If the sounds of amplified distortion, extended guitar solos and thrash metal beats get your adrenaline going, then a subscription to one or more heavy metal music magazines might just be what’s necessary to satisfy you. These publications cover everything from album and live reviews to interviews with extreme and underground artists – perfect for fans!
Studies suggest that listening to metal with aggressive themes is associated with externalising behaviors, including delinquency and aggression (Walser, 2013). Personality traits appear to moderate these relationships further.
Decibel
Decibel Magazine is one of the premier metal publications available, covering all genres of extreme music. It provides interviews with established bands as well as up-and-coming ones, articles, reviews and features from both established and up-and-coming ones alike. Decibel has both digital and hard copy versions and is published monthly since 2004 by dedicated metal fans around the globe.
Extreme Metal Magazine is the ultimate publication for extreme metalheads. Founded by Albert Mudrian – who also happens to be an avid baseball fan – and regularly covering both current and classic albums from both genres with an incredible Hall of Fame section, Extreme Metal is truly the definitive metal music publication for extreme metal fans.
Decibel magazine is one of the premier metal publications in America, known for its extensive interviews and in-depth reviews that make it essential reading for any metalhead. Decibel also hosts its annual United States tour each year, making sure all fans don’t miss a beat when visiting these iconic venues!
This year’s tour featured Dark Funeral, Cattle Decapitation and 200 Stab Wounds; each provided an amazing show worth seeing if you are into metal music. Don’t miss it again next year — be sure to go check it out.
Decibel’s latest issue has just dropped, and as is typical with this beloved magazine, it is packed with all sorts of delightful articles about death and grindcore–two subgenres examined in Mudrian’s influential scene study–doom, black metal, thrash music and beyond are featured here – making this month’s issue truly an exploration of genre!
This month’s cover story examines how some of the most successful death metal acts have changed their sound over time. While acknowledging there may be younger bands simply copying what has come before them, veteran bands are still pushing boundaries of genre.
Decibel has featured an article about the Denver Metal & Beer Fest taking place this summer, an event organized by Decibel magazine and featuring bands like Baroness, Deafheaven and Obituary as headliners. Decibel also pledged a portion of proceeds to Girls Rock Philly — an organization that runs rock ‘n’ roll camps for young women – in their donation pledge for this event.
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly music magazine that covers everything heavy metal. From news to reviews of albums, live concerts and radio broadcasts. Plus interviews with new bands as well as established artists; Metal Hammer should be read by every die-hard metal fan!
Metal Hammer was founded by Wilfried F. Rimensberger in 1983 and initially published in the United Kingdom before going global, debuting local editions in Germany, Italy, Serbia, and Spain. Now over 30 years later it remains a must-read publication for metal music fans worldwide.
Subscribe now and get a CD absolutely FREE! METAL HAMMER is the world’s premier heavy metal music magazine, read by millions of hardcore metalheads around the globe. METAL HAMMER celebrates rock’n’roll and heavy metal music in all its true spirit, offering news, reviews and features on some of the biggest and best bands from across the globe.
The Metal Hammer Podcast is an audio show hosted by the staff of Metal Hammer magazine and featuring weekly news from metal music as well as reviews of new albums and special interviews with musicians featured in each issue. First premiered in 2009 and presented by various members of their staff such as Merlin Alderslade, Stephen Hill and Amit Sharma, it has since evolved into an enjoyable listening experience.
Eleanor interviews Joe and Mario Duplantier from Gojira for this episode of Metal Hammer Podcast. Joe and Mario talk about the inspiration for their recent album Fortitude as well as the philosophy that guides their worldview, their fascination with space travel, not fearing death and more! Definitely an outstanding episode!
Zero Tolerance
Zero Tolerance, an iconic British metal magazine since 1999, covers various genres like black metal, death metal and doom metal, while also offering interviews with bands and musicians as well as a metal crossword puzzle and features articles pertaining to metal history.
Extreme Metal Magazine is an exceptional publication for fans of extreme metal music. The writers are extremely knowledgeable, the magazine boasts an attractive layout and easy reading; plus it has featured interviews with some renowned rock and metal musicians like Lzzy Hale of Halestorm! Available for sale in bookstores throughout the UK.
Kerrang!, first published as a one-off supplement to UK newspaper Sounds on June 6, 1981, quickly rose to become one of the best-selling music newspapers. Primarily covering rock and heavy metal music as well as punk and dance genres. Kerrang! writers are highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects; plus many travel frequently to gigs to attend shows and write reviews!
