Launched in the UK during the summer of 1983, Metal Forces quickly established itself internationally as one of the most influential publications in the promotion of heavy metal and hard rock. Totally independent, the ground-breaking magazine championed the early careers of artists like Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Pantera and Sepultura – bands who at the time were virtually ignored by the mainstream rock press – and although Metal Forces was never a thrash publication per se, its coverage of the genre was unrivalled during the 1980s. Metal Forces was also relentless in its exposure of unsigned metal and rock bands from across the globe, with appearances in the magazine’s popular demo tape review section, ‘Demolition’, leading to numerous recording contracts.

In 1990, Metal Forces began producing the content for Fotodisk’s Metal XS video series, and also created a number of high profile off-shoot magazines, including Access All Areas and Thrash ‘N Burn; the latter a monthly title dedicated to extreme metal that would eventually evolve into Xtreme Noize. A German language version of Metal Forces also appeared in 1992.

Due to a changing musical landscape within a saturated rock magazine market in the UK, the printed version of Metal Forces ceased production in 1993 but continued to sell via internet outlets and for nearly 30 years has remained an important source of information, with early issues of Metal Forces now commanding high prices on eBay.

2012 saw the launch of the official Metal Forces magazine website, providing an online platform to peruse many of those vintage interviews and reviews, with additional archive material being added on a regular basis. The website also delivers a daily dose of new content, which continues the Metal Forces policy of in-depth, informative articles and devotion to promoting quality metal of all genres, regardless of popularity or trends.