It may have been nearly five full decades since the 70s ended, but the era’s rock and metal sound is still alive in 2026.
Those big riffs à la Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, the energy of bands like Thin Lizzy and Aerosmith, and epic theatrics inspired by Alice Cooper and KISS—all of that is still around. You just have to know where to look.
Scroll down to check out a few bands that hit all these marks, and more!
Green Lung
One thing that was very prevalent in 70s rock was The Devil’s Lettuce. So it stands to reason that you need a bit of that to keep the spirit alive.
Allow me to introduce you to Green Lung. These United Kingdom Satanic stoner metal masters will drop a pound of their finest Sabbath-esque doom on you, and then they’ll smoke you out with deep, rockin’ riffs circa Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak-era. (There’s also a little Motörhead in there, if you listen close.)
Green Lung’s highly anticipated 4th album, Necropolitan, drops September 11, 2026, via Nuclear Blast Records. You can stream the title track above.
Dirty Honey
I’m going to say something that you can only understand if you hear them: Dirty Honey sounds like a 50/50 blend of Aerosmith and AC/DC. (If you’re familiar with them, you are making that “oh wow” face right now.)
Certainly, there’s also a southern rock dynamic to what the band is doing, which is different from the aforementioned classic rock bands. But suffice it to say, their riffs are riffing. These dudes are serving up straightforward, fist-pumping rock ‘n’ roll with no bulls**t, and it’ll get you movin’.
Castle Rat
When I thought of making this list, Castle Rat was the very first band that came to mind. I saw them live a couple of years ago, and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.
Formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2019, Castle Rat’s American Doom sound is easily likened to Black Sabbath. It should be noted, though, that their energy also harkens back to bands like Sir Lord Baltimore or early Pentagram, or 70s-era Judas Priest.
They just bring an ethereal rock ‘n’ roll element to doom metal that sets them apart from literally everyone else.
To date, Castle Rat has released two albums: Into the Realm (2024) and The Bestiary (2025). Both are classic examples of the enduring nature of heavy metal’s foundations. As is the band’s most recent single, “The Siren”, which you can hear above.
The post Gods of Thunder: 3 Bands Keeping 70s Rock and Heavy Metal Alive in 2026 appeared first on VICE.
