Metal Hammer

 

I regularly write online articles for Metal Hammer (“the world’s biggest and best metal magazine”). Here are a few examples of my work…

 

Hellraiser feature: issue #367

In August of 2022, I was asked to write a 1,500-word feature on the impact of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser on the metal community. The feature involved two high-profile interviews with Pinhead actor Doug Bradley and Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth.

The feature got two double page spreads and marked my print debut with the publication.

 
A heavy metal history of stage make-up: Why costume is the ultimate marketing tool - Metal Hammer

A heavy metal history of stage make-up: Why costume is the ultimate marketing tool

In March 2020, I wrote an epic 2k word piece on stage makeup and costume in heavy metal.

Topics included fanbase tribalism, separation of art from the artist, merchandising, and performance augmentation.

It’s some heavy-ass shit.

You can read it here.

 
Metalsploitation horror films

10 insanely brilliant ‘metalsploitation’ horror movies everyone should see

It’s not often I’m paid to put my extensive knowledge of B-movie horror films to good use! Metal Hammer asked me to pitch horror articles for release in October and this was my contribution along with a piece on metal’s obsession with The Evil Dead.

Metalsploitation films were all the rage in the eighties and have seen a comeback in recent years. This fun listicle is jam packed with trailers and film recommendations for metal-loving horror fans and recreational satanists alike!

You can read it here.

 
Emma Cownley portfolio - metal hammer - nine inch nails

Why Nine Inch Nails’ Broken EP is Trent Reznor's ultimate ‘f**k you’

This long form article is a deep dive into the creative context for Nine Inch Nails’ EP, Broken and its companion film, The Broken Movie.

I examined the external influences and circumstances of its creation, and why it stands as Trent Reznor’s ultimate act of rebellion against the corporate music industry.

You can read it here.

 
emm Cownley freelance portfolio - metal hammer - alice in chains

Forget DirtFacelift is Alice in Chains’ most influential album

To celebrate the 30th birthday of Alice in Chains’ debut album, I wrote an article which delved into the historical context of its release, how it shaped the band’s trademark sound, and the impact it had on the music industry as a whole.

This article netted 97 shares and 469 likes on Twitter.

Read the full article here.

 
Metal Hammer feature article - Emma Cownley

Will ‘female-fronted metal’ finally die in 2020?

This piece explores changing attitudes to women in the heavy music scene and how genre categorisation needs to shift the focus away from gender.

You can read it here.

 
emma cownley portfolio - metal hammer - weird subgenres

Dinosaurs, pirates & porno: 11 of the weirdest metal subgenres

I wrote this light-hearted piece to explore some of heavy music’s weirdest subgenres — from drive thru metal to werewolf metal.

The aim was to lure readers in with the promise of sheer ridiculousness, then keep the hits coming until the end.

It’s jam-packed with lovely internal and external links, too.

You can read it here.

Thirsty for more? You can find all my Metal Hammer articles online here.

 
Emma Cownley