That's Not Metal

A bumper Album Club dissection as Mötley Crüe go horribly wrong on Generation Swine. Crossfaith's electronicore captures a moment on Zion, Have Heart's melodic hardcore landmark Songs to Scream at the Sun, and Suffocation invent/perfect brutal death metal with Effigy of the Forgotten. Brandon. We love you.This episode was originally published May 2024 on patreon.com/thatsnotmetal.

Sam is lured back to the UK's pop punk home for Slam Dunk 2025 and has to think long and hard about Electric Callboy, and we doff our caps to Svalbard's decision to drop the curtain on a decade plus career as one of the UK's favourite heavy bands.Releases:Skunk Anansie - The Painful TruthMidnight - Steel, Rust and DisgustThus Spoke Zarathustra - I’m Done With Self Care, It’s Time for Others’ HarmHome Is Where - Hunting SeasonWitchcraft - IdagWitchrot - Soul CellarYear of No Light - Les Maitres FousHellcrash - Inferno CrematorioSexmag - SexorczymChepang - JhyappaOssuary - Abhorrent Worship…And Oceans - The Regeneration ItineraryMagus Lord - In the Company of ChampionsHouse of Protection - Outrun You AllMSPAINT - No SeparationCrowquill - CrowquillSwans - BirthingGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be the LightStray from the Path - ClockworkedDesolated - Finding PeaceThe Haunted - Songs of Last ResortRivers of Nihil - Rivers of NihilVildhjarta - Där skogen sjunger under evighetens granarKUSANAGI - ParamnesiaPlanni

In a month that saw two no. 1 metal albums, we go through 2025's biggest reviews gauntlet with Ghost, Machine Head, Behemoth, PUP, The Callous Daoboys, Model/Actriz, Age of Apocalypse, & Sijjin.Ghost 30:52Machine Head 1:17:32Behemoth 1:42:36PUP 2:06:43The Callous Daoboys 2:21:42Model/Actriz 2:47:50Age of Apocalypse 3:00:55Sijjin 3:14:07

We rummage through the wreckage as Trivium and Bullet for My Valentine's Poisoned Ascendancy tour comes to a sudden stop with fingers generally being pointed at one party, and we ask big questions like: are four-sided longsleeves good?Releases:Bury Tomorrow - Will You Haunt Me, With That Same PatienceCallous Daoboys - I Don’t Want to See You in HeavenNovelists - CodaPridian - Venetian DarkHundredth - Faded SplendorArm’s Length - There’s a Whole World Out ThereDeath Before Dishonor - Nowhere BoundPelican - Flickering ResonanceSteve von Till - Alone in a World of WoundsOndfødt - DimsvallBlood Monolith - The Calling of FireAntropomorphia - Devoid of LightCadaver Shrine - Into the Horrible DepthsDrouth - The Teeth of TimeFull of Hell - Broken Sword, Rotten ShieldYouth Code - Yours, With Malice

TNM's 2025 festival summer begins with Incineration descending upon Camden for extreme metal sets from the likes of Lamp of Murmuur, Blackbraid, Spectral Wound, Blood Incantation debuting Absolute Elsewhere in the UK, & a mountain-moving Celtic Frost performance by Triptykon. Ough.Releases:Sijjin - Helljjin CombatPUP - Who Will Look After The Dogs?Propagandhi - At PeacePress Club - To All The Ones That I LoveBleed - BleedModel/Actriz - PirouetteKnives - GlitterYour Spirit Dies - My Gnawing Pains Will Never RestParadise Slaves - With Hell In His EyesSlung - In WavesSnooze - I Know How You Will DieShearling - Motherfucker, I am Both: “Amen” and “Hallelujah”...Dispyt - Från Melankoli till MeningslöshetHate - Bellum RegiisFroglord - MetamorphosisSleep Token - Even In ArcadiaBehemoth - The Shit ov GodTetrarch - The Ugly Side of MeMcClusky - The World is Still Here and So Are WePeter Murphy - Silver ShadeDeath SS - The EntityGhost Bath - Rose Thorn NecklaceSvarta Havet - Månen ska lysa din vägJade - Mysteries o

On the single biggest release week of the year we head down to Ghost kicking off the Skeletour here in the UK, Charli XCX officially declares it a Turnstile Summer, the original Alice Cooper band reunites after 52 years, and there's important updates about last week's Weezer movie announcement.Releases:Superheaven - SuperheavenMelvins - ThunderballLik - NecroAncient Death - Ego DissolutionTribunal - In Penitence and RuinHeaven’s Gate - Tales from a Blistering ParadiseZeicrydeus - La Grande HeresieUngraven - Hollows Made Homes In Their Sunken CheeksXweaponX - Weapon X Demo 2Employed to Serve - Fallen StarInhuman Nature - Greater Than DeathGhost - SkeletáMachine Head - UnatonedLandmvrks - The Darkest Place I’ve Ever BeenCaliban - Back From HellWednesday 13 - Mid Death CrisisH.E.A.T. - Welcome to the FutureHeart Attack Man - Joyride the Pale HorseEluveitie - AnvPagan Altar - Never Quite DeadConan - Violence DimensionSumac / Moor Mother - The FilmBRUIT < - The Age of EphemeralityCancer - Inverted WorldCaustic

