Posts Tagged ‘metal fashion’

Hallween isn’t a big holiday in New Zealand, not like it is in the US (I can’t wait to visit the States during Halloween and see all the decorations and the kids in their costumes). But, since Halloween is practically made for us alternative types, my friends host an annual Halloween party, and this year’s shindig was the best yet.

What are the elements for the perfect Halloween party? Well, we have the group of awesome friends, the creative costumes, and the date and venue. Since the weather’s warming up over here, we fired up the BBQ. Tarah, the gracious host, cooked a feast of Halloween goodies – bat and coffin cakes, devilishly dark chocolate brownies, and severed finger biscuits.

This year I went as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. My dress is vintage, with a cincher belt from an outlet mall. My cartouche necklace come from Egypt, and spells my name, with a depiction of the goddess Ma’at on the back.

Tarah, the host of the party, looking stunning as a vampire nun.

Kelli (left) and Amy (right) as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett. These two are studying costume design and made everything themselves (including the pies. One even has a finger poking out).

Tim, as Getafix.

Jaimee, looking stunning in her Dia de los Muertos makeup.

And, probably the best costumes of the evening, two friends showed up dressed as two other friends. Here’s two Johnowars:

And two Tarah’s.

Metal was played, silliness and singalongs abounded, pies were consumed, rakishly handsome men disappeared in the night. The perfect Halloween party – heavy metal style.

Halloween used to be a sacred time of year – a time of rebirth, of worship and celebration for the death, a time when magic is profoundly, wonderfully real. I love that in the 21st century we’ve modernized these ideas and created our own rituals. There’s always a little bit of magic in the air on Halloween, don’t you agree?

Who am I? I’m Steff. Born in New Zealand, raised on a steady diet of metal and out-of-print archaeology books, I’m now a freelance writer, accessible formats producer, and full-time iron maiden.

You can keep up to date with all the metal madness at my Steff Metal blog. I update 4 times a week with reviews, articles, advice and silliness about living the metal lifestyle. And, for alternative biz owners, I run a creative business community for the dark side at Grymm & Epic.

Keep it brutal \m/

Hi fellow metallers and miscreants! I just got back from Wacken Open Air, the greatest heavy metal party on earth, and thought I’d share with you some of my adventures in the holy land of heavy metal.

I'm stoked to be at WOA for the second time this year

The Wacken Open Air festival began in 1990 with a handful of German bands on a farm in rural Germany. Since its humble beginnings, Wacken has grown to one of the largest and most beloved heavy metal festivals in the world – attended by 75,000 metalheads from all over the world including, this year, a huge contingent of kiwis, and some sheep.

Our campground sheep

In the middle of the night, someone stole one of our sheep. We’re glad they never brought it back.

We arrived two days before the music began, giving us plenty of time to enjoy beer with our friends and browse the metal and medieval markets. Here, metalheads can find everything from clothing and patches to drinking horns and replica weaponry. I blew the budget at my favourite sock stall.

CDH perusing the shops in the metal market

Viking horn! (if you don't blow it correctly, it sounds like a farting elephant)

The first must-see band at Wacken is the Wacken Firefighters. This is the volunteer fire brigade from the town itself, performing classic German drinking songs in all their brass band glory, while a horde of drunk metalheads link arms and dance. It’s brilliant fun and I even got my crowd-surfing on!

The Thursday was a quiet line-up for me, with Helloween blasting power metal classics and my favourite band, Blind Guardian, taking the stage for a headlining slot. With the band playing flawlessly and the crowd singing every word, this was a magical set and the perfect end the first day of music.

Happy metalheads at the Wacken Firefighters

Friday was my busiest festival day, starting at midday with Ensiferum and not finishing till 3am with Apocalyptica’s mist-soaked cello instrumental set. The highlights of Friday were definitely Van Canto – a heavy metal cappella group – and Judas Priest. I’ve never seen these legends perform live before, and their show – one of the first in their epic farewell tour – slayed. Rob Halford is still pulling out some amazing vocals.

The Shining, at Wacken Open Air

On Saturday I got to catch one of my favorite indie acts, Norwegian jazz metal band the Shining, who played a half-hour set on the WET Stage at the same time as Iced Earth. Tobias’ Sammet’s Avantasia stole the day with a flawless, energetic performance, accompanied by special guests Bob Catley (Magum), Hai Hansen (Gamma Ray, Helloween) and Michael Kiske (formally of Helloween). After some epic dinner hotdogs (mine was covered in chilli. Sweet), we dove into the mosh-pit for Kreator.

