The redesigned issue has a cover date of May 25 and is already in newsagents.
It comes less than two months after Emap rival IPC Media revamped NME, making it small enough to fit on the newsstands next to Kerrang! and updating its logo to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
The battle between the two rock magazines intensified this year when Kerrang!, formerly the heavy metal bible for long greasy-haired, black leather-trouser wearing bikers, overtook NME, which has had very little competition since its old stablemate Melody Maker was closed.
Kerrang!'s popularity is thought to be mostly down to the fact that it is one of few magazines that covers nu-metal and rock bands such as Limp Bizkit and Sum 41.
In the latest ABCs, its readership soared 63.5% year on year to 76,841, knocking NME off its number one spot and becoming the world's largest-selling weekly rock magazine.
Kerrang! editor Paul Rees said: "Our aim now is to continue going from strength to strength. It's time to take the next step up, ensuring that life remains even louder.
"We've basically given the whole magazine a facelift. Kerrang! will continue to celebrate music with attitude with its unique passion and unrivalled access, but the presentation is to be sharper than ever before."
As well as its ABC success, Kerrang! also won the PPA Award for best Consumer Specialist Magazine of the year.
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