Why do metalheads wear black

Why do metalheads wear black?

Have you ever wondered why metalheads all dressed in black? This question intrigues you, and you can't explain it? Or do you want to become a metalhead and you wonder if black is the best option?

Metalheads dress in black because they feel different from society. They have a rebellious and anti-generalist spirit. They are also very free in their way of thinking and refuse any form of belonging to another style. Black represents rebellion and uniqueness while preserving simplicity. Three values that make the metalhead style unique.

We are a group of passionate, some of us are metalheads, we will share with you everything you need to know, we will see together:

- Rock philosophy.
- Metalheads' favorite places.
- Tastes, and clothing styles.

After this article, you will be ready to talk to your friends about it. Without further ado, let's dive into the heart of the matter together.

Metal Music, All you need to know

To make you feel comfortable with the subject, we're going to see together what metal music is, who are the metalheads and why they have this reputation of being rebels. Let's go!

rockstar singing

How to recognize metal music?

Metal is a musical style that was born around the '70s with the band Black Sabbath as precursors with metal albums. The musical style derives from several currents but mainly from hard rock.

It is a vigorous style of music with more saturation on the guitar riffs. We can recognize metal with its powerful variations. The minor mode gives a dark side to the sound of the music.

Usually, bands are composed of a bass player, two guitarists (rhythm and solo), and a drummer. The tempo is relatively fast and technical. The vocals are different according to the category of the band here some types of metal: ''Gothic metal, death metal, power metal, heavy metal, Viking metal, Norwegian black metal, Japanese metal, American heavy metal, symphonic metal, black metal, extreme metal, speed metal, symphonic black metal, power metal, thrash metal, etc..''

Iron Maiden Hellfest

Metalheads are satanists?

The first reflex is generally to confuse them with Satanists; this is because the spirit of this movement is rebellious and in opposition to religion. Indeed, it rejects any religious hold on society. Metalheads are not Satanists; however, they use signs like :

The newt: forbidden musical interval in the Middle Ages and associated with satan.
The devil's cords: a sign of the raised index and little finger.
The number 666: The number of the beast with the famous song Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast.

Metalheads express their disagreement with the religious obligations in societies and rarely with Satanism.

metal and satanism

Main events for Metalheads

Each community has events planned to gather together, to meet, to exchange, and above all, to express its belonging. We will discover together the best places where you can meet these rebels in black. Also, you'll learn how to dress if you want to go to some concerts.

Local concerts

Concerts remain by far the most coveted event for fans for several reasons. First of all, they are usually local, which allows fans from the city around to invite their friends and meet up there. We have great memories of it.

Secondly, it allows new bands to play live and get known. It gives them the chance to gain experience and to gain fans who can follow them on tour. Also, it's a great place to exchange shirts with different bands.

Finally, the prices are not very high for this kind of concert. The organization for the transport is also more straightforward, no need to take tents to sleep on the spot, but nothing prevents you from doing it 😈.

metal band

Festivals

Festivals are like a pilgrimage destination for little horned rebels from all over the world. These events are highly advertised and take place in different countries. One of the best known and unmissable is the Hellfest.

We can see on stage famous bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Nightwish, Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Pantera and many other massive names. If you want to have a fantastic adventure, we advise you to go to Hellfest. It would help if you equipped yourself with your best metal accessories and especially with a tent to sleep. Here some band names so you can expand your metal taste, Children Of Bodom, Manowar,  Immortal, Behemoth, James Dio, Arch Enemy, Cannibal Corpse, Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Slipknot.

Hellfest scene

Coronavirus: Hellfest canceled, "5,000 spectators seated for metal, that's not possible"

HELL OF COVID; The patron of the festival judges that the Hellfest, scheduled for June in Clisson (France), will not be able to take place.

The gates of hell will remain closed this year again in Clisson. In a press release published this Friday afternoon, the management of Hellfest confirmed the cancellation of its 2021 edition. It must be said that this event specializing in metal, scheduled for June in Loire-Atlantique, had attracted 180,000 people in 2019 ( canceled in 2020 ). A thousand leagues from the framework set Thursday by the Minister of Culture for the holding of festivals this summer: 5,000 people, seated and distanced.

This morning, the boss Ben Barbaud had already launched: “5,000 spectators seated for metal, it is not possible! "Before the official decision was announced, the director underlined that his festival is the one which accumulates" the most handicaps ":" an international program at 90%, 20% of the public coming from the international, 15 hours of concerts per day, a giant campsite, and the public who drink the most beers [while no decision has been taken to reopen the bar areas] ”.

sylvester-stallone-skull-ring

The antithesis of a festival
"If some festival colleagues are delighted with the framework announced Thursday by the Minister of Culture, I am one of those who are not happy: it is still the youth who will spend a rotten summer", judge- he. "We realized that the epidemic was less present in the summer, this year we have the vaccines arriving, and yet we have the same restrictions as last year", still laments Ben Barbaud, "stunned" .

If he thinks that certain festivals "like the Francofolies [La Rochelle], Poupet [Vendée] will adapt, find a point of balance", he estimates that "5,000 people seated, it is the antithesis of a festival, because in the festival there is "celebration" above all ".
In its press release, Hellfest is meeting its fans on June 17, 18, and 19, 2022. Tickets purchased in 2020 remain valid for this new edition, it is specified. In the meantime, the team is still working on "a way to exist this summer".

What's the best outfit for a metal event?

Are you wondering what to wear to your next concert? Please don't panic; we'll help you to understand better; it's simple.

