This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) This articlemay need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia'squality standards.You can help. Thetalk page may contain suggestions.(November 2024) This articlereads likea press release ora news article and may belargely based onroutine coverage. Please helpimprove this article and addindependent sources.(November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

This is a timeline documenting the events ofheavy metal in the year 2021.

• The Halo Effect^[1]
• PeelingFlesh

• Bodom After Midnight^[2]
• Demons & Wizards^[3]
• Hellyeah (hiatus)^[4]
• Lotus Eater^[5]
• Lovebites (hiatus)^[6]
• Meliah Rage (hiatus)^[7]
• Sixx:A.M. (hiatus)^[8]

• Before the Dawn^[9]
• Deadguy^[10]
• Defleshed^[11]
• Mudvayne^[12]
• Mystic Circle^[13]
• Porcupine Tree^[14]
• Shadows Fall^[15]
• Sleeping by the Riverside^[16]
• Structures^[17]
• Vampires Everywhere!^[18]

• January 6 – Paul de Leon, drummer ofLas Cruces, died fromCOVID-19 at the age of 52.^[19]
• January 10 – Marsha Zazula, co-founder ofMegaforce Records, died of cancer at the age of 68.^[20]
• January 13 –Tim Bogert, former bassist ofCactus andVanilla Fudge, died of cancer at the age of 76.^[21][22]
• February 5 – Örs Siklósi, vocalist ofAWS, died from leukemia at the age of 29.^[23]
• February 18 – Tony Matuzak, former guitarist ofLizzy Borden, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 59.^[24]
• February 24 – Sean Kennedy, former bassist ofI Killed the Prom Queen, died by suicide at the age of 35.^[25][26]
• March 7 –Lars-Göran Petrov, vocalist ofEntombed A.D. and former vocalist ofEntombed, died frombile duct cancer at the age of 49.^[27][28]
• March 8 –Adrian Bărar, guitarist ofCargo, died fromCOVID-19 at the age of 61.^[29][30]
• March 14 – Gerri Miller, former editor ofMetal Edge, died of cancer at the age of 67.^[31]
• March 16 – Walter van Cortenberg, drummer ofAncient Rites, died from a heart attack at the age of 51.^[32]
• March 17 – Corey Steger, former guitarist ofUnderoath, died in a car accident at the age of 42.^[33]
• March 26 – Brett Bradshaw, former drummer ofFaster Pussycat, died from undisclosed reasons.^[34]
• April 18 – Lars "Ratz" Ranzenberger, bassist ofMetalium, died in an airplane crash at the age of 53.^[35]
• April 29 –John Hinch, former drummer ofJudas Priest, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 73.^[36]
• May 9 – Robb Farr, bassist ofWarrior, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 58.^[37]
• May 13 – William J. Tsamis, guitarist ofWarlord, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 60.^[38]
• May 17 – D.V. "Dirt" Karloff, former bassist ofSociety 1, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 48.^[39]
• June 11 – Sven Gross, vocalist ofFleshcrawl, died from cancer at the age of 44.^[40]
• June 23 –Alan Lewis, music journalist, former editor ofSounds magazine, founder ofKerrang! magazine, who was credited for coining the term "New wave of British heavy metal", died from cancer and Parkinson's disease complications at the age of 75.^[41]
• June 26 –Johnny Solinger, former vocalist ofSkid Row, died from liver failure at the age of 55.^[42]
• June 29 –John Lawton, vocalist ofLucifer's Friend and former vocalist ofUriah Heep, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 74.^[43]
• July 1 – Bryan St. Pere, drummer ofHum, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 52.^[44]
• July 10 – Chris Hutka, former vocalist ofThe Bunny the Bear, died from undisclosed reasons.^[45]
• July 14 –Jeff LaBar, former guitarist ofCinderella, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 58.^[46]
• July 14 – Gary Corbett, former touring keyboardist ofKiss andCinderella, died from lung cancer.^[47]
• July 26 –Mike Howe, vocalist ofMetal Church and former vocalist ofHeretic, died by suicide by hanging at the age of 55.^[48][49]
• July 26 –Joey Jordison, drummer ofSinsaenum andVimic, former drummer ofSlipknot andScar the Martyr, and former guitarist ofMurderdolls, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 46.^[50][51]
• August 8 – Tim Audette, former guitarist ofFuck the Facts, died frommultiple sclerosis.^[52]
• August 21 – George Horn, recording engineer for numerous artists and genres, includingExodus,Fantômas,Neurosis, andRacer X, died from COVID-19 complications at the age of 87.^[53]
• August 22 –Eric Wagner, vocalist ofThe Skull and former vocalist ofTrouble, died fromCOVID-19 at the age of 62.^[54]
• September 3 – Jochen Schröder, former guitarist ofRage, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 58.^[55]
• October 13 –Andrea Haugen, former guest vocalist of albums byCradle of Filth andSatyricon, and ex-wife ofEmperor guitaristSamoth, died in theKongsberg attacks at the age of 52.^[56]
• October 29 –Eric Greif, musician, producer, lawyer, longtime manager ofChuck Schuldiner andDeath, and president of Perseverance Holdings (overseeing Chuck Schuldiner's intellectual property rights) died of kidney failure and complications from diabetes at the age of 59.^[57]
• October 29 –Malcolm Dome, music journalist and author, credited with coining the term "thrash metal", died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 66.^[58]
• November 13 – Gregory Clifford "Greg" Mayne, originalPentagram bassist and member during two stints, died from lung cancer at the age of 67.^[59]
• November 18 –Mick Rock, photographer of numerous rock and metal bands includingMötley Crüe,Ozzy Osbourne,Thin Lizzy, andJane's Addiction, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 72.^[60]
• November 19 –Hank von Hell, former vocalist ofDoctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 49.^[61]
• November 24 – Gared O'Donnell, vocalist ofPlanes Mistaken for Stars, died fromesophageal cancer at the age of 44.^[62]
• December 17 – Matthew Wolfe, former drummer ofByzantine, died from a battle with addiction at the age of 46.^[63]
• December 19 –Ron Anderson, vocal coach for numerous vocalists of rock and metal bands includingGuns N' Roses,Cinderella,Soundgarden,Avenged Sevenfold,Alter Bridge,Ozzy Osbourne, andTrivium, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 75.^[64]

