2026 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Sixteen tracks in the 1998 order, remastered for SKID ROW's 40th anniversary: 40 Seasons, the band's 1998 best-of, on CD and on its first official vinyl.

At the Gates' eighth album, from April 2026: Tomas Lindberg's vocals, cut before his cancer surgery, and their first No. 1 on Sweden's albums chart.

NEMOPHILA's second EP: five songs including the single "-GOU-", self-produced like GOZO and billed as the four-piece's last original recording.

TRIVIUM's eleventh studio album, born of Kurosawa's Throne of Blood and steeped in Japanese horror film; Josh Wilbur produced it and Jacob Hansen mixed it.

Zilqy's first full-length album: ten songs, every lyric by Anna, mixed and mastered by Lance Prenc, including “World's End”, “CAVEAT” and “RUN”.

The Darkness's first self-chosen best-of, dated 27 November 2026: songs from all eight studio albums, closing with the new "Masters Of The Universe".

TMG's third album: six songs, including the title track with Ado, a Beatles cover and “DOOM”, the theme of the film Yatsuhakamura.

The second full-length album since HAGANE regrouped in 2024: eleven songs, two of them from the METAL QUEST EP, issued in Japan as a CD + Blu-ray and as a CD.

Queens of the Stone Age's ninth album, out on 30 October 2026: nine songs built on the idea of kintsugi, produced by Josh Homme with the band's own bassist Michael Shuman.

The band's first live album with a symphony orchestra, recorded with the Orchestre symphonique de Quebec in Quebec City on 4 June 2025.

The four-song EP that is Sepultura's last studio release, out in April 2026 and in Japan on 10 July.

Kreator's sixteenth studio album, from January 2026, produced by Jens Bogren; the Japanese edition came out the same day.

Down's fourth album, with a release date of 20 November 2026 on Nuclear Blast. It is their first full-length since Over the Under in 2007, and King Diamond sings on "Merciful Fate".

Dir En Grey's twelfth album, released on 8 April 2026, their newest record and fourteen tracks long.

The first studio album Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have made together, issued as SatchVai on 6 November 2026.

The seventeenth album, which Ministry have named as their last. Cleopatra Records issues it on 30 October 2026.

DRAGONLAND's seventh album, with a release date of 23 October 2026 on Scarlet Records. Produced, mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman, it contains the final recorded contributions of long-time guitarist Olof Mörck (AMARANTHE), who left the band in July 2026.

Greta Van Fleet's first album in three years, released on 9 October 2026 through Republic Records: thirteen songs made in spring 2026 at the band's studio in Tennessee and co-produced with Mike Elizondo, and named after the original purpose of London's Alexandra Palace. Universal Music Japan's SHM-CD edition, UICY-16536, followed on 14 October.

Gus G.'s fifth solo album, about five years after Quantum Leap. He wrote and produced all of it, and it sets guitar instrumentals beside songs sung by Doro Pesch, Matt Barlow, Ronnie Romero and Dino Jelusick. The Japanese edition (KICP-4117) adds a radio edit of "Dancing With Death" for eleven tracks.

The sixth album, released on 3 June 2026 as the companion piece to Gate of Heaven: the band's own announcement calls it the darkest and most chaotic world they have written. It gathers the two songs of the December 2025 single, "Zen'aku no Higan" and "∞", and re-records "affected" and "Get Revenge On The Tyrant" from the 2014 debut. Eleven tracks.

The fifth Metalite album, released worldwide on 25 September 2026 by Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. It is a concept record set in 2058, three years after the departure from Earth that Expedition One left off in 2055, and runs to twelve songs. Ward Records issued the Japanese edition the same day with a Japanese booklet and translated lyrics.

Unbridled is Pride of Lions' eighth studio album, released by Frontiers Music on 10 July 2026. Jim Peterik produced it and Larry Millas mixed it; the Japanese edition followed on 22 July through Marquee Avalon.

