HM

About HM

HM, originally called Heaven's Metal, started as a photocopied fanzine in 1985. The magazine was inspired by an editorial in the fanzine ACME, and the first issue featured Stryper.

Early Heaven's Metal issues could be considered as part of a group of underground fanzines supporting Christian rock music. Often made by cutting, pasting, and photocopying, this class of magazine reflected more on the honest intentions of the editors than any attempt to build a slick, viable publication.

By the late 1980s Heaven's Metal had transcended that label, morphing into a full-sized magazine with #15, and gaining retail distribution. A 1988 article in CCM compared Heaven's Metal to general market metal magazines such as Kerrang! and Metal Forces. Circulation reached 1,400 copies per issue in 1988.

With national distribution through Christian book stores, circulation had grown to 10,000 copies by the early 1990s.

In September 1995, the name changed from Heaven's Metal to HM, reflecting changes in the industry, and the general decline in the popularity of metal music. Following this, circulation peaked over 18,000.

The name Heaven's Metal was resurrected in 2004 to focus on harder elements of Christian metal and old-school bands that are still on the scene.Heaven's Metal eventually rolled back into the main publication.

The final printed issue of HM was #150, in 2011 and publication continued online monthly until mid-2015. The publication continues as a web site but no longer offers a current periodical in any form.