Reviews really hot up with some of the most hyped and acclaimed records of the year, some experiments from familiar faces, and some real underground crushers with Deafheaven, Scowl, Employed to Serve, Inhuman Nature, Messa, & Final Dose.Deafheaven 25:41Scowl 57:31Employed to Serve 1:20:33Inhuman Nature 1:43:08Messa 1:52:32Final Dose 2:07:53

We cover some of the biggest, baddest, craziest Album Clubs there is: Thin Lizzy go studs and leather on Thunder and Lightning, Wintersun undergo an epic, farcical saga to create Time I, Palm Reader's raise UK hardcore's ambition on Beside the Ones We Love, and Agoraphobic Nosebleed's hellish 99 song chemical digi-grind Altered States of America.This episode was originally published March 2024 on patreon.com/thatsnotmetal.

The time comes to hold a funeral for one of our podcast's greatest villains You Me At Six as their reign of tyranny comes to an end assessing their end and legacy, Turnstile hit us with their first track of Never Enough, a bumper questions section talking the best metal solo artists and two album wonders, and announcing a particularly crunchy band special.Releases:Epica - AspiralCabal - Everything RotsTeen Mortgage - Devil Ultrasonic DreamMessa - The SpinIdle Heirs - Life is ViolenceBenthos - From NothingIn the Woods… - OtraMalphas - ExtinctFinal Dose - Under the Eternal ShadowPutrid Offal - Obliterated LifeRyoji Shinomoto - Children of BushidoThe Lord Weird Slough Feg - Traveller Supplement 1: The Ephemeral GladesCBZK - DybuctwoAngell - Veiled by Woe

Linkin Park release a new single but downgrade shows, Evanescence release 2025's hottest AMV, Midnight write an anthem for Cleveland Metal, and Danzig's in hot water for far right dogwhistles on merch.Releases:Scowl - Are We All AngelsBleed From Within - ZenithThornhill - BodiesPigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Death HilariousBenediction - Ravage of EmpiresTómarúm - Beyond Obsidian EuphoriaAllegaeon - The Ossuary LensRotting Christ - 35 Years of Evil Existence - Live in LycabettusBalmora - PrologueDynamite - Settle the ScoreNot Without Punishment - Blood Runs Cold

Sam and Perran sit down to talk about Knocked Loose's recent massive headline tour in the UK bringing Basement, Harms Way, & Pest Control into massive Academy venues, as well as Powerwolf announcing a UK arena and Download booking the Vengaboys, and a mega end of month release round-up.Releases:Ophicvs - Steel BeastCradle of Filth - The Screaming of the ValkyriesBloodywood - Nu DelhiLordi - Limited DeaditionSecret Cutter - ///Stormo - Tagli/TaleeUrsa - Call of the InfiniteNoisepicker - The Earth Will Swallow the SunGates to Hell - Death Comes to AllCorpus Offal - Corpus OffalRancid Cadaver - Mortality DeniedRothadás - Töviskert… a kísértés örök érzete… lidércharangIron Form - Cut From Cold Bloodanvilchandelier - anvilchandelierheavenscoldhands - heavenscoldhandsDeafheaven - Lonely People With PowerUnderoath - The Place After This OneMemphis May Fire - ShapeshifterArch Enemy - Blood DynastyAlien Weaponry - Te RāThe Darkness - Dreams On ToastBackxwash - Only Dust RemainsJivebomb - EtherealDoomsday - Never K

In our new reviews show we stop to take stock of the state of some of our most popular heavy bands with Architects, Spiritbox, & A Day to Remember, as well as Whitechapel, Spiritworld, Warbringer, Imperial Triumphant, & Rwake. More hardcore bands imploding over idiocy too.Architects 27:10Spiritbox 1:05:56A Day to Remember 1:30:17Whitechapel 1:46:14Spiritworld 2:08:37Warbringer 2:25:29Imperial Triumphant 2:39:08Rwake 3:03:49

Napalm Death's 2025 edition of the Campaign for Musical Destruction (Bollocks) rolls around, Tool are being sued by their fans over setlist controversy, and we give our take on the ground-shaking moment when a member of Mastodon departs the band.Releases:Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis - Act III: The Father of Make BelieveSteven Wilson - The Overviewclipping. - Dead Channel SkyWarbringer - Wrath and RuinNite - Cult of the Serpent SunRwake - The Return of MagicThe Body / Intensive Care - Was I Good Enough?Wombbath - Beyond the AbyssWarhammer - Total ManiacRed Fang - Deep CutsEarth Crisis / Integrity Split

We really cover ground on this one: prog goes pop on Rush's Power Windows, 2010s Britrock goes horribly wrong when The Blackout Start the Party, American Football reinvent emo on LP1, and black metal's most comforting album in Agalloch's The Mantle.This episode was originally published February 2024 on patreon.com/thatsnotmetal.

Ghost unveil all things Skeletá, Slayer add yet another mega-show onto the UK summer, and Bobby Liebling is being seen by more people than should ever see Bobby Liebling.Releases:Architects - The Sky, The Earth & All BetweenOversize - Vital SignsCloakroom - Last Leg of the Human TableAvantasia - Here Be DragonsDirkschneider - Balls to the Wall ReloadedStress Test - Stress TestHavukruunu - TavastlandGrima - NightsideEffluence - Pianistic DismembermentSleep Paralysis - Sleep ParalysisGrave Infestation - Carnage GathersSepulchral Voice - Crimson Moon EvocationsRitual Ascension - ProfanationScimitar - Scimitarium IHail Conjurer - Order of DisgraceTubal Cain - Slime AbyssSpiritbox - Tsunami SeaWhitechapel - Hymns In DissonanceThe Wildhearts - Satanic Rites of The WildheartsRaging Speedhorn - Night WolfJethro Tull - Curious RuminantDestruction - Birth of MaliceGuiltless - Teeth to SkyIngrown - IdahoStaticlone - Better Living Through Static VisionsThis Gift is a Curse - HeirDawn of Ouroboros - BioluminescenceCry

We close out February with reviews of some of our boldest and sloppiest with Killswitch Engage, Bleeding Through, Winona Fighter, Pissgrave, Vacuous, & Gràb, Green Lung & Unto Others' recent Heathen Neverland trip across Europe, and yes, Sam finally reviews a Dream Theater album.Killswitch Engage 40:37Bleeding Through 1:06:01Dream Theater 1:31:51Winona Fighter 1:56:08Pissgrave 2:10:38Vacuous 2:31:42Gràb 2:43:22

There's reports from High Vis and Tribulation both hitting headline tours around the UK, A Day to Remember bring news of their surprise album and its promised big ole volumes, and Parkway Drive stake a claim on the Sydney Opera House.Releases:Killswitch Engage - This ConsequenceSilverstein - AntibloomAnxious - BambiTo Obey a Tyrant - Frigore InferniWren - Black Rain FallsHirax - Faster Than DeathMorax - The AmuletPissgrave - Malignant WorthlessnessGràb - KremessAbduction - ExistentialismusGod Complex - He Watches In SilenceSpy - Seen Enough

letlive. finally break the seal on their UK return dates, Death Grips seem to disband again, and there's questions on the misconceptions that surround some of rock's most underrated, misunderstood bands.Releases:Bleeding Through - NineLacuna Coil - Sleepless EmpireLove is Noise - To live in a different wayWinona Fighter - My Apologies to the ChefThe Nightmares - Fire In HeavenHangman’s Chair - SaddictionPothamus - AburMantar - Post Apocalyptic DepressionSavage Lands - Army of the TreesFell Omen - Invaded by a Dark SpiritChurch Tongue - You’ll Know It Was MeFinal Resting Place - Bound by AfflictionLacerated - Lacerated

A bumper edition of Hyperblasts sees Trivium & Bullet for My Valentine embark on the Poisoned Ascendancy tour, Cattle Decapitation & Shadow of Intent also co-headline, Gojira win a Grammy, Courtney LaPlante wins the Grammys, and oh yeah Black Sabbath?! Lot to cover in this one.Releases:Dream Theater - ParasomniaJinjer - DuelMarko Hietala - Roses from the DeepMajestica - Power TrainObscura - A SonicationPhrenelith - Ashen Womb16 - Guides for the MisguidedMorast - FentanylSaor - Amidst the RuinsEreb Altor - HälsingemörkerUnreqvited - A Pathway to the Moon

Some of 2025's first heavy hitting singles arrive all at once from Deafheaven, Behemoth, Poison the Well, & also Bring Me the Horizon cover Wonderwall for some reason.Releases:Dax Riggs - 7 Songs for SpidersVukovi - My God Has Got a GunCentury - Sign of the StormAvatarium - Between You, God, The Devil and the DeadNegative 13 - Recover What You CanHarakiri for the Sky - Scorched EarthSunrot - PassagesThe Night Flight Orchestra - Give Us the MoonGrief Ritual - CollapseL.S. Dunes - VioletTayne - LoveGreat American Ghost - Tragedy of the CommonsThe Hellacopters - OverdriverPentagram - Lightning in a BottleJonathan Hultén - Eyes of the Living NightRevenge - Violation.Strife.AbominateScrüda - Fury Among Ruins