• Numerous heavy metal-associated festivals, includingDownload,Wacken Open Air,Hellfest,Bloodstock Open Air,Maryland Deathfest,Sweden Rock Festival andDynamo MetalFest, were scheduled to return in 2021 after the 2020 editions of those festivals were cancelled, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.^{[65][66][67][68][69][70]} Due to the ongoing pandemic, however, Sweden Rock, Hellfest, Download and Wacken Open Air were once again cancelled.^{[71][72][73][74]}
• Tommy Vext ofBad Wolves departs from the band, citing his conservative political beliefs as an issue.^[75]
• After nearly two decades withNightwish,Marko Hietala departs from the band and the public eye, citing his struggles with chronic depression and his disillusionment with the music scene in general. Nightwish subsequently announcedJukka Koskinen ofWintersun as their session bass player for theHuman. :II: Nature. World Tour.^[76][77]
• Martijn Westerholt announces thatCharlotte Wessels, Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije, Timo Somers and Joey de Boer have departed fromDelain and that the band will continue as a solo project.^[78]
• In January,Iced Earth founderJon Schaffer appeared on the Most Wanted section of theFBI after being photographed taking part of the2021 storming of the United States Capitol, on sixfelony charges, after turning himself in to authorities. On February 15, vocalist Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton both announced their resignation from the band as a result of the event, along with Jake Dreyer to focus on his band Witherfall, thus leaving behind Schaffer and Brent Smedley with the fate of the band unknown.^{[79][80][81][82][83]}
• On February 2,Cannibal Corpse announced thatErik Rutan has officially joined the band as a full-time member. Rutan has been a live member since 2019, replacingPat O'Brien, after the latter's 2018 arrest and subsequent legal problems.^[84]
• On April 13,Tom Hunting revealed that earlier in February he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach. For this reason, the release of the band's eleventh studio albumPersona Non Grata has been postponed to November. It will coincide with the band's upcoming autumn tour, making it possible for Hunting to participate as well. According toExodus members, he is expected to make a recovery.^[85][86]
• On May 24,Dave Mustaine announced thatMegadeth had officially parted ways withDavid Ellefson for the second time, after sexual misconduct accusations. Later, in August, the band announced the return of former memberJames LoMenzo as a session bass player for the upcoming "Metal Tour of the Year".^[87][88]
• On June 18,Helloween released itssixteenth self-titled studio album, which marked the return of co-founderKai Hansen andMichael Kiske as studio members, for the first time since their departures from the band in 1989 and 1993, respectively.^[89]
• On July 2, longtimeQueensrÿche guitaristParker Lundgren announced his departure from the band, in order to pursue other business ventures.^[90] Rejoining the band on tour and later full-time would be his predecessorMike Stone.
• On July 29,Stephen Pearcy revealed that he has been battling liver cancer during the last three years.^[91]
• On August 2,Rudy Sarzo announced his return toQuiet Riot, as a personal request fromFrankie Banali, in order for the band to have an original member after Banali's death. Sarzo will replaceChuck Wright at the conclusion of the band's 2021 tour.^[92]
• On August 2,Stu Block announced his return toInto Eternity, where he will be sharing vocal duties with Amanda Kiernan, who replaced Block in 2013 after he joinedIced Earth.^[93]
• On August 5, longtime guitaristMarc Rizzo confirmed his departure fromSoulfly. The band subsequently announcedDino Cazares as Rizzo's replacement for the August–September U.S. tour.^[94][95][96]
• On August 13,Mikael Stanne announced the departure of longtime drummer Anders Jivarp and bassistAnders Iwers fromDark Tranquillity.^[97]
• On August 19,Destruction and founding member Mike Sifringer officially announced their split. Sifringer was replaced by Martin Furia.^[98]
• On August 22,Gloryhammer announced the departure of vocalistThomas Winkler.^[99]