The 2005 covers album expanded for 2026 with five newly added bonus tracks: fifteen songs on a single SHM-CD.

A nine-CD anthology of Rainbow in 1975 and 1976: the first two albums, three complete German concerts, tour rehearsals and rarities.

Michael Monroe's eleventh solo album and his first in four years: twelve songs released by Silver Lining Music on 20 February 2026, with the Japanese edition out from Victor the same day.

A 2026 tie-in single: the title song and "No time to fall", each with an instrumental, across four tracks.

Hatebreed's ninth studio album and their first in six years, produced by Zeuss: eleven songs in about thirty-five minutes.

BAND-MAID's first single in four years and seven months: the title track plus 'Days' and 'CAGE', with footage from the 2024 Zepp tour on the limited editions.

The ninth album, the first release on the band's own Kissin' Dynamite Records and the last with Hannes Braun as singer. Six new songs stand beside seven re-recordings from the first two albums.

METALVERSE's first official recording of any kind. The one-track digital single appeared at midnight JST on 8 May 2026 alongside the group's first studio-shot music video, on which KOBAMETAL is credited as executive producer.

The fourth studio album and the second with Eugent Bushpepa. Reigning Phoenix Music issues it worldwide on 11 September 2026, the physical edition a double CD carrying the previous year's live album Live at Hallenstadion Zurich as its bonus disc. Ward Records releases the Japanese edition as GQCS-91785~6.

The fourteenth studio album and the first since Bloodlines (2023). Mighty Music issued it internationally on 11 September 2026 as PMZ437CD, and Marquee Inc. in Japan on 9 September as MICP-12044. It is the first studio record to feature guitarist John Foottit, who joined in January 2026.

A second maxi single built on the theme of setting out, led by “Starlight Voyage” — three songs, with a DVD on the limited edition.

Lonesome_Blue’s second full-length album, produced with Mao, in the standard edition containing the ten main tracks.

The fourteenth full-length album by Galneryus and their first in about two years, after the twentieth-anniversary record The Stars Will Light the Way. This is the standard edition: nine songs and about sixty-five minutes on a single CD, with the same track list as every other format.

The 2026 remaster of Metallica's 1997 seventh album, cut by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering with Greg Fidelman overseeing, issued in Japan as a single SHM-CD.

The 55th-anniversary edition of Thin Lizzy's 1971 debut: three SHM-CDs and an audio Blu-ray, carrying Richard Whittaker's new stereo mixes and fifteen previously unreleased recordings.

The sixth album, and the first the band made as a five-piece after Joel Hokka's departure, following roughly a year and a half away.

Announced as SINNER's final studio album and released by Reigning Phoenix Music. Seven guest vocalists appear, among them Ronnie Romero and Michael Bormann, and Jacob Hansen mixed and mastered it at Hansen Studios in Denmark.

The ninth studio album, and the first made after Brent Hinds left the band in March 2025 and died that August. It is also the first with Nick Johnston (guitar) and João Nogueira (keyboards) as full members.

The band counts this as its eighteenth studio album, released by Frontiers Music Srl on 25 September 2026.

KOIAI's fourth EP and the first release by the settled five-piece line-up with vocalist Mirei Sakurada; the title track became the August 2026 ending theme for Nippon TV's DayDay.

The first new song from the lineup that formed in July 2026, a streaming single written and sound-produced by Kayoko Kusano with Shota Horie on guitar and Kishida on beat programming.

The eighth album and the first with new singer Ângelo Parisotto — Seneca's On the Shortness of Life as its subject, released in the band's thirtieth year.

The Anaheim Stadium show of 20 August 1976, released for the first time for KISS's fiftieth anniversary and newly mixed by Eddie Kramer.

An archival live album of the 5150 tour's New Haven show of 27 August 1986, the Sammy Hagar line-up issued as a standalone CD for the first time.

