The holiday season is now in full effect. With the year drawing to a close, the focus for many of us turns to spending time with friends and loved ones, taking in the events of the year and psyching ourselves to get up to the task of handling all that holiday shopping.
Lucky for you we have compiled our annual holiday gift guide, stacked with a variety of hits that should eliminate the guesswork when it comes to shopping for for the metalhead in your life. From the obvious entries like guitars and vinyl box sets as well as some serious showstoppers like a limited-edition bike, this guide offers a healthy show of everything from stocking stuffers to serious collectibles.
WIthout further ado, here is the 2023 Knotfest Holiday Gift Guide.
DEAD SLED COFFEE
Purveyors of premium quality coffee without the pretense, Dead Sled serves well in making a great cup of coffee something approachable for everyone. With collaboration roasts from rock greats like Rob Zombie, Cypress Hill and Motionless In White as well as horror icons like Robert Englund, Kane Hodder and Bill Moseley, Dead Sled's intersection of craftsmanship and horror culture is at the core of their brand. Gimmick-free, gourmet coffee that not only sources premium beans but dares to embrace the darker side means Dead Sled definitely gets it.
MONSTER - TOUR WATER
The OGs of the canned water game, Monster first introduced their Tour Water on the legendary Vans Warped Tour. Previously only available for Monster athletes and artists, the water and its unmistakable packaging became a kind of cult-like keepsake for those that got their hands on the cans. Now, Monster has resurrected the product making it widely available in both still and sparkling varieties. Sourcing the best water in the US, the updated look refreshes and reintroduces the brand to a whole new generation.
FREAK ON A LEASH
It has been a year since Korn frontman Jonathan Davis launched his superbly named Freak On A Leash pet product line. Featuring high quality leather leashes, collars and horror-themed plushies as well as wearables for pets, the collection is a no-brainer for animal lovers intent on subtly repping their taste in music. Recently debuting their Neon collection, Freak On A Leash keeps your pet looking fresh while supporting outstanding causes like
Take Me Home - a nonprofit foundation dedicated to saving animals either in unsafe living conditions or on death row in shelters.
WAXWORK RECORDS
Vinyl specialists and soundtrack curators Waxwork Records have a unique area of expertise. Producing collectible quality vinyl releases featuring motion picture scores and soundtracks ranging from the classic to the cult, any release from WW is an exceptional score. The most recent vinyl release features the incendiary artwork of Ruiz Burgos for the 1978 of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead. The 3-LP release marks the first time this version of the soundtrack has ever been pressed to vinyl and includes retro-styled packaging to make for an outstanding addition to any enthusiasts' stash.
PARLOR ROOT BEER 'DAD PACK'
There's root beer, then there is Parlor. Existing in a category all its own, the brand boasts one of the best damned bottles of you will ever have... in addition to a varied assortment of quality soft goods and consumables. Piecing together the ideal gift pack for the Old Man, Parlor's Dad Pack includes branded swag like socks, a beanie and a flip-comb bottle opener, as well as a bag of Parlor Peppered Jerky, premium grooming product with a can of the On Point Pomade by Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire, plus a 12-Pack of the original Parlor Root Beer.
Consider EVERY base covered.
SE BIKES x SUICIDAL TENDENCIES 'BIG RIPPER'
Combining classic BMX design with modern performance SE Bikes went hard with their homage Venice thrash punk legends, Suicidal Tendencies. With subtle, albeit stylish accents like the double-wall rims, the bandana seat (with a bottle opener) and the essential wheelie pegs, this limited -edition bicycle really does an incredible job of bridging craftsmanship with something special for the SxT fan and collector.
VON D LUXE VEGAN SHOES 'ADELE'
if the laser-cut sppider web design isn't enough for wow factor, the fact that these Von D pumps source vegan red leather with a black velvet exterior should really score some serious style points. Coined as a "vamp's shoe dream come true" these 5-inch pumps are made in Italy make for some fashion-forward footwear to spice up your holiday outfit.
ELECTRIC x THE MOMOA COLLECTION
Everyone's favorite metal-loving big-screen superhero in Jason Momoa, has partnered with eyewear pillars Electric to launch his own line. The Momoa Collection emphasizes vintage design with sustainable production, using bio plastics and recycled materials to ensure a much more responsible carbon footprint. In addition to the stylish, timeless designs, proceeds from the collection go to Kumano I Ke Ala, an organization based on Kauaʻi that works to protect and preserve native Hawaiian culture.
EPIPHONE x ADAM JONES LES PAUL CUSTOM ART COLLECTION
Tool guitarist Adam Jones is now on his sixth Les Paul Custom Silverburst in a series of seven that combines his love of art with an economically-priced version of his original Silverburst 1979 Gibson® Les Paul Custom. For the latest entry in the series of guitars, the body features the artwork of Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, composer, and poet, Ernest Fuch and his “ANTI-LAOKOON 1965”. The Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul Custom features a reverse-mounted Epiphone ProBucker™ Custom humbucker™ in the neck position and a Seymour Duncan® Distortion in the bridge to ensure quality performance in addition to the incendiary artwork adorning the design.
SLIPKNOT WHISKEY x NO. 9 IOWA RED CASK
Combining Cedar Ridge’s aged bourbon and rye whiskeys, the Red Cask of Slipknot's award-winning whiskey from the Iowan distillery ups the ante for this limited edition bottle. The blend of bourbon and rye is finished for another year in estate-owned, red wine casks to level up the flavor, body, and finish that has become the standard for the No. 9 Iowan whiskey. A testament to theblue collar roots and Iowan identity of the band, No. 9 whiskey is made with homegrown Iowa corn, resulting in a distinct profile that is both sweet, spicy and serious sipper.
LOOP EARPLUGS
Aside from LOOP scoring major points with style when it comes to earplugs, the level of functionality is what sets the brand apart. Featuring an assortment of plugs, the tiers allow the user to select which design is best suited for their specifications. With plus designed for concerts and live events, everyday noise reduction without compromise of sound quality and a line specific for focus, sleep and travel, LOOP is responsible earwear done right.
A24 x 10 YEAR PLAYING CARDS COLLECTOR SET
Kind of the perfect stocking stuffer for the cinephile in your life, or anyone with good taste, A24 Films is marking their first decade in production with the release of a limited-edition pack of playing cards. The pack of 50 features the hand[ainted artwork of Andrea M. Smith, recreating 18 unmistakable characters from the first 10 years of A24 motion pictures. From Marcel the Shell With Shoes On to Everything Everywhere All At Once, to Midsommar and Uncet Gems, this set is already sold out but you can currently sign up to get on the waiting list for the next drop.
LUGZ x LIMITED EDITION GHOST CAPSULE COLLECTION
The Clergy has teamed with footwear brand LUGZ to launch a limited edition collection that includes three designs featuring a boot and two sneaker silhouettes. With subtle, stylish features like gold accents on all black, an all over print that depicts the evolution of Papa throughout the years and even a band-branded lace lock, Ghost fans will not be disappointed with the final product.
IRON MAIDEN x Z2 COