News

(A Riff Report Mega Post) Metal isn’t just a genre – it’s an attitude, a lifestyle, and in some cases… a full-blown video game experience. Over the years, a handful of games have gone beyond bleeps and bloops to summon the spirit of Slayer, Sabbath, and Sepultura straight into your living room. These are the ones that made us scream,...

Remember the 2000s? Baggy jeans, Nu-Metal blaring out of your mate’s Ford Fiesta, and everyone pretending Reef was a serious drink? Aye, tidy times. But nothing – and I mean NOTHING – hit the throat and the student budget harder than Aftershock. This wasn’t just booze, mun. This was lava in a chunky glass bottle, proudly perched behind every sticky-floored...

Ahhh the mosh pit. That swirling, sweaty tornado of limbs, flying pints, and questionable decision-making. It’s the place where strangers become brothers, bruises become souvenirs, and dignity goes to die. But here’s the burning question every rocker eventually faces: 👉 How old is too old to jump in the pit? Well, let’s break it down, butt: Teens & 20s: The...

What’s occurring? Well, for thousands of you legends across the UK, today is the day – GCSE results day. The day when envelopes, emails, and a lot of nervous energy come crashing together like the opening chords of a Metallica gig. 🎸⚡ Whether you smashed revision harder than a Slipknot pit, or you winged it with the confidence of Liam...

What’s occurring, thrashers? Megadeth — the snarling war machine led by Dave Mustaine’s lion’s mane of metal fury — have announced the end of the line. A farewell tour. The final march of the Deth. 💀 But here’s the kicker: buried deep in their arsenal, there are 58 songs Megadeth have NEVER played live. That’s right — entire albums’ worth...

Alright butt, gather round the campfire of riffs 🔥 because it’s time for a little tough love. We’ve all got those bands we worshipped back in the day — posters on the wall, patches on the denim jacket, air guitar solos in front of the mirror… and then somewhere along the line, the magic fizzled. Whether it was the same...

The Ultimate UK Rock & Metal Festival Mega Guide 🎪⚡ Welcome, riff warriors, mud wrestlers, chair arguers, and pint lifters 🍺🤘 – you’ve just stumbled into The Riff Report’s 10,000-word monster guide to every rock & metal festival the UK has to offer. We’re talking Download chaos, Bloodstock brutality, Steelhouse singalongs, Slam Dunkers falling asleep in car parks, and ArcTanGent nerds debating time...

(Because you can’t call yourself a true metalhead until you’ve lost a welly in the Wacken mud, mun…) 🥁 INTRO: FROM BRITAIN TO THE BIG LEAGUES You’ve done the UK circuit: Download, Bloodstock, maybe even the mighty Steelhouse up the Welsh mountain. You’ve fought chair wars, been soaked at Donington, and sung “Ace of Spades” at 2am around a broken...

What’s occurring, metal fam? 🏴If you’re anything like us, there comes a point when you’ve blasted Master of Puppets at full volume, scared the neighbours with a bit of Slayer, and headbanged so hard you’ve given yourself whiplash (again 😅). At some point, you just want to sit down with a pint and binge some heavy metal cinema. Forget boring...

So, you’ve finally decided to plunge headfirst into the noise, sweat, beer, and glory of a heavy metal concert? Welcome to the madhouse, butt. 🏴 You’ve picked a wild hobby that’ll leave you deaf, broke, and permanently addicted to the sound of double kick drums rattling your ribcage. But don’t panic – The Riff Report is here to hold your...

Let’s be honest, mun – most so-called “metal journalism” these days is about as useful as a chocolate teapot in a mosh pit. 🫠 Instead of celebrating the thunder, sweat, and glorious chaos of heavy music, you get: Recycled press releases dressed up as “exclusive scoops” 📰 Five-line “reviews” that sound like they were written on the bog between TikTok...

Ahhh heavy metal. The genre that’s been blamed for everything from Satan worship to scaring your nan’s cat. 🐈‍⬛ Since Black Sabbath first dropped their riffs of doom in Birmingham, metalheads have been painted as angry, violent, bat-biting lunatics. Spoiler alert: it’s mostly bollocks. So grab a pint, throw up the horns, and let’s shred through the BIGGEST myths about...

🎤 Intro: Vegas, Baby… Or Maybe Not If you thought the End of the Road Tour was the last word in the KISS saga, you clearly haven’t been paying attention. KISS don’t “end.” They mutate, regenerate, slap their name on a new merch bundle, and keep the show rolling. 🤡💰 But recently, news dropped that shook both the KISS Army and the Ace Army alike: Ace...

People who don’t “get” metal always ask the same thing:“Why do you listen to all that angry music? Doesn’t it make you miserable?” HA! If only they knew… The truth is, metalheads are some of the happiest, friendliest, and most balanced people you’ll ever meet. Forget the stereotypes of doom and gloom – underneath the black band shirts, chains, and...

Ever wondered what it would be like to spend a whole day in the shoes of a rock legend? Not just in the crowd, not just at the merch table, but actually living the backstage life. Well, Lita Ford—yes, that Lita Ford, legendary guitarist of The Runaways and heavy metal queen—has thrown open the gates and is offering fans a...