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This week in the zine

The same picks as the latest Friday issue. The full zine, with every new release, is free in your inbox.

Top Pick of the Week Issue of October 30, 2026

Tony Iommi feat. Jørn Lande — From the Dark

Released October 23, 2026 · BMG · Heavy Metal / Traditional Doom · United Kingdom / Norway

8 tracks, 41 minutes. Lineup: Tony Iommi – guitar; Jørn Lande – vocals; Becky Baldwin – bass; Karl Brazil – drums.

Tracks to know: World Alone (First single); Death Wake (Lead break by Brian May); Legacy (Album closer).

Scores: Album of the Year critics 81/100 (11 reviews) · Album of the Year users 72/100 (70 ratings) · Any Decent Music 7.6/10 (7 reviews) · Blabbermouth.net 9/10 · Louder Than War 5/5 · Kerrang! 4/5

“a reaffirmation of the man’s elemental power and enduring importance” — Kerrang!

“This is a splendid album, brilliantly performed and recorded” — Louder Than War

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Honorable Mentions Issue of October 30, 2026

Mental Cruelty — Echoes of a Forlorn Land

Released October 23, 2026 · Century Media · Symphonic Metal / Blackened Death Metal / Deathcore · Germany

Scores: Album of the Year critics 95/100 (2 reviews) · Album of the Year users 81/100 (68 ratings) · Wall of Sound 9/10 · Metal Factory 8.9/10 · Ever Metal 8/10

“a darkly gothic masterpiece that demands your full attention” — Wall of Sound

“breathtaking, scorched-earth deathcore that will rattle the ground beneath your feet” — New Noise Magazine

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Frontierer — Ultraviolet Parasite

Released October 23, 2026 · Blood Blast · Mathcore / Djent / Avant-Garde Metal · Scotland / United States

Scores: Album of the Year critics 80/100 (1 reviews) · Album of the Year users 84/100 (132 ratings) · Kerrang! 4/5 · Metal Riffcrusher 9/10 · Out of Rage 9/10

“Ultraviolet Parasite is a rip-roaring ride through the most chaotic end of mathcore” — Kerrang!

“a twitchy, electronic-infused mathcore masterpiece” — Metal Riffcrusher

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Throwback Issue of October 30, 2026

TURNS 35 THIS WEEK

Fates Warning — Parallels

Released October 29, 1991 · Metal Blade Records · Progressive Metal · United States · Produced by Terry Brown & Brian Slagel

Parallels is the sixth studio album by Fates Warning and reached No. 20 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart. AllMusic called it the band's "biggest commercial if not artistic success." Rock Hard ranked it No. 371 in its 2005 book of the 500 greatest rock and metal albums, and the band's own label lists it as released October 29, 1991.

Did you know? James LaBrie, who had recently joined Dream Theater, sang background vocals on "Life in Still Water." The album was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario, and Metal Archives lists a release date of October 28, 1991 for the original CD.

Lineup: Ray Alder – vocals; Jim Matheos – guitar; Frank Aresti – guitar; Joe DiBiase – bass; Mark Zonder – drums.

Tracks to know: Eye to Eye (Highlight named by AllMusic); Point of View (Highlight named by AllMusic); We Only Say Goodbye (Highlight named by AllMusic); Life in Still Water (Background vocals by James LaBrie).

Scores: Metal Archives 78/100 (7 reviews)

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Sources: Wikipedia: Parallels (Fates Warning album) · Metal Blade Records · Metal Archives · Spotify

Metal History Oct 30 - Nov 5 Issue of October 30, 2026

  • Oct 30, 2000
    Cradle of Filth — Midian Album release

    The English extreme metal band's fourth studio album came out on Music for Nations, marking guitarist Paul Allender's return and featuring Hellraiser actor Doug Bradley as narrator.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives
  • Nov 1, 1982
    Venom — Black Metal Album release

    The English band's second studio album, released through Neat Records, lent its name to the black metal subgenre.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives
  • Nov 1, 1992
    Amorphis — The Karelian Isthmus Debut album

    The Finnish band's debut studio album, released on Relapse Records, draws its lyrics from Finnish warfare and religion and from Celtic mythology.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives
  • Nov 1, 1993
    Immortal — Pure Holocaust Album release

    The Norwegian black metal band's second album was released on Osmose Productions, with lyrics focused mainly on ice, snow and fantasy landscapes.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives
  • Nov 1, 1994
    Megadeth — Youthanasia Album release

    The sixth Megadeth studio album, released through Capitol Records, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in 1995.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives
  • Nov 1, 1997
    Nightwish — Angels Fall First Debut album

    After a 500-copy limited edition on Sept. 30, 1997, the Finnish band's debut reached the general public on Nov. 1 with four additional songs.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives (limited edition)
  • Nov 3, 2009
    Slayer — World Painted Blood Album release

    Slayer's eleventh studio album, released through American Recordings and Sony Music, was the last to feature the band's original lineup, including guitarist Jeff Hanneman and drummer Dave Lombardo.

    Sources: Wikipedia · Metal Archives

Dates checked against Wikipedia and Metal Archives. No verified entries yet for Nov. 2, 4 or 5. Throwback Classic anniversary albums are intentionally not repeated here.

What’s inside

A free PDF zine in your inbox every Friday.

Top PickThe week's best-reviewed new album, ranked by critic scores.
Honorable MentionsThe runners-up worth a listen, too.
ThrowbackA classic album marking a big anniversary.
Metal HistoryAnniversaries from this week in metal history.
Gear & CollectiblesOfficial metal gear and collectibles, with release dates and details checked that week.
Horror MoviesRecent horror worth watching, with release info and critic scores.
ComicsHorror, fantasy and music comics and graphic novels.
Metal & Horror BusinessesIndependent shops, bars and spots with a metal or horror theme.
New ReleasesThe week's new metal albums, out now and coming soon, with listen and buy links.

On TourA separate monthly issue with tours and festivals. First Friday of the month.

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About the zine

Hammer & Hail is a free weekly heavy metal newsletter. Every Friday a PDF zine lands in your inbox with the week’s new metal releases, a top-rated pick, honorable mentions, a throwback album, this week in metal history, gear and collectibles, horror movies, comics, and independent metal and horror businesses. A separate On Tour issue arrives on the first Friday of each month.

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