Another holiday season is upon us, and for metal and hard rock fans, that means merch. As fans of heavy music, we support our favorite artists by purchasing physical media, apparel, and memorabilia. It’s an integral part of the heavy metal way of life, and rare are the occasions when we can ask others to buy these precious artifacts for us.
Likewise, if you have a fan of metal and hard rock in your life, then you are probably well aware of the genre’s collector culture and obsession with iconography. We would willingly give our hard-earned money for multiple vinyl variants of Slayer’s Hell Awaits. Even better if such a blasphemous record was sitting under the tree on X-mas morning: the ultimate soundtrack to the burning of the yule log.
After a year of covering vinyl reissues, book announcements, and merch drops, we’ve compiled some of our favorite heavy metal and hard rock gift ideas for 2021. The goodies below are sure to make your dearest headbanger grin from ear to ear:
Vinyl and Box Sets
Slayer – Metal Blade Reissues ($12.99+): Slayer’s Metal Blade output — aka their early years — is some of the most ferocious, evil thrash metal ever committed to tape. Records such as Show No Mercy, the Haunting the Chapel EP, and Hell Awaits would pave the way for the black metal, while Slayer would evolve in a global metal phenomenon in the years to follow. These reissues come in a variety of appropriate colored vinyl variants and are sure to look spicy whilst spinning on your turntable. CD and cassette versions are also available. Buy them via IndieMerch.
