Poppy: Negative Spaces review – screams and sweetness as metalcore meets loungecore

On her sixth album, the multi-genre star seems to be having an identity crisis – but amid the industrial guitars and synthpop, she clearly trusts her own instincts

Linkin Park: From Zero review – rock’s risk takers win big with punchy comeback

They sold millions as the most poppy and emotional band in nu-metal. Now, returning with Emily Armstrong as frontwoman, they remain just as dynamic

Linkin Park review – monster hits perfectly reshaped for a fresh chapter

Back on the road with vocalist Emily Armstrong making their back catalogue her own, the hybrid metallers have found a new audience and a reinvigorated sense of purpose

Supersonic festival review – an awesome windmill of noise and connection

This festival of heavier sounds from the fringes was a blast, from chilling Gazelle Twin to Daisy Rickman’s Krautrock-folk, noise icons Melt-Banana and locals Flesh Creep

Korn review – a mosh-pit erupting set drenched in dark energy

The nu-metal pioneers commit entirely with hulking riffs, frenzied scatting and guttural rage as they stomp through their songs with little ceremony

Download festival review – the rock fest’s most cursed year ever

Plagued by rain, technical issues and boycotts – as well as by some distinctly non-metal headliners – the weekend is practically a washout, despite some virtuoso shredding and fiery melodeath lower down the bill

Thou: Umbilical review – one of the finest metal albums of the past decade

Huge riffs, guttural vocals and fearsome intent create a formidable wall of sound in the US band’s maximalist, in-your-face sixth album

Bring Me the Horizon: Post Human: Nex Gen review – a defining album of our digitally overloaded era

Despite losing a key member, the arena-filling pop-metal stars still thrill with their surprise-released new record – a masterpiece of glutted sonic mayhem

Bruce Dickinson review – metal’s charismatic star indulges his goofy side

Letting rip with that still thrilling and propulsive voice, the Iron Maiden frontman performs an all solo material set – keytars, bongos and demonic laughter included

Knocked Loose: You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To review – hardcore punk’s dark stars go supermassive

The Kentucky metalcore quintet cleverly channel pop – and even reggaeton grooves – to create an album of crushing intensity and vast scope

Tenacious D review – Jack Black’s daft duo are deeply schooled in rock

The actor’s prog-metal spoof band with Kyle Gass hilariously skewer rock cliche – but come from a place of deep love for the genre

Lord Spikeheart: The Adept review – Duma star’s relentless metal isn’t for the fainthearted

With doom-laden growls and falsetto screams, the Kenyan metaller’s indefatigable vocals cut through a thunderous onslaught of headbanging sound

While She Sleeps: Self Hell review – exploding out of metalcore with a scream

On their sixth album, the hardcore Sheffield quintet bring furious riffs, howling, swearing and … acoustic guitars?

Ben Frost: Scope Neglect review – grim grandeur with gnarly tongue-out riffs

The avant garde musician’s first album in seven years features cinematic ambience, pummelling sound design and whinnying metal guitar

The Body and Dis Fig: Orchards of a Futile Heaven review – awe-inspiring music for heavy times

A collaboration between the alt-metal duo and Berlin-based shapeshifter Felicia Chen creates a dark but nourishing LP of hellish depth