HM Magazine
Encyclopedia
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity
and hard rock
. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists. The recurring "So and So Sez" interviews focus on artists who often are not Christians and play in secular bands, in order to discuss their music, upcoming tours, albums, and to determine their views on Jesus Christ and other spiritual matters.
In 1985, Doug Van Pelt started Heaven's Metal as a fanzine. The classified ad Van Pelt's friend placed in Kerrang!
happened to be in the British rock magazine's 100th issue—an issue with 100,000 extra copies. This affected on the number of people ordering subscriptions. During that time many Christian record labels became interested in Christian metal, and they advertised the newly signed metal bands on their roster on Heaven's Metal since it was the only publication exclusively covering the movement. Soon Heaven's Metal achieved more popularity and became an official, professional publication, with five full-time journalists working for the magazine. Heaven's Metal achieved a regular flock of 15,000 readers.
The name was changed to HM Magazine in 1995, where the HM can also represent "Hard Music". Despite name and format changes over its history, the magazine's spiritual focus remains identifiably Christian, as it follows both the Christian rock
and the Christian metal
movement. Bands' sales usually rose when the ensembles were covered on the magazine. For example, during the mid-1990s, HM was the only magazine that covered P.O.D.
The band's label appreciated HM for this and eventually Atlantic Records
bestowed upon Van Pelt the gold P.O.D. plaque. Gold records are given to industry figures that impact sales. During the 1990s, HM sealed a distribution deal with a major magazine wholesaler that immediately increased its print-run from 13,000 to 22,000 copies and allowed Van Pelt and his co-workers to double ad rates, making HM a stable business enterprise.
Two specific articles greatly bolstered HMs popularity. The first was the band King's X
's vocalist Doug Pinnick
revealing his homosexuality. The second was Alice Cooper
's interview in 2002 when he, for the first time in public, admitted being a Christian, though he had avoided becoming a "Celebrity Christian," since other news portals in the world quickly noted this interview.
On October 2004, Van Pelt brought back the Heaven's Metal name by starting a new fanzine
under that title. Christianity and hard music are also themes of this venture, but produced in a smaller, less formal format. The Heaven's Metal fanzine also focuses on the more traditional styles of heavy metal and bands that are not as mainstream as those featured in the HM Magazine. The Heaven's Metal fanzine is released between issues of the primary HM Magazine.
HM has expanded to include acts other than those that would fit into the hard rock or metal category. It is not unusual to find an article on a softer rock band like Deas Vail
or a synthpop
outfit like Owl City
.
Van Pelt currently remains the editor and publisher of both the HM Magazine and Heaven's Metal Fanzine.
In an attempt to get out of debt, HM has launched a "Save HM Magazine campaign" through their website to raise funds in order to continue printing the publication. As a thanks to donors, they are offering a collection of songs available for download.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists. The recurring "So and So Sez" interviews focus on artists who often are not Christians and play in secular bands, in order to discuss their music, upcoming tours, albums, and to determine their views on Jesus Christ and other spiritual matters.
History
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
happened to be in the British rock magazine's 100th issue—an issue with 100,000 extra copies. This affected on the number of people ordering subscriptions. During that time many Christian record labels became interested in Christian metal, and they advertised the newly signed metal bands on their roster on Heaven's Metal since it was the only publication exclusively covering the movement. Soon Heaven's Metal achieved more popularity and became an official, professional publication, with five full-time journalists working for the magazine. Heaven's Metal achieved a regular flock of 15,000 readers.
The name was changed to HM Magazine in 1995, where the HM can also represent "Hard Music". Despite name and format changes over its history, the magazine's spiritual focus remains identifiably Christian, as it follows both the Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
and the Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
movement. Bands' sales usually rose when the ensembles were covered on the magazine. For example, during the mid-1990s, HM was the only magazine that covered P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
The band's label appreciated HM for this and eventually Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
bestowed upon Van Pelt the gold P.O.D. plaque. Gold records are given to industry figures that impact sales. During the 1990s, HM sealed a distribution deal with a major magazine wholesaler that immediately increased its print-run from 13,000 to 22,000 copies and allowed Van Pelt and his co-workers to double ad rates, making HM a stable business enterprise.
Two specific articles greatly bolstered HMs popularity. The first was the band King's X
King's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
's vocalist Doug Pinnick
Doug Pinnick
Doug Pinnick sometimes stylised as dUg Pinnick or simply dUg is an American musician best known as the bass guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the hard rock/progressive metal band King's X. He has fourteen albums with King's X, four solo albums, and numerous side projects and guest...
revealing his homosexuality. The second was Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
's interview in 2002 when he, for the first time in public, admitted being a Christian, though he had avoided becoming a "Celebrity Christian," since other news portals in the world quickly noted this interview.
On October 2004, Van Pelt brought back the Heaven's Metal name by starting a new fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
under that title. Christianity and hard music are also themes of this venture, but produced in a smaller, less formal format. The Heaven's Metal fanzine also focuses on the more traditional styles of heavy metal and bands that are not as mainstream as those featured in the HM Magazine. The Heaven's Metal fanzine is released between issues of the primary HM Magazine.
HM has expanded to include acts other than those that would fit into the hard rock or metal category. It is not unusual to find an article on a softer rock band like Deas Vail
Deas Vail
-History:Noted for having musical similarities to Death Cab for Cutie, Mew, Copeland, and Mae, Deas Vail was formed in the university town of Russellville, Arkansas in 2003. After a couple of years of touring, Deas Vail signed to Brave New World Records in 2005. In the fall of 2006, they released...
or a synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
outfit like Owl City
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronica musical project by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young formed in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. Young created the project while experimenting with music in his parents' basement...
.
Van Pelt currently remains the editor and publisher of both the HM Magazine and Heaven's Metal Fanzine.
In an attempt to get out of debt, HM has launched a "Save HM Magazine campaign" through their website to raise funds in order to continue printing the publication. As a thanks to donors, they are offering a collection of songs available for download.