And just like that, another Wacken was over. We had only to pack up our beer bottles, say goodbye to new friends and old, and leave the hallowed festival grounds. Until next year, WOA. Horns up \m/

Goodbye Wacken! Till next time!

You can see more Wacken photos at the official Wacken gallery.

Who am I? I’m Steff. Born in New Zealand, raised on a steady diet of metal and out-of-print archaeology books, I’m now a freelance writer, accessible formats producer, and full-time iron maiden.

You can keep up to date with all the metal madness at my Steff Metal blog. I update 4 times a week with reviews, articles, advice and silliness about living the metal lifestyle. And, for alternative biz owners, I run a creative business community for the dark side at Grymm & Epic.

Keep it brutal \m/
Steff

For those of you in the northern hemisphere, summer is upon you (lucky minxes), and that means the best time of year is about to begin – festival season. From Wacken and Hellfest in Europe to Ozzfest and Deathfest in the US, every year metalheads descend in their thousands to stand in the sun, camp in their own filth, drink expensive beer, and watch their favorite bands.

As my home turf here in New Zealand is fast descending into winter gloom (and we’re not exactly renowned for our metal festivals. Hobbit and Gumboot festivals, yes, metal festivals … not so much), I’ll be boarding a plane shortly to Europe to attend two festivals – Wacken Open Air, and the much smaller and more curious Veldensteiner Festival. Needless to say, I’ll be bringing all you grymm gents and metal maidens updates on my adventures.

This will be my second trip to Wacken, the so-called “Holy Land of Heavy Metal”. The festival occurs annually in the tiny town of Wacken (pop 1800), an hour north of Hamburg, where the town’s population swells to over 70 000 black-clad metalheads from all over the world. Three days of music, mischief and mayhem – I can’t wait.

If you’re thinking of donning you best mosh-pit attire and heading out to a metal festival this summer, here are my top survival tips:

Wear Sensible Shoes: for most metal festivals, this means boots. Why? Because everyone else wears boots, and if someone stomps on you in the mosh pit, you need to be able to stomp back. Wacken can get muddy and filthy, and a good pair of combat boots will ensure your feet stay free of gunk.

Sun-protection: At Wacken, most of the injuries treated by the first-aid crew involve people falling asleep in the sun and getting sunstroke. Bring plenty of sunscreen (spray bottle recommended), sunglasses and a hat.

Your hat doesn’t have to be boring, however. Most metalheads like caps or cowboy hats. Me? I’ve got an authentic 19th century English military beret.

Drink plenty of water: And no, beer is NOT water. Alcohol dehydrates you and makes you more prone to sunstroke and falling asleep during your favorite band. Try to drink one glass of water for every glass of beer.

Bring a “tent marker”: whether it’s a flag, a sign or, in our case, a giant blow-up sheep, you need something to distinguish your tent from the 70 000 other tents pitched on the campsite. It’s quite commonplace to arrive back at your tent to discover a sleeping metalhead who, after spending three hours stumbling drunk around the campsite looking for his own tent, simply decided yours looked like the next best thing.

Drinking Horn: the must-have Wacken campground accessory.

A copy of the running order: due to some corporate policy I cannot fathom; many festivals don’t give you a copy of the running order at the gate. In fact, even if you buy a program, you’re not guaranteed to get an up-to-date list of who’s playing when. There are signs posted, but you will inevitably be in an area without signs wishing you knew who was playing when and where. Print a copy of the running order off the website before you leave in the morning.

Toilet paper: never leave home without it.

Keep your clothes simple and comfortable. Since you’re at a metal festival, you’ll probably want a black t-shirt (and remember the rule about not wearing the shirt of the band you’ve come to see). Team this up with shorts or your favorite pair of Stretch fuck*n jeans. Bring an extra warm layer like a hoodie or jumper to cover yourself with in the evening, when the air cools.

I don’t advise wearing a skirt or any delicate jewelry if you intend on going anywhere near that mosh pit.

Alternatively, you could wear this:

Pack all your essentials in an over-the-shoulder or cross-chest bag: your wallet, cellphone and keys, pen and pencil (for writing down the number of the cute metalhead boy you meet in the pit), bottles of water, camera, snack, sunscreen and lipgloss.

Most importantly, have a blast! Yes, it’s dirty, smelly and crowded, but you’re with your people. The festival atmosphere is magic – at what other event do you get to spend 3 days hanging out with the coolest people on earth?

Who am I? I’m Steff. Born in New Zealand, raised on a steady diet of metal and out-of-print archaeology books, I’m now a freelance writer, accessible formats producer, and full-time iron maiden.