Metal Hammer magazine is highly esteemed among metal enthusiasts and frequently serves as a resource to other publications. Contributors range from legendary rock journalists to new writers; its cover story typically showcases a band or musician with an album release; additionally, there is also an extensive section listing upcoming shows and gigs.
Zero Tolerance was ahead of its time on the Mega Drive, yet is no longer very enjoyable to play today. With its cumbersome interface and slow menu making navigation difficult, its historical value should not be discounted; also worth noting is the sound design, as each explosion, crash and punch has significant impact; incredible considering this was released over 20 years before Doom by iD Software!
Terrorizer
Terrorizer Magazine from the UK stands out among extreme metal music magazines as one of the better extreme metal magazines, offering great articles and interviews with both established as well as up and coming bands. As it’s larger than some other metal mags, it can accommodate larger images and content for its readers – it can also be found in most bookstores!
Terrorizer magazine first came out for publication in 1989, featuring an interview with Death guitarist Chuck Schuldiner and cover art by famed heavy metal artist Paul Raymond Gregory. Terrorizer quickly became a must-read among extreme metal fans; its writers constantly searched out what was next big in metal while pushing boundaries beyond what was acceptable at that time.
Terrorizer magazine made a shift towards black metal and hardcore punk in the late ’90s, much to its readers’ delight; readers who had become tired of hearing about pop bands found this to be refreshing change. Over time, however, the magazine delved further into noisecore and post-hardcore sounds; additionally it began featuring more female metal musicians like Joan Jett and Dethklok among its ranks.
Terrorizer’s first death metal special was a four-issue series featuring Deicide as its cover artist and providing an extensive history of the genre. Other highlights of this edition were oral histories with Morbid Angel’s Trey Azagthoth and Obituary’s John Tardy, an examination of genre’s genesis, roundtable discussion among Sweden Masters of Death tour bands, as well as a death metal top 40 list.
Terrorizer magazine has published numerous special issues over the years, such as an exhaustive history of black metal and death metal; an ultimate history of death metal; as well as covering extreme metal in general. Recently, “The Secret History of Power Metal,” released in 2019, was also published, featuring interviews with classic bands such as DragonForce and Dream Theater as well as an essay written by Paul Raymond Gregory on fantasy art on album covers.
If amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, and an energetic bassline get your blood pumping, a heavy metal music magazine may be exactly what’s needed. Pocketmags offers an extensive selection of these magazines written specifically by metalheads for metalheads.
Metal Hammer magazine in the UK is among the oldest of these publications and features reviews, news updates and interviews on extreme metal bands; while Zero Tolerance specializes in extreme and underground music.
Decibel
Decibel has only been around for a few years but has quickly established itself as the premier extreme metal magazine. They cover both emerging bands as well as legendary acts, providing interviews and reviews as well as investigative pieces and historical pieces, which set them apart from other metal mags. Furthermore, each issue contains their very own “Hall of Fame” article that spotlights an album from that issue’s list.
Decibel Editor-in-Chief Albert Mudrian is set to board a plane for California this month where he will oversee their west coast edition of “Metal and Beer Fest.” When not travelling, Albert runs Philadelphia-based Red Flag Media (10th & Arch Streets), who produces Decibel magazine.
Decibel is a monthly magazine dedicated to extreme heavy metal music that meticulously explores its past, present and future. Expect great interviews and reviews of both well-known bands as well as lesser-known acts from both famous and lesser-known groups as well as historical pieces, investigative features and an expansive Hall of Fame section. Purchase either a single copy of Decibel or subscribe for as long as desired for worldwide delivery!
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer was founded in 1983 as an English-language heavy metal music magazine and became one of the first Western youth publications sold in Soviet Russia; eventually local language editions became widely available worldwide. The magazine features news, reviews and long-form articles about both major and underground bands across genres such as heavy metal, punk rock, hardcore music and grunge; additionally it hosts various popular podcasts.
Metal Hammer’s editorial team is composed of veteran journalists and music fans with extensive knowledge of the scene, making this publication essential reading for all metalheads. Filled with in-depth interviews, in-depth features articles and hard hitting journalism; its authenticity stands it apart from other publications in its genre; making a subscription perfect gift idea!
Heavy Metal magazine has long been considered an essential read among rock and metalheads, serving as one of the leading publications within their genre. Their writers are dedicated to producing engaging content while possessing unrivaled insight and understanding of their subject matter, making this magazine one of the world’s premier publications.
