Russian Circles — Gnosis
The Chicago instrumental trio harden their tone: 82/100 for a rougher, denser record.
8/10 June 16, 2026
Rolo Tomassi — Where Myth Becomes Memory
Chaos and grace in a single breath: 86/100 for the culmination of a twenty-year mutation.
8.5/10 June 6, 2026
Rob Zombie — The Great Satan
Winning comeback at 74/100: Zombie's industrial B-movie "rocks like an absolute motherfucker". Only Pitchfork pouts.
7.5/10 March 1, 2026
Rivers of Nihil — The Work
Pennsylvania death metal opens to saxophone and introspection: 83/100 for a daring record.
8/10 June 15, 2026
Rise Of The Northstar — Chapter 04: Red Falcon Super Battle! Neo Paris War!!
Grave Noise at 7.5, Kerrang! at 3/5: unique in the world, yet familiar. The Paris blade cuts a 7.
7/10 November 18, 2025
Rezn — Cycles in the Infinite Dream
Sumptuous psychedelic doom: "fantastic" even to its harshest critic. 8/10 average.
8/10 July 29, 2026
Retromorphosis — Psalmus Mortis
83/100: the death-metal supergroup (ex-Pestilence, Asphyx) hits hard on its debut.
8/10 August 10, 2026
Quicksand — Bring On The Psychics
Six reviews, zero sour notes: the post-hardcore godfathers still "fizz with energy and life".
8/10 July 22, 2026
Queens of the Stone Age — In Times New Roman…
Josh Homme reopens the wound and delivers a sharp record: 80/100 for the sneering return of the Californians.
8/10 June 9, 2026
Pyrrhon — Exhaust
The New Yorkers' organised chaos reaches its point of incandescence: 84/100 for a suffocating record.
8.5/10 June 21, 2026
Pupil Slicer — Fleshwork
81/100: the English trio confirm their mathcore, as technical as it is emotional.
8/10 August 13, 2026
Psychonaut — World Maker
81/100: the Belgian trio broaden their progressive, spiritual post-metal further.
8/10 August 11, 2026
Protest The Hero — Within
Rody Walker "better than ever", 87/100: Protest The Hero's return is a masterstroke.
8.5/10 July 20, 2026
Portrayal of Guilt — …Beginning of The End
78/100: the Texan blackened-hardcore crew spit an ever more desperate violence.
7.5/10 August 23, 2026
Poppy — Negative Spaces
82/100 across twelve reviews: the ex-pop icon confirms her shift into a singular metal artist.
8/10 August 3, 2026
Poison The Well — Peace In Place
Seventeen years away, 80/100 on arrival: the year's best-received metalcore comeback.
8/10 March 25, 2026
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs — Death Hilarious
79/100 across sixteen reviews: the Britons with the impossible name impose their colossal stoner-noise.
8/10 August 22, 2026
Persefone — Lingua Ignota: Part I
86/100: the Andorran progressive-metal act unfurl a luminous virtuosity.
8.5/10 August 4, 2026
Paradise Lost — Ascension
79/100: the English goth/doom godfathers confirm a second youth.
8/10 August 27, 2026
Panopticon — The Rime of Memory
A lone American's great winter work: 85/100 for a glacial, devastating meditation.
8.5/10 June 20, 2026
Pallbearer — Mind Burns Alive
83/100: the Americans elevate their melodic, melancholic doom.
8/10 August 5, 2026
Paleface Swiss — The wilted EP
80/100: the most violent Swiss deathcore/beatdown gives no quarter.
8/10 August 9, 2026
Ov Sulfur — Endless
Symphonic deathcore with hooks: 9/10 on one side, 2.5/5 on the other. The genre glares at itself.
7/10 January 19, 2026
Opeth — The Last Will and Testament
84/100: the Swedes bring back the growls and deliver an ambitious concept record.
8.5/10 August 6, 2026
Oceans of Slumber — Where Gods Fear To Speak
85/100: the Texans' gothic, progressive metal, carried by Cammie Beverly's masterful voice.
8.5/10 August 4, 2026
Nothingness — Godslaughter
Twisted Minneapolis death metal: "one of the most adventurous and obnoxious records of the year" (8.5/10).
8/10 August 2, 2026
No Cure — It Is Going To Get Dark
Three reviews, three 80s: Alabama straight edge finds unanimity in the dark. 8/10.
8/10 July 13, 2026
Nightwish — Yesterwynde
86/100: the Finns push their cinematic symphonic metal to new heights.
8.5/10 August 6, 2026
Neurosis — An Undying Love for a Burning World
Resurrection with Aaron Turner, 89/100: 2026's best-rated metal record is a Neurosis album.
9/10 March 25, 2026
Ne Obliviscaris — EXUL
The violin and the growl, beauty and fury: 86/100 for the Australians' masterful return.
8.5/10 July 14, 2026
Mutoid Man — Mutants
The American supergroup make virtuosity a game: 83/100 for a record as ferocious as it is joyful.
8/10 June 22, 2026
Muse — The Wow! Signal
From 100 down to 20 depending on the church: Muse's cosmic madness owns itself, the press picks sides.
7/10 June 29, 2026
Mourir — Nous, le venin
Metal Storm at 8.3, French press won over: Toulouse black metal spits its venom with newfound maturity.
8/10 July 14, 2026
Motionless In White — Decades
Press has a blast (74/100), public shrugs (59/100): the gothic theme park splits the room.
7/10 July 22, 2026
Mother Vulture — Cartoon Violence
80/100: the Britons' high-octane rock'n'roll reeks of sweat and the stage.
8/10 August 9, 2026
Mork — Monolitt
80/100: Thomas Eriksen's old-school Norwegian black metal keeps the tradition alive with class.
8/10 August 8, 2026