METAL HAMMER Double Page Analysis

         The first thing I noticed about the article is that it has carried on the same “live” theme which was first conveyed on the front cover. This is seen through the montage of photos used throughout the article as there are shots of the band performing at concerts. The photographs show what it would be like to see them in concert and as they look they putting them on a superior performance it sells it to the reader that they are an entertaining band. Some of the photos are also of large crowds which shows that they are very entertaining and popular, this idea of them being popular is underlined by the caption they have used for that particular photograph of the crowd; “2,000 of the 17,000 Germans losing their shit”, which shows that they have a lot of fans and therefore gives the impression that their music must be good.

                  Following on from this as the article is predominantly photos, it makes it look interesting as it gives a visual insight into their tour in Germany, rather than just writing about it like most articles normally do. This means that the text does not look over bearing and too much to read. Because the photos are at different scales as well as different angles, it means that it looks there are a lot less photos than eight on the double page, which therefore is very effective as it does not look cluttered. As well as using photos to use up any space in the article it also uses a filler, which also adds colour to the mostly black article as it is surrounded in a gold box; which ties in with the colour scheme.                  Each article in Metal Hammer magazine is very unique; font type, colour scheme and layout etc are all different, this gives individual style to each artist featuring in the magazine. The colour scheme used for this particular article is black; which has connotations of danger and mystery which relates to rock music, as well as gold; which has connotations of wealth and luxury. Both of these colours are eye catching and distinct, which creates a sinister, bold theme. Following on from this the black background colour gives a dark edgy look to the article as most articles have a neutral white background, this also adds to the uniqueness of the article and shows that the it has quite a serious visual tone

                The gold boarder around the article adds to the idea of wealth and gives royal connotations, in addition it gives the article a sophisticated look as it looks like a section which could come from their autobiography and this idea is supported by the many pictures used right the way through. The gold drop caps used not only keep with the colour scheme, but it is also clear for the reader to see where the leading paragraph starts as they stand out from the page. Moreover it keeps with the house style and separates up the different sections and subjects in the article, which is conventional and effective.

                The text is arranged into columns so it looks organised and straightforward to read and broken up with fillers, pull quotes and pictures spread around the columns, so that the text does not become repetitive.  The mode of address is very informative, especially the opening sentences as it is very descriptive and allows the reader to set the scene of the article in their head. The metaphor to describe the “bruised clouds” mirrors the dark colours they have used for the article and therefore makes the opening sentences sound like the aperture of a story. 
                The article uses sophisticated language such as “mesmerised” and “disdain”, which ties in with the boarder of the article and the older target audience. As well as colloquial language and abbreviations of words such as “whaddya”, this contradicts the sombre colours used as it gives the impression that they are not all serious unlike the tone conveyed from the colours. The colloquial language also shows that they are down to earth and come across as forthcoming, which is particularly seen from the pull quotes for example; “WE TURN UP TO TOWNS WHERE THERE’S NOTHING, AND THEN A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE SHOW UP”. The pull quotes also have the logo of the band above them, this portrays that they have come directly from the mouths of the band and therefore makes the reader trust the article. The serious tone conveyed from the colours is also repudiated by the pictures captions, for example; “They’re behind yooooou!” as they come across as humours which also conveys a comical tone; the complete opposite to the first impression of the article.

               From the taboo language used such as “Germans losing their shit” and the photograph of one of the members swearing it is clear to see that the target audience is for older people and shows that the band have attitude which illustrates that they are a typical rock group.