Keeper has the typical metal magazine layout; glossy cover, newspaper print insides. All black pages with white text, which is the smudgy gift that keeps on giving. The pages inside are filled with ads and articles about the kinds of bands whose font graphics do more harm to the band names than help. Band names such as Usurper, Infamy, Deeds of Flesh and Gatekeeper, and dozens more that I literally could not decipher; the types of bands you would expect to be playing at annual metalfests.

The general breakdown of the information contained within Keeper's 74 pages (including front and back covers) is this: eleven band interviews/features, one movie review (the premiere of Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses"), four live reviews, two DVD reviews, 33 album reviews, and 32 PAGES of ads. Literally close to half of the magazine is taken up by ads. To be fair, however, I glanced through an old issue of Metal Edge and the ad ratio seemed to be similar.

After a couple pages of local ads, the first "article" we're given is a full-page titled "Keeper's Recipes - for a taste of something EVIL." What it is is a topless woman molesting herself with the claim that she's an S&M fiend with a taste for blood; her recipe is a drink that calls for cucumbers, papaya, and "elderblood." To be quite frank... it's stupid. The Lamb Of God piece was great, and the Darkest Hour interview was fun to read. The article about Cradle of Filth was an interesting read as well, surprisingly. I think part of the Soilwork interview was missing, plus a couple of the articles (including the Soilwork one) don't have any by-lines. The writing (save one or two authors) could use some help, and I was disappointed as to how many editing errors there were. Oh, the magazine also came with a 21 song CD, as well. The bands included appear to be the bands advertised in the mag, though, rather than the bands featured.

While I may have a lot of complaints (but hey, they did send it in for review, afterall) I wouldn't necessarily say this is a bad mag. It's just not good. It lacks consistency and flow. And editing. But it covers a genre that doesn't get a lot of press, and I applaud that. So keep working, Keeper, and hopefully you'll hit your stride.

www.keepermagazine.com