Revamped Metal Hammer ‘louder than everything’

Heavy metal magazine Metal Hammer has been repositioned with a new strapline: “Everything louder than everything else.”

Backed by a substantial promotional push, the revamp aims to distance Metal Hammer from the more junior pop titles in the market by targeting 18- to 30-year-old music fans looking for a “serious” and in-depth read.

Sixteen pages have been added and the editorial has undergone changes to try to present a more rounded approach to the market. Several new sections have been introduced, including an “At Home With” feature and “The Spanish Inquisition – you ask, they squirm”, where readers are given the chance to quiz artists.

The title will also take a deeper look at the story behind a classic album and journalists will reappraise it and assess its impact on current music.

Editor Chris Ingham said: “The ‘metal’ word has been around for ages. It has been apologised for and considered as dangerous. And yet it retains a vital connection to the history of rock and heavy metal music. The fact that we are straying away from the fly-by-night, one-hit wonders that dominate the nu-metal and junior rock pop scene signals that we are moving away from a fashion-led magazine in order to create a rock and heavy metal bible.”

He added that the new strapline – “everything louder than everything else” – “underlines our respect for the established artists and for those newcomers that promise longevity. We are combining our expertise with quality, in-depth analysis and stunning photography in order to meet the needs of any serious rock and metal fan. Rock fans deserve better than what they are currently being served and we intend to provide it.”