Act of Defiance Vocalist Henry Derek’s Ten Favorite Metal T-Shirts
A metalhead’s t-shirt collections contains some of their most prized possessions. Sweaty, stained and torn, our shirts are chronicles of our lives, physical markers of a past time and place that we pridefully put on our bodies every day. They have a clear pecking order: there are those shirts you wear only when all the best ones are in the laundry, there are the absolute favorites you wear once every couple of weeks, and there are all the shirts in between, each with their own clear rank. To a metalhead, T-shirts are EVERYTHING.
In our new column My Metal T-Shirt Collection, metal musicians will tell us about their ten absolute favorite threads: when they acquired them, why they love each one and what the band means to them. Today, Act of Defiance vocalist Henry Derek tells us about his favorites; also be sure to check out the inaugural column in this series with Septicflesh if you missed it.
Act of Defiance’s new album Old Scars, New Wounds will come out on September 29 via Metal Blade and can be pre-ordered here.
1. Nidingr
Most folks know my pal Teloch from Mayhem. This is his other band, Nidingr. They have a new album entitled The High Heat Licks Against Heaven; make sure you check it out, because it’s killer!
2. Jodorowsky
Alejandro Jodorowsky + Judas Priest = METAL
3. Candlemass
An epic doom metal classic! Enough said.
4. Public Enemy
Not metal, obviously, but lyrically and sonically some pretty heavy stuff. A must have record, period… and yes, the armpits are gross.
5. Burzum
Sure, not a rare t-shirt these days, but at the time I bought it via some magazine mail-order this was not exactly a hot item. I discovered this album in the mid-nineties through a tape-trading buddy and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Still one of my top five favorite black albums, a real game-changer for me. I’ve been wearing this t-shirt for 15+ years.
6. Suicidal Tendencies
Baseball style T for when I’m feeling Suicidal.
7. Killing Joke
Not my favorite Killing Joke album, but one of my all time fave bands, so that counts… and they’re still putting out great music.
8. Witchfinder General
One of the coolest NWOBHM bands ever.
9. Black Sabbath
I got this on the last Sabbath tour. Finally seeing them live was a dream come true! I’ve had several Black Sabbath shirts over the years, but this one means the most to me.
10. King Neil Diamond
King Neil. King Diamond. Neil FUCKING Diamond. Best mash-up ever! My friend Unicorn Crime Spree made this bitchin’ design. Check his stuff out on Etsy.