The favorite color of metalheads is black. However, no rule says you have to dress all in black even though most of them do. What you need to know is that you should not show up at a metal show in a colorful outfit. It's a matter of common sense. Will you wear a Hawaiian shirt to a funeral 😁?

The jewelry will make a tremendous difference. Indeed, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and skull rings are your allies. There's something for everyone at your Skull Action store.

Metalhead girl

What are the different kinds of metalhead style?

In the previous part, we talked about how you should dress if you go to a rock concert. In what follows, we will see four significant points to understand the most common clothing styles and their keys finally.

1) Bands T-shirts

Who are the heroes of the metal movement? The answer seems very obvious. Metal bands are the center of this mysterious and intriguing universe. There are plenty of them for different styles and from different eras.

Fans express their sense of belonging to the community by putting the logo, photo, or the name of their favorite band on their T-shirt. In 99% of the time, the top is black, remember that it's still the primary color. 

2) Old metalheads style

Older people generally aged between 28 and +40 years old dress effortlessly, first those who dress in black T-shirts to express their experience and simplicity.

Then, others prefer to put forward their favorite band printed on a black T-shirt; generally, the band is old and precursor of rock music. Finally, the old school rockers are quite reserved, and they are guides for the younger ones.

Old Metalhead

3) What about metalhead shoes?

Shoes are known to enhance a style. A perfect outfit is a complete failure if the right shoes are not at your feet.

In the rock world, shoes have often been big, high boots with a western design for southern rockers, military boots for heavy and death metal, converse for alternative rock and new metal, etc..). When it comes to shoes, you can wear whatever you want or almost anything.

As a general rule, keep in mind a black color. If there are patterns, go for skulls, satisfaction guaranteed. You can also put your old converses slightly torn. Avoid colorful shoes, remember the Hawaiian shirt :D.

Why do metalheads wear black?

4)  Metalheads are rebels dressed in black

You've got it right; metalheads are rebels dressed in black. Their vision of society is very complex to understand from the outside. They want to feel free and apart. They espouse everything that is anti-religious. They are against any ideology or people who force them to live according to a specific belief or practice.

The best color to express this opposing state of mind is black. It reflects everything that is dark and not easy to tame.

How to avoid confusion between metalheads and others?

The gothic and punk styles are often confused with the heavy metal. We know it seems complicated to make a clear difference. We will explain the differences in terms of the state of mind, philosophy, and dressing style.

Goths

The gothic movement is often like metal confused with satanism, but it's not the same thing at all. Gothic draws its culture from antiquity to the Middle Ages, from vampirism. Gothic is very much linked to everything that is strange or borderline paranormal. It has its philosophy, its literary and cinematographic references, and its dress codes.

Gothics are attracted by all that is deep and emotional, such as the wounds of the soul and deep existential problems, and all these themes can be found in the lyrics of gothic musical compositions.

On the menu of the outfit, dark colors as black, dark red, purple, dark purple, etc..) Women love gothic dresses and very often use make-up to get pale and white skin. 

For men, it's mostly tight pants and dark colors from top to bottom. Gothics clearly prefers huge black boots with different designs.

Jewelry and accessories are the gothic's favorite items, they usually have a fancy and very artistic shape. A refined style while remaining dark and unique.

Beautiful gothic girl

Punks

The punk movement appeared around the 1970s. Young people were experiencing social unrest in several countries in Europe and the United States. They were crying out in hatred of a rotten and doubtful society.

The punk culture is one of "Do it yourself". An anti-conformist spirit that claimes the freedom of the individual and especially in creation. Punk is opposed to the consumer society and the exaggerated values of the upper sphere. 

The musical style has always stood out from the sophisticated rock of the 70s. More direct, simple and primitive, punk music generally incites revolt and criticism of the political and societal elite.

The punk stream adopts outfits that reflect rebellion, poverty, and opposition. A new aesthetic that tears the peace and loves jeans and prefers worn and punctured tee shirts and big, heavy, and thick shoes.

punk rock wrong ways

Ready to dress up like a real metalhead?

We saw together why metalheads are so special and unique in their style. Now you have all the information you need to discuss and debate the subject with your buddies.

Dressing according to the metalheads' code has never been easier with our collection of T-shirts and Sweatshirts. Try the Skull Action experience and create your own unique and personalized outfit.

Skull Tee Shirt

If you are willing to go to a concert, you need to rock your jewelry collection. You are in the right place to do so. Check this.

Skull Jewelry

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6 comments

I just have one question, I’ve seen that some metalheads have a black bandana, or shirt, hanging out from their back pocket and I can’t find any information on it, can someone please explain what it means?

Nicolas Black

Thank you for all your comments !
@Megan i’m happy to hear that, I hope you enjoy
@Noemi I just added some news regarding of Hellfest, I hope to meet you there on 2022, happy to welcome a new metalhead in our large community
@Sebastien I hope you liked the blog, I have metal in blood too
@Vanessa I’m very happy to hear that, we are passionate so we created our dream shop. Glad that you love Skull Action.
New blogs are coming, keep on checking and keep on rocking 🤘🏻

Sylvia Morton

Lol im sort of a new metalhead its only been almost 3 months for me i have one necklace thats sort of metal representing but me and 2 of my buddies want to go to hellfest after covid ends and we wanna fit in so here i am

Noemi

Im already a metalhead just wanted to see what society says about us. COOL POST🤘🏻

Sebastian

Just recieved my order from you guys, AND WOW i just love everything, great quality <3

Megan

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