You can keep up to date with all the metal madness at my Steff Metal blog. I update 4 times a week with reviews, articles, advice and silliness about living the metal lifestyle. And, for alternative biz owners, I run a creative business community for the dark side at Grymm & Epic. I’m also on Twitter.

Keep it brutal \m/
Steff

It can be tough being a girl in the heavy metal world – especially if, like me, you have a bit of a weakness for fashion. Metalheads are probably considered the most un-fashionable people in the world – our “uniform” of jeans and t-shirt hasn’t changed since the seventies. And, in a genre dominated by men, there aren’t many leading females from which to take stylistic inspiration.

However, once you start looking, you realise the metal world is full of beautiful, talented ladies who rock their own unique style. Metal chicks ooze self-confidence and sex appeal, and they’re not afraid of expressing themselves or the themes of their music through fashion.

Within the world of female metal musicians and fans, you’ll find a huge variety of different creative styles. Some lean towards more classic metal style – t-shirts and jeans – while others like to incorporate historical period styles – Victorian, Medieval, Viking – with more modern pieces. Some like to look tough and dangerous or draw influences from biker and BDSM subculture.

Here are some of my favourite metal style icons:

Angela Gossow

“I am pretty much 200% metal. It’s fun. You should try it! I get away with so many silly things. Headbanging, screaming, wearing chains and military boots. I don’t really have to grow up in that aspect.”

In 2000, German-born Angela Gossow became the new lead singer of melodic death metal band Arch Enemy and has since risen to become the most prominent female voice in extreme metal. While many female front-women add a delicate, melodic element to metal, Angela growls, rasps and screams. Her unique vocal style and confidant, take-no-prisoners personality makes her the perfect Metal Style Icon.

“My style is feminine/tough – matching my stage personality. I want to look good in my clothes but still wanna be able to move in them. I prefer pants all the way. Dresses aren’t my thing at all. I like it simple but with small, interesting details. I don’t like an overdressed look.”

Angela’s Look: metal shirts, tight jeans, metal spikey bits, fingerless arm warmers, huge combat boots. Pair your favorite Stretch fuck’n Jeans with a tank top or t-shirt, a studded belt and some big-ass combat boots.

Angela’s music: Arch Enemy’s 2001 release, Wages of Sin, introduced the world to the force that is Angela Gossow.

Tarja Turunen

“I like to wear dramatic cloak-like coats when I perform. I got my first leather pants with my mum from a sex shop. Where else would we have looked for outfits for my first shows? Many are surprised how small I am, ’cause on stage I look like two meters long with a big voice.”

A name familiar to fans of gothic and symphonic metal, Tarja used to front the popular Finnish band Nightwish before going solo in 2005. Her operatic vocals and powerful stage presence saw her quickly rise to fame as one of the pioneers of symphonic metal and one of the most famous female metal singers in the world.

Like her vocal style, Tarja’s clothes are dramatic and feminine. She favours decadent fabric, sculpted coats and long, flowing dresses. She often incorporates medieval and pagan styles into her outfits, so that her clothing continues the stories told by her music.

Tarja’s Look: dark, dramatic colours, sweeping skirts, bell sleeves, medieval detailing and romantic silhouettes. Try some of the flowing dresses and skirts in the Step in Time collection.

Tarja’s Music: her second solo album – What Lies Beneath – released in 2010.

“I feel most comfortable in black but if I wear color, they’re deep colors. I like clothes that let out my leo personality. In home in Buenos Aires I dress more muted because if we go out, people will notice me for my looks as it is.”

“I wear a lot of clothes by Maria Vazquez, Ricky Sarkany and Claudia Larreta.”

Simone Simons

“Every woman likes her perfumes, her lotions and washing powder to smell good.”

Simon joined Dutch symphonic metal band Epica in 2002, aged just 18, and has sinced toured the world wowing audiences with her huge, operatic voice and <> stage presence. A red-haired beauty, Simone loves mixing high fashion with feminine corsets and leather, creating a tough but sexy .

Simone even has her own blog – SmoonStyle – dedicated to fashion and makeup.

Simone’s look: comfortable and stylish basics, high fashion fitting, draping, relaxed, non-fussy details, corsets paired with leather pants. Try a Fashion Victim tank over your favorite jeans with a killer handbag.

Simone’s music: Epica’s 2009 release Design your Universe perfectly displays Simone’s powerful voice.

“After many long years of loyal service, my favorite leather pants has given up on me. During our show yesterday in Hilversum, I discovered that the fly of my leather pants was wide open. I have no clue for how long I was air conditioned down there. Nobody in the audience gave me a sign!”

