After more than a decade in digital publishing, online magazine Blistering.com is set to sunset. In its place will be a new business-to-business web site that provides marketing technology and services to record labels, artists, and entertainment-related companies. The first brand to launch under the Blistering.com umbrella will be Blistering Rich Media, a line of interactive multimedia banner ads capable to streaming music, video, and more.

Blistering.com's editor-in-chief David E. Gehlke had this to say: "Blistering.com was able to remain a viable entity for over 15 years, and for that, I am most proud. Even though the site is undergoing a transition, I am thankful for the opportunity to run it, and look forward to new, exciting endeavors down the road."

Robert Cotter, the founder and owner of Blistering.com, released the following statement: "The web was very different in '97 and '98. Well before the rise of social networks, smartphones, mass blogging and digital music distribution, I saw an incredible chance to help push the music industry forward in my own little way. And it had to be about heavy music. Blistering.com was my path. We catered to hundreds of thousands of metal fans over the years and have published tens of thousands of reviews, features, and photographs.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the writers and photographers have contributed to Blistering.com, past and present. Most of all I want to thank David E. Gehlke for his amazing work and dedication as Blistering.com editor-in-chief for five-plus years now. I also must thank all of the record labels, musicians, publicists, promoters, and everyone else on the business side that granted us access or sent us promos over the years. Of course, a fond thank you to the Blistering.com visitors worldwide that have been loyal over the last 15 years. And with that, cheers to all! It’s been grand."

Full disclosure: Robert Cotter is the current-CEO of Blistering Rich Media and Fixion Media, an advertising network that represents BLABBERMOUTH.NET exclusively.