Magazine / Name

To start with I made a general mind map to generate some ideas for potential magazine names. This included anything in relation to metal music/aesthetic and themes. Then I moved onto types of metal in terms of the music and also material. If the name of the magazine was a metal material this would offer context and also an abstract concept. I also explored names for ores, as these are usually quite interesting and raw. I highlighted the most appealing names and narrowed it down to the ones I felt would encapsulate what I was aiming for within the magazine's ethos and aesthetic. 

• Cobalt 
• Anthracite 
• Mercury 
• Thrash 
• Doom
• Concrete
• Black Pages
• Demon
• Marble

Cobalt has a strong phonetic structure, and is also a type of metal. Anthracite is a more obscure title which refers back to the material of iridescent coal - taking something that is viewed as dull and worthless, and making it beautiful. It also has a similar sound to the metal band Anthrax. Mercury refers back to the shiny liquid metal, showing that it is malleable and changing, it can also refer to the planet. Thrash and Doom are types of metal, however both are too related to Thrasher and Doom comic. Concrete has a hard feel, which would be reflected in the type of music the magazine would feature. Black Pages sounds similar to the yellow pages, conveying that it is informative and has a strong theme. Black is usually the colour that is associated with this subculture and music genre, so I found that it would be a fitting name. Demon refers to the evil connotations that is associated with heavy music, for example bands such as Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden have always included themes such as 'the number of the beast'. It also reflects the sign shown by metal fans all over the globe, the ubiquitous 'devil horns' hand sign. In taking this name, it could also be shown in different light, communicating a juxtaposition between the magazines aesthetic and the title. It also sounds phonetically dynamic. Marble refers to the material which has streaks running through it, representing the many avenues metal music has, and the subgenres that are part of it.  

Through the development period, I decided on multiple names and because I wanted it to be just right, I did change my mind a couple of times. Finally, it was decided that 'Demon' was the most suitable name, conceptually.