Hot Metal

Established

1988

Publishers

Independent, Pacific Publications

History

Hot Metal was the first national full-colour gloss music magazine to specialise in metal. The magazine was started by an independent publishing house in Sydney with the first issue appearing in late 1988 with Axl Rose on the cover. Only 16 pages long, it was filled out by a double-sided A2 fold-out poster that featured Metallica on one side and Bon Jovi on the other. The first few issues were semi-regular but slowly increased in content, soon including promotional flexi-discs, lift-outs and stickers. Early contributors included Ian McFarlane who would later compile The Australian Encyclopedia of Rock and Pop, esteemed rock journalists including Stuart Coupe and Murray Engleheart and Steve Mascord, now with Rugby League Week.

In the early 90s the magazine was acquired by Pacific Publications and rebranded as HM, diminishing the metal content to capitalise on the alternative, indie and grunge scenes although there was still a regular scene round-up. The magazine was discontinued in late 1996. Several staff went on to found the short-lived Loudmouth magazine.