Tool

Viking-metal mainstays Amon Amarth have entered their unplugged stage. Today (July 8th), and for the first time ever, the Swedish quintet delivered a rustic and entirely acoustically-strummed anthem that they call “Upphaf.” The song chimes into focus with acoustic strums and propulsive, elemental percussion. Above all that, frontman Johan Hegg unearths a craggy, legend-casting croak about “old tales of men I recall from long ago,” including “giants of yore who gave me bread in the days gone by.” A press release further explains that “Upphaf” acts as “an oral history whispered under the shadow of the Allfather, proving [Amon Amarth’s] interest in Oden cuts just as deep by firelight as it does on epic global stages.” You can check out the aesthetically softer but no less epic addition to Amon Amarth’s Norse myth-borne songbook via the music video up above, which finds the band intoning their tale around a campfire. Amon Amarth’s “Upphaf” follows last year’s bombastic, battle-driven and decidedly more electrified “We Rule the Waves” single. Proper details have not yet been shed behind Amon Amarth’s full-length follow-up to 2022’s The Great Heathen Army, but a studio album is in the works. In the meantime, Amon Amarth have a number of upcoming shows on the horizon across Europe. You’ll find the full details on their live schedule here.

The United States of America just celebrated its 250th birthday. A major milestone, for sure, but what’s even wilder to consider is that just over a fifth of the country’s history has been defined, in part, by the sound of metal. From sea-to-shining-sea, the U.S. has produced innumerable artists that have thrown heavy-music fans into a headbanging frenzy for decades. From the thrash trailblazers, to the original gods of hardcore, to the grunge-era greats, to the New Wave of American Heavy Metal and beyond, plenty of iconic stars have shot out of the Land of the Free. But who is the greatest single U.S. metal act of all time? We asked our readers to weigh in on their favorites, and they saluted the top five accordingly. Type O Negative Banded out of the borough of Brooklyn, the Drab Four melded metal gloom, gothic romance and a bit of shock humor into a sound entirely of their own. The unique blend as preserved on classic albums like Bloody Kisses and October Rust transfixed countless listeners around the globe, cementing Type O as one of the premiere U.S. metal acts of their generation. TOOL While TOOL’s mind-boggling progressive complexity seems to exist out of time and space, it’s true that the group got their start in the early Nineties while performing around Los Angeles, California. They quickly astral-projected themselves off the Sunset Strip and into the third eyes of a legion of fans, moving from the moody, synapse-firing explorations of Undertow and Ænima all the way up to 2019’s Fear Inoculum — and hopefully beyond. Slayer Slayer’s music has shown no mercy since the dawn of the Eighties. And the all-out-menacing aesthetic of their catalog — coalescing around thrash-blitzed beats, defiantly off-the-hilt guitar soloing and the incensed, vein-popping scream of bassist Tom Araya — elevated the genre into a new level of extremity. Though their themes could sometimes be Satanic, Slayer also took a tough look at the world around them, casting a critical gaze towards the plight of soldiers out on the battlefield (“Mandatory Suicide”) and the PTSD many have suffered in the aftermath (“Eyes of the Insane”). No matter what topics they took on, the music always hit hard. Pantera For many, the Cowboys of Hell are not just the official soundtrack of Texas — as our readers voted in another recent poll — but one of the biggest pillars of U.S. metal, period. For proof, check the war chest full of all-timers like “Walk,” “Primal Concrete Sledge,” “5 Minutes Alone,” “Cemetery Gates,” “I’m Broken” and so many more. Indeed, once the Lonestate legends pushed past their Power Metal period, they delivered a intensely grooving and exquisitely vulgar series of full-length statements that remain beloved to this day. Replete with Dimebag Darrell’s super-scooped guitar wizardry, Vinnie Paul’s cannon-fire double-kickin’, Rex Brown’s bonesaw bass grooves and Philip Anselmo’s take-no-prisoners bark, the classic lineup was a gamechanger. Truly, an American band like no other. Metallica Give me fuel. Give me fire. Give me liberty or give me death. ‘Tallica are the world’s biggest metal band and have been for decades. Despite having formed in Los Angeles, California, they’ve also been brand ambassadors for the Bay Area thrash uprising of the Eighties, exemplifying the greatest feats of the then-trailblazing sound through a series of classic albums. Metallica have sung of the horrors of war (“One,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls”) and the fight for American liberty (“Don’t Tread on Me”). While U.S. by nature, they continue to rally metalheads around the globe to unite under the borderless banner of heavy metal.

A world-first photography exhibition has opened in Birmingham celebrating the final live solo performance of Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH's original lineup alongside a host of metal artists. Spanning 60 meters at Grand Central, above New Street Station, "Back To The Beginning - The Exhibition" fe...

İstanbul'dan ve yüreğimizin ta içerisinden bir The Gathering geçti...

Lateralus wasn't just the album that redefined Tool - it paved the way for bands like Mastodon and Gojira in the years to come

Daniel Tompkins and Paul Ortiz smash prog together with nu metal on their cathartic self-titled record

A review of Sotera by Junius, available worldwide June 26th via Prosthetic Records.

