 Metal Maniacs cover of March 1989 | |
| Categories | Music magazine |
|---|---|
| Founder | Mike Greenblatt and Katherine Ludwig |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Final issue | February 2009 |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Manhattan, New York City |
| Language | English |
| ISSN | 1559-4297 |
Metal Maniacs was an American magazine that was based around heavy metal music.
Founded in 1989 by Mike 'G' Greenblatt and Katherine Ludwig of Metal Shop. [1] Where its sister publication Metal Edge largely covered glam metal, Metal Maniacs focused largely on covering the more extreme sub-genres of heavy metal such as thrash and death metal genres. [2] Originally a Sterling publication, it was acquired by Zenbu Media in February 2007. [3] The magazine's editorial board was based in Manhattan, New York City, and published ten issues per year.
In contrast to Metal Edge, which largely consisted of pinup photos of the era's more commercial stars such as Bon Jovi and Poison, Metal Maniacs focused predominantly on thrash metal bands and aimed to "treat (metal fans) like human beings that might possibly have something to say," according to Ludwig. The magazine featured a letters section in which serious discussions about the metal scene and politics could take place. Ludwig also used the publication as a personal pulpit of sorts, stating "I also liked to get in something about vegetarianism, hemp, feminism, and freedom of speech when I could." [4]
In February 2009, it was announced that publisher Zenbu Media would cease publication of Metal Maniacs, along with the magazine's larger, more renowned sister publication, Metal Edge. [3] The company did not issue a statement to its readers, nor issue any refunds for subscribers. Associate editor JJ Koczan went on to found his own online magazine, The Obelisk, in January 2009. [5]
In 2010, the domain name of the magazine was put online again under new management from MetalHit.com. Metal Maniacs was revamped into a webzine without any involvement from its founders or previous writers.[ citation needed ]
In December 2011, To 11 Media, Inc. purchased Metal Maniacs and Metal Edge from Zenbu Media and continues to publish both magazines in electronic formats.[ citation needed ]
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, featuring double kick and blast beat techniques; minor keys or atonality; abrupt tempo, key, and time signature changes; and chromatic chord progressions. The lyrical themes of death metal may include slasher film-style violence, political conflict, religion, nature, philosophy, true crime and science fiction.
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a thick, monumental sound characterized by distorted guitars, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats and loudness.
Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots. It is described by AllMusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music.
It is usually considered less abrasive and more melodic than thrash metal, showing less influence from hardcore punk. However, speed metal is usually faster and more aggressive than traditional heavy metal, also showing more inclination to virtuoso soloing and featuring short instrumental passages between couplets. Speed metal songs frequently make use of highly expressive vocals, but are usually less likely to employ "harsh" vocals than thrash metal songs.
Progressive metal is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral or "pseudo-classical" compositions of the latter.
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contrast with the heaviness and dissonance prevalent, for example, in extreme metal. Power metal bands usually have anthem-like songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound.
A number of heavy metal genres have developed since the emergence of heavy metal during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At times, heavy metal genres may overlap or are difficult to distinguish, but they can be identified by a number of traits. They may differ in terms of instrumentation, tempo, song structure, vocal style, lyrics, guitar playing style, drumming style, and so on.
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual transgression".
Relix, originally and occasionally later Dead Relix, is a magazine that focuses on live and improvisational music. The magazine was launched in 1974 as a handmade newsletter devoted to connecting people who recorded Grateful Dead concerts. It rapidly expanded into a music magazine covering a wide number of artists. It is the second-longest continuously published music magazine in the United States after Rolling Stone. The magazine is published eight times a year. The magazine has a circulation of 102,000. Peter Shapiro currently serves as the magazine's publisher and Dean Budnick and Mike Greenhaus currently serve as Editor-in-Chief.
Exciter is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario, formed in 1978. Named after a song by Judas Priest, they are considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. The band was heavily influenced by a variety of music styles, including Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Rush, Jethro Tull and Grand Funk Railroad. Despite many changes in personnel, as well as two breakups, Exciter has managed to keep a small but dedicated following over the years.
Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore is a book by Albert Mudrian, the founding editor-in-chief of Decibel, a monthly magazine devoted to heavy metal music. The book was first published in 2004 by Feral House and details the evolution of the death metal and grindcore musical genres, from its beginnings as a small subculture exchanging compact cassettes to a genre where some artists reach million-dollar sales. A limited updated and expanded edition was published in hardcover in 2015 by Decibel Books. A further expanded and revised "death-luxe" edition was published in 2016 by Bazillion Points.
Crossover thrash is a fusion genre of thrash metal and hardcore punk. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and hardcore punk. Other genres on the same continuum, such as metalcore and grindcore, may overlap with crossover thrash.
Rat Skates is a filmmaker, writer and musician. He is most widely known as a director of music documentaries and his contributions to the thrash metal genre as a founding member and the original drummer of Overkill.
Zenbu Media is a media company located in New York City, United States and founded by Steve Bernstein that is focused on the music industry, sporting the slogan "we live for music."
Metal Edge was a magazine covering heavy metal music published by Zenbu Media. The magazine was founded in the summer of 1985, during the height of glam metal's success. Zenbu Media acquired Metal Edge in February 2007.
Bonded by Blood is an American thrash metal band, named after Exodus' debut album Bonded by Blood. Like its labelmates Evile, Gama Bomb, and Municipal Waste, Bonded by Blood is part of the thrash metal revival movement. The band was founded in mid-2005 by vocalist Jose Barrales, who with the help of friends completed the band's original lineup with guitarist Alex Lee, guitarist Juan Juarez, bassist Ruben Dominguez, and drummer Carlos Regalado.
BrooklynVegan is an American online music magazine founded in 2004 by David Levine. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, United States and originally focused on vegan food and the music community in and around New York City, before broadening its scope to covering musical artists and events worldwide. Since 2011, BrooklynVegan operates two subsidiaries dedicated to other cites: BV Chicago, which serves Chicago, Illinois; and BV Austin, which serves Austin, Texas.
All Them Witches is an American rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of drummer Robby Staebler, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Charles Michael Parks Jr., guitarist Ben McLeod, and keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Allan Van Cleave.
Mr. Peter Hayden is a Finnish alternative metal band often filed under post-metal, space rock or psychedelic doom. The band was formed in Kankaanpää, Finland in 2000. On their fourth album, Eternal Hayden, the band began to refer to themselves just by their logo, the PH-monogram, leading to confusion what the band should be called. Since then all variations from Mr. Peter Hayden to PH have been used, including ENPHIN after release of their sixth album End Cut in 2022. The group is also part of the Wastement collective.
Gimme Radio is an Internet radio and online store established in June 2017. It is based in San Francisco, California and was founded as an advertising-free service. Gimme broadcasts heavy metal music 24/7 and among its DJs are Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Lamb of God's Randy Blythe and Amon Amarth's Johan Hegg.
Christophe Szpajdel is a Belgian-born international calligraphist and illustrator, principally known for designing band logos.
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