Rock magazine Metal Hammer is marking the release of a new album by thrash band Metallica by distributing 4,000 limited edition copies with covers made from Metal.
The special edition cover, emblazoned with the band's logo, will be available through HMV stores costing £5.99 from today. A small number will also be available through the magazine's website.
The special edition cover, emblazoned with the band's logo, will be available through HMV stores costing £5.99 from today. A small number will also be available through the magazine's website.
In addition to the Metal cover promotion, which has been two years in the planning, the latest issue contains an eight-page feature on life with the band and a track-by-track review of their new album, "Death Magnetic", their first in four years.
"We wanted to celebrate their return and there was no way we could make the Metal Hammer cover more Metal than this", said Alex Milas, the editor of Metal Hammer, which is published by Future Publishing.
Copies of the magazine without the Metal cover will be sold at the normal cover price of £3.99.
Metal Hammer is no stranger to offbeat giveaways. In 2006, it marked the 20-year anniversary of the release of Slayer's "Reign In Blood" album by including a packet of fake blood with the magazine. It has also previously given away an inverted cross with every issue of Metal Hammer.
Publication last month of the latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations revealed that Metal Hammer had stood its ground in a tough market. Its sales dropped just 1.2% year on year to 48,540 during the first half of 2008, while many other leading music magazines suffered heavy falls.
Bauer Media's Kerrang! fell by 27.9% year on year to a circulation of 60,290. IPC's weekly music title NME also declined sharply, falling 17.4% year on year to 56,284.
Bauer's Q magazine retained its top spot in the music sector, despite its circulation falling 13.1% to 113,174 year on year.
Shooter: Ross Halfin