Here at Revolver, we re always on the hunt for new songs to bang our heads to — indeed, it s a big part of our jobs. With that in mind, here are the tracks released this week in throwback deathcore, heavy duets, cinematic house-metal and more that have been on heavy rotation at Revolver HQ. For your listening pleasure, we ve also compiled the songs in an ever-evolving Spotify playlist. ASAVA Valhalla ASAVA confess that they were partly inspired by the ravenous blood-rave scene in Blade while putting together “Valhalla” — the cinematic metal outfit’s latest preview of their in-the-works Mahjong LP. Indeed, they sink their teeth into a decadent late-night house rhythm for the bulk of the dread-stirring piece. But then the group bring us to the promised land with a late-song eruption of TOOL-ish vocal melodies, djent-mangled detonations and scathing death cries. Like Blade before it, it’s a summer blockbuster no matter how you slice it. Bring Me the Horizon Dehumanized “Time to fucking die.” Bring Me the Horizon go for broke with a monstrous, inhuman ferocity on this old-school deathcore driller inspired by the U.K. act’s early Count Your Blessings era. Landing like a bolt gun to the dome, it’s full of meaty metallic riffage, bloodthirsty breakdowns and lifeforce-pureeing intensity. We expect “Dehumanized” will turn any pit into an all-out abattoir. While Oli Sykes has progressively explored the more melodic side of his voice through decades of experimentalism with BMTH, it’s still a thrill to hear him slay with a nonstop barrage of growls. Dead Poet Society Roach What doesn’t kill you can only make you angrier. L.A. quartet Dead Poet Society explained that their second single of 2026 is “about those who have wronged you, taken advantage of you [or] hurt you,” and letting a resentment fester deep inside you because of their actions. The song is tense and knotted with an oddly danceable dread. Like a resilient cockroach, it skitters out of the light into the darkest recesses of your psyche. And once it invades, it’s never going to leave. I Prevail Amira Elfeky PARADISE Though I Prevail and Amira Elfeky may be looking to take you to “PARADISE,” their collaborative track makes a bunch of twists and turns before you make it to the final destination. A groove-boomed front section back-and-forths between I Prevail vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe’s mightiest roars and Elfeky’s nu-crooned subtlety (the first chorus contrasts the former’s vein-popping “FUCK” with the latter’s super-shushed “you”). The dynamic arrangement also unlocks micro-blasts, moody piano segues and a particularly scorching arpeggio solo. Odds are good they’ll perform this together on an upcoming European tour, and odds are even better that it’ll kill onstage when they do. Loathe Fangs “Fangs” grooves a little smoother than the other hard-edged previews from the U.K. outfit’s incredibly anticipated next album, A Stranger to You. No massive, djent-disruptive breakdowns. No full-fury screams out of frontman Kadeem France. And yet, the track still bangs. The stunner is full of fuzz-forward, R B-adjacent riff runs and impressively yearning vocal performances from both France and guitarist Erik Bickerstaffe. “Fangs” may be a subtler baring of teeth, but it’s still got plenty of bite. Chelsea Wolfe Death Is Not the End We ask that you let Chelsea Wolfe’s latest single wash over you in slow-motion. “Death Is Not the End” moves from a lithe and whispered acoustic intro towards a phosphorescent burble of synths, and then crashes out the speakers with a gloomgaze finale of cascading guitars — courtesy of guest player and Nine Inch Nails live guitarist Robin Finck. Wolfe’s echo-blown philosophizing waxes on transitional states and alternate planes of existence. As she moves towards an impending ninth full-length release, it’s clear that this “Death” is just the beginning of Wolfe’s next era.

Limp Bizkit made sure to pay homage to some of the scenes most influential records in their recent stage set up.

Death metal shredders Psycroptic are debuting a music video for "No Blade of Grass", the latest new single from their upcoming long player The Pulse Of Annihilation.

The elaborate setup sports a fake oversized cassette tapes shouting out classic albums from the worlds of metal, hip-hop, trip hop, punk and more.

Richie Faulkner reveals the band that got him playing after aortic rupture and influenced writing of instrumental about his life-saving experience.

Side long epics, mad concepts and unlikely hit singles – how Canadian visionaries Rush laid down the blueprint for prog metal

The daily lineups have been revealed for this year's Riot Fest, scheduled for September 18th–20th at Douglass Park in Chicago, IL.Purchase tickets here. Twenty One Pilots will headline Friday, Tool will top Sat...

Single day tickets are going on sale this week.