Ladies, who is your metal style icon?

Who am I? I’m Steff. Born in New Zealand, raised on a steady diet of metal and out-of-print archaeology books, I’m now a freelance writer, accessible formats producer, and full-time iron maiden.

You can keep up to date with all the metal madness at my Steff Metal blog. I update 4 times a week with reviews, articles, advice and silliness about living the metal lifestyle. And, for alternative biz owners, I run a creative business community for the dark side at Grymm & Epic.

Keep it brutal \m/
Steff

We’re called the metal army, the horde, the Templars, the warriors of steel, the satanic warmasters, and, by my mother, “those scary, unshaven men you hang out with”. And for good reason. Like any good army, we metalheads have our orders (“go forth and spread metal”), we have our weapons (blistering guitars, pummelling drums and brutal, warlike vocals), and we have our uniform.

The black t-shirt, the jeans, the combat boots, the studs, the leather, the denim. Hair worn long, like a barbarian. The jewelry, talismans of forgotten times and unpronounceable band names. The attitude, devil-may-care. If you want to join the metal army, you’ve got to get the uniform right.

Regulation Metalhead Kit

T-shirt

Nice try, but his shirt breaks the first rule, by not being black.

Every metalhead needs at least this one essential piece of kit. The metal t-shirt comes in every color, as long as it’s black, with the front emblazoned in highly detailed scenes of slaughter, death and destruction, accompanied by the name of a suitably grymm band in letters so large you couldn’t possibly mistake it for a hip-hop act.

The more highly “ranked” you are in the metalhead army, the more underground and unpronounceable the band name on your t-shirt.

And, like any army, there are rules. If attending a concert, you are NOT to wear the t-shirt of the band you are going to see. You are NOT to wear tour shirts from tours you personally did not witness. And you must never, ever wear the shirt of a non metal band to a metal show, unless you are, as we say in New Zealand, “cruisin’ for a bruisin’.”

Boots

These must be tough, able to withstand the rigors of the mosh pit and the repeated forced march to and from the beer tent.

Jeans

Black, blue or stonewash grey jeans. They’re durable, warm and look good on any figure, from a waifish metal princess to the toughest mosh pit monster.

Patched Vest

Sadly going out of style among the younger metalheads, the denim vest lovingly sticked with patches from your favorite bands used to be the marker of a true and serious metalhead.

Belt

Note the presence of gauntlets, bullet belts and inverted crosses

Needed to hold up the jeans. Regulations declare it must be made from leather, ideally from an animal you killed and skinned yourself as part of a satanic sacrifice. Studs and spikes optional, but encouraged.

Belts can also be made of strings of bullets, or, if you’re Max Cavelera from Sepultura, a string of AA batteries taped together. (in the documentary Global Metal, Max admitted that in the early days the band was too poor to afford bullet belts, until Igor pointed out that they could make their own from AA batteries and, from a distance, they looked the same).

Now that’s brutal. As well as looking suitably terrifying, this bullet belt could come in handy if your Walkman breaks down in the middle of the Brazilian rainforest.

Non-regulation items:

Gauntlets

Leather vambraces around the wrists or forearms, usually studded with studs or six-inch spikes.

Dog tags

The metal horde assembles

Jewelry should be sparing – so it doesn’t accidentally get tangled up when you’re headbanging – but meaningful, so if a beautiful metalhead girl or guy asks you about your skull knuckleduster, you can tell them a deep and impassioned story about how you won it from Lemmy in a poker match. Popular styles include skulls, Thor’s hammers, swords, crosses (both right-way-up and inverted), pentagrams and other religious symbols, and miniature working replicas of medieval torture devices.

A sword at your hip or guitar slung over your shoulder never goes amiss.

Ration pack

Contains a lighter, a drinking horn, a copy of your underground black metal demo (just in case you run into Hellhammer at the local fish & chip shop), an Iron Maiden condom and, oh, twelve boxes of beer.

With the regulation kit assembled, you’re ready for every conceivable metal adventure.

About Steff

Steff Metal (and friends)

Who am I? I’m Steff. Born in New Zealand, raised on a steady diet of metal and out-of-print archaeology books, I’m now a freelance writer, accessible formats producer, and iron maiden.

You can keep up to date with all the metal madness at my Steff Metal blog. I update 4 times a week with reviews, articles, advice and silliness about living the metal lifestyle. And, for alternative biz owners, I run a creative business community for the dark side at Grymm & Epic.

Keep it brutal \m/
Steff