Analysis of a Double Page SpreadBy Shannon Horton

INTRODUCTION

• Metal hammer is a UK based magazine. It mainly adheres to the heavy metal genre, and represents heavy metal bands.

• It is currently outselling “Kerrang!” and “NME”

• It is published weekly, with a circulation of 49,143 copies sold.

• The genre is wide regarding metal (where all types of metal are covered) yet does not really consider other genres of rock.

Masthead• The masthead “Demons

at the Gate” implies that the artists are actual demons and that they have an air of immortality within them. This demonic imagery is indicative to the magazine and the image that the band “Dimmu Borgir” want to create (also shown by the gothic sans writing). This shows the magazine is for a specific “Metalhead” audience. This is also shown by the large font of the quotation “If you can’t gamble you can’t win”. The effect of this statement adds to the image of non-conformity and the stereotype of rocker being “reckless”. The gambling semantics could also show an image of rebelling against the law.

• The colour of the masthead fades from a blue to a white, indicating a softness. This makes the writing stand out behind the darkness of what appears to be a desert in night-time, conforming to the magazine’s identity and it’s audience. It could show to “softer” side of the band.

Colour scheme

• The main theme is light and dark shades of grey with shades of black and white. This is indicative with the desert theme that the picture wants to create. These colours evoke the sense of a higher power, and support the bands’ god-demon image. Combined with the text and the gothic text, they oppose each other with the common rock persona because light colours do not fit with the image of anarchy and metal. This is strangely matched by the member of the bands as they match the colour scheme/the scheme matches them, further creating the sense he is wiser/stronger than all of us “mortals”.

Main Image

• The composition of the shot informs the reader of the status of the members. It also shows the dominance of Shagrath as he will constantly dominate the shot (he will be central). Shagrath (the lead singer) is in the middle, facing the front. His largeness compared to the others shows his authority and asserts his power as “leader”. Silenoz (the figure on the left) is slightly larger than the figure on the back (whatever his name is, probably something like Infectious, or something really over the top) which also indicates his highness over other members. This conforms to the ideas of a metal band: it’s all about the dominance

FontThe gothic typography is synonymous with the demon imagery. Also, the grey-blue scale of the writing indicates the cold nature of the band. This implies the nature of metal music and the necessity to conform to rock conventions