. In his documentary, Punk Rock Vegan Movie, a talking dog (yes, really) asks him the question: “If you make pretty Enya music, then why are you making a punk rock movie?” “These genres of music that are usually seen as being the most aggressive, the heaviest, the loudest… they’re also the most conscious,” the 57-year-old explains to Hammer today. “There are way more activist punk rockers and metal musicians than there are indie rockers, and it’s surprising how people still don’t understand that. I had one friend who said she thought punk was just…

OZZY OSBOURNE HAS RETIRED FROM TOURING… He cancelled the No More Tours 2 run due to ill health, but his team is looking into ways he can still play live. …BUT HE CLEANED UP AT THE GRAMMYS The Ozzman won Best Rock Album for Patient Number 9, and Best Metal Performance for song Degradation Rules. MARGOT ROBBIE IS A DEFENDER OF THE FAITH She defended metal to a sceptical Cate Blanchett on The Graham Norton Show. SOMEONE MIXED UP THE 1975’S MATT HEALY WITH MATT HEAFY But the Trivs man sent “the nicest message” to the fan who erroneously bought a Cameo video from him. SLEEP TOKEN ARE… SEXY? On TikTok, fans have been getting hot under the collar for new single The Summoning. Speaking of which… SKINDRED ARE TIKTOK’S…

SINCE BURSTING ONTO our scene in 2018, Mongolian metallers The Hu have gone from strength to strength, selling out shows around the world and even cracking the charts with their 2019 debut, The Gereg. We sat down with bandleader Gala to talk powerlifting, shamanism, and whether we’ll ever see a Babymetal x The Hu collaboration. At what age did you learn to ride a horse? Jack Dudfield, email “Horseback riding comes easy for us – it probably has something to do with our DNA. Three-year-olds riding horses are a real thing in Mongolia. I learned to ride before I got into elementary school and it’s my most fun summer memory. Safe riding and handling techniques are essential when we first start, so it’s normally the father’s or elder’s job to…