Back onstage last week for the first time since 2015, Rush ended the four-night opening run of their Fifty Something Tour in classic arena-rock style at the Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 13th, full of fire and joy at the chance to perform again. “It’s so fun to play,” singer-bassist Geddy Lee said midway into the show. Guitarist Alex Lifeson, his close friend since they were kids, then made a joke about playing some tunes at the Sizzler around the corner from the Forum. The anxiety for any beloved rock band attempting a return after a long breakup is that time and energy have passed them by, diminishing a once-vibrant unit to nostalgia and dulled inspiration. If age and health helped send Rush into retirement a decade ago, Lee and Lifeson showed little evidence of surrender at the Forum, and played with drive and absolute assurance. The two-hour set sampled every era of the band, and included a barbed take on “The Anarchist,” from the classic trio’s final album, 2012’s Clockwork Angels. With serrated guitar riffs and Lee singing at an aggressive clip, the song carried a borderline punk energy despite its nearly seven-minute length. “Limelight,” from 1981’s Moving Pictures, was Rush distilled to its most direct, with pop hooks amid the complexity. The classic trio — Lee, Lifeson, and drummer (and primary lyricist) Neil Peart — last played together 11 years ago at this same arena, ending the 35-date R40 Tour. It was not billed as a farewell, but became one when Peart announced his retirement months later. Rush’s story then came to a seemingly definitive end in 2020 with Peart’s death from brain cancer. Hugely popular, though rarely adored by critics, Rush embodied a certain strain of prog-rock heroism from 1974’s self-titled album onward: double-neck instruments, glockenspiel, tubular bells and everything else. They were hugely influential on generations of ambitious players, from Primus to Metallica and TOOL. Individually, the surviving band members stayed active. Lee wrote a well-received memoir, 2023’s My Effin’ Life, while Lifeson recorded two albums with Envy of None. But after 40 years of work together, they remained wired to work most naturally within Rush — demonstrated at their rare onstage reunions, including a pair of 2022 tributes to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins in London and L.A. (with Dave Grohl and TOOL’s Danny Carey among those taking turns on drums). By 2024, catching most fans by surprise, Lifeson and Lee casually announced their plan for Rush’s return to the stage. Lifeson’s hair is white now, but otherwise the pair looked much as we last saw them, Lee as ever grinning behind tinted glasses. In the drum seat was Anika Nilles, whose early appearances with Rush have won astonished praise for the younger German drummer. After first attracting attention on YouTube, she landed in Jeff Beck s final touring band in 2022, which then caught Rush’s attention. At the Forum, Nilles was a forceful but also humble presence, smiling after each song but never standing triumphantly behind the kit, leaving the spotlight entirely on Rush’s guitarist and singer-bassist. In that, she was continuing the tradition of Peart himself, who never emerged from behind his drum kit during a concert to bow or wave goodbye with his bandmates up front — that is, until his very last show in 2015. Not surprisingly, there were several moments of remembrance: film clips, anecdotes, words of tribute. “Bravado” unfurled to black-and-white images of Peart at different ages: teenager behind the kit, grown-up with heroic handlebar mustache, and finally prog elder statesman. It was a loud, somber ballad of reflection, with Nilles driving on, Lee dancing in his sneakers, while Lifeson unspooled guitar lines across the arena. For prog true believers, the deep cuts were as essential as the radio standards. So performing “A Farewell to Kings” for the first time since 1979 was more of an event for the hardcore than the always expected “Tom Sawyer.” Which explains why many fans spent hundreds (or more) a night to attend one — or even all four — of the Forum shows, with few noticeable regrets. On Saturday, strangers in vintage Rush T-shirts passed each other in the aisles with a nod or a high-five. Even arena staples like “Tom Sawyer” and “The Spirit of Radio” served as showcases for the band s technical skill beneath familiar hooks. Fan favorite “YYZ” was complex but gleeful, a display of relentless power played with genuine excitement, not detached virtuosity. Lifeson plucked a medieval folk intro on acoustic guitar for “The Trees” (from 1978’s Hemispheres) before the song erupted and Lee wailed of societal unrest amid the fauna of a forest. After another film clip in tribute to Peart, singer Aimee Mann stepped onstage to recreate her 1987 guest vocal on “Time Stand Still,” in a long white dress, bouncing on her heels beside Lee as he worked a rolling bassline. “Vital Signs” had the crashing reggae-ish riffs of early Police. “The Garden” began at a gently urgent pace with Lee and Lifeson in tandem on acoustic guitar and bass rhythm in one of the most emotional, if least flamboyant, songs of the night, as phones were lifted across the arena like a field of stars. Even Lifeson’s big closing guitar solo was restrained. Near the end, an animated clip from South Park introduced “Tom Sawyer,” a song that managed to be a showcase for the chops of each player while remaining a catchy FM radio megahit. When Nilles landed the original’s signature drum fill, the response was immediate and ecstatic, as it had been all night. The night’s most memorable moments had come earlier, just after intermission, when Rush played the full 20-minute “side one” of 2112, the band’s first magnum opus, constructed from seven ambitious movements (“Overture” / “The Temples of Syrinx” / “Discovery” / “Presentation” / “Oracle: The Dream” / “Soliloquy” / “Grand Finale”). At times, Lee dropped his usual high register for something gentler and evocative. As the 2112 suite reached its peak, Lifeson leaned close to Lee and shared a joke, both cracking up as they kept playing. It was a small but meaningful moment in a night filled with emotion and release. After a decade away, and six years after losing Peart, Rush had returned not as a lesser echo of themselves, but as lifelong friends reclaiming what made Rush matter to so many for five decades.