Metal Hammer offers not only print and digital content, but also an extensive selection of podcasts that are popular with its readers and listeners. You can access its podcasts through various apps including Apple Podcasts app, Google Play Store, iTunes Store and Stitcher. In addition, Metal Hammer Broadcasting Network hosts movie franchise review podcast Long Road to Ruin as well as metal album review podcast Metal Hammer of Doom; both run by former 411mania alumni like Jesse Starcher and Robert Cooper who oversee this venture.
Sonny Lehner and Saviour Jost of While She Sleeps talk to Metal Hammer about their new To The Flowers video, which explores the ups and downs of relationship. Known for their DIY approach, this time around they went even further by shooting, directing, arranging, editing and styling it themselves! Additionally, Cradle of Filth discuss their gothic anthem Nymphetamine; Lord of the Lost’s Chris Harms talks Eurovision as well as butt plugs; Fever 333’s Jason Aalon Butler opens up about his interest in stand up comedy!
Zero Tolerance
Zero Tolerance is one of the world’s premier high-street metal magazines. Featuring essential bands and artists with insightful interviews as well as reviews and news about metal music.
Zero Tolerance magazine features Polish extreme metal band Behemoth as the cover story in their latest issue, celebrating both their extensive career and release – “Opvs Contra Natvram” – with blackened death metal titan Nergal being interviewed about both.
This issue of Extreme Metal Magazine is an invaluable source for fans of extreme metal music, particularly those interested in learning more about how bands form and their unique styles. There are interviews with members of several new and established extreme metal bands; their music reviews; as well as special live reports for Vltimas and Bloodstock Open Air 2022.
Zero Tolerance features interviews and articles from bands as well as visual artists and film directors. Topics discussed in Zero Tolerance include metal music history, practical advice for recording/playback and industry trends – making it an easy read for metalheads! Zero Tolerance can easily be found in bookstores worldwide.
Metal Hammer and Terrorizer magazines may offer more extreme metal content than this UK publication does; however, Heavy Planet does have much to offer extreme metal fans. Their enormous amount of live reviews and interviews with bands worldwide make for great reading material; not to mention they cover genres such as prog metal and hard rock as well. While it can be hard to get hold of in America.
Magazine Supermarket is your one-stop shop for heavy metal music magazines and beyond, from Zero Tolerance and Powerplay to more obscure titles such as Punk Rocker Magazine! Order by 3pm today, and we will even have it in your mailbox tomorrow!
Terrorizer
Extreme Music magazine is one of the world’s premier and most authoritative publications on Extreme Music, publishing 13 issues annually as well as twice annual “Fear Candy” covermount CD and double-sided poster editions. Each issue of Extreme Music contains interviews with some of the biggest bands from heavy metal and extreme music as well as features, reviews and features on scene activities in each genre – plus history lessons! Available both in UK and USA editions.
Since 1985, this magazine has provided all forms of metal entertainment, from thrash to death metal to grindcore and black metal. Recognised for pioneering the Extreme Metal scene since 1985, its readers make up one of its strongest followings and serve as one of the main sources for metalheads worldwide – it can be found across three different continents! Available now in UK, US and Australia!
Terrorizer magazine made waves when they championed death metal as an emerging genre. That bold move paid off, as death metal eventually overtook thrash metal on the scene and has endured ever since thanks to Terrorizer’s coverage.
Even so, old school bands such as Terrorizer often feel uncertain when releasing new material in this day and age. Their comeback album Darker Days Ahead proved disappointing and with Jesse Pintado’s death appearing to have diminished Terrorizer, it seemed they’d lost their magic altogether. Their latest effort, Caustic Attack is certainly more encouraging.
Though Terrorizer initially focused exclusively on thrash metal, the magazine has evolved and now embraces all subgenres of metal music. Indeed, its largest-ever special event to date will be hosted this issue with their Death Metal Special issue. Cover artist Deicide stars prominently, while the article includes an in-depth history of the genre, looks at Florida and Stockholm scene scenes, as well as oral histories with members from Cannibal Corpse’s Alex Webster and At the Gates/Morbid Angel’s Anders Bjorler. The magazine features an impressive roster of writers, such as former Stampin’ Ground bassist Ian Glasper (author of three books on UK punk), comic writer Paul Stenning (known as the Angry Metal Kid), former Cradle of Filth keyboard player Damien and Moss drummer Chris Chantler – not to mention guest columns from Fenriz, Amon Amarth’s Johan Hegg, and Brutal Truth’s Kevin Sharp.