A career-spanning compilation running from the 1974 debut Rocka Rolla to 2024's Invincible Shield, released through Sony Music.

The Swedish band's first live album, drawing on Kids In A Ghost Town and Teenage Rebel, recorded at Gothenburg Film Studios for Napalm Records.

A fiftieth-anniversary album: re-recordings of the band's best-known songs, each with a long list of guest musicians.

Asia's fourteenth studio album, and their first in twelve years, led by the single "The Traveller (Into The Light)".

A best-of collecting the band's signature songs as 2026 versions — re-recorded, remixed and remastered.

A five-track EP that condenses HANABIE.’s current Harajuku-core sound into metalcore impact, digital pop color, streetwise energy and unapologetic self-affirmation.

A five-track EP that balances open, refreshing melodies with loud-rock weight and presents the second chapter of East Of Eden through Ayasa’s violin-led identity.

A ten-song independent hard-rock statement that turns recovery, major-band experience and renewed creative freedom into Erik Grönwall’s first original solo album in sixteen years.

A melodic-metal EP that links fantasy-adventure imagery with bright speed, heroic guitar work and the renewed identity of HAGANE.

A five-song 2026 EP that condenses the four-piece NEMOPHILA’s physical groove, self-written material and renewed identity.

Cursum Perficio is a useful way to hear ANTHRAX from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

The End Is Not The End, ATREYU's tenth album, ties the ferocity of metalcore to the openness of modern rock with a forward-looking spirit.

Engines Of Demolition finds BLACK LABEL SOCIETY shaping Southern-rock grit, doom-leaning weight and bluesy guitar cries into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Art Of Chaos finds CRASHDIET shaping sleazy glam-metal attitude and catchy hard-rock hooks into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Splat!, DEEP PURPLE's 2026 album, plays with a light touch, built on seasoned improvisation, blues warmth and the dialogue of keyboards and guitar.

The Moth finds DEVIN TOWNSEND shaping huge progressive-metal sound design, ambient space and introspective melody into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Set The Dark On Fire finds EDENBRIDGE shaping symphonic-metal fantasy and clear melodic-metal uplift into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Come This Madness is a useful way to hear EUROPE from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

Sanctuary finds EVANESCENCE shaping gothic/alternative-metal shade and dramatic melodies that include piano color into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Goliath finds EXODUS shaping rough Bay Area thrash riffs, confrontational energy and heavyweight sound pressure into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Legacy is a useful way to hear FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

The Legend Of The Six Kings is a useful way to hear FROZEN CROWN from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

More Stereo Crush is a useful way to hear GOTTHARD from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

Shout finds HARDLINE shaping classic melodic hard rock and AOR-polished vocal drama into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

II is a useful way to hear ICONIC from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

Awesome Anthems Of The Galaxy is IRON SAVIOR's covers album, turning anthems, many from 1980s pop and new wave, into cosmic power metal.

Dark Asylum is a useful way to hear KAMELOT from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

Into Oblivion finds LAMB OF GOD shaping physical groove-metal weight, thrash-sharp riffing and modern aggression into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Outstanding Power finds LOVEBITES shaping Japanese power/speed-metal drive and the shine of classical twin guitars into a 2026 album with a clear sense of…

Metalmorphosis finds MASTERPLAN shaping European melodic power-metal uplift and thick hard-rock-leaning groove into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Released on January 23, 2026, Megadeth is MEGADETH’s seventeenth and final studio album.

Dead To Rights finds METAL CHURCH shaping hard-edged US power metal and thrash-leaning riffs into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

WROC finds PAUL GILBERT shaping virtuoso rock guitar, pop-minded playfulness and bluesy humanity into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

EI8HT finds SHINEDOWN shaping modern American hard-rock strength and large melodies that can reach pop listeners into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

Homage is a covers record on which TESLA pays respect to the songs at its roots, playing them as unforced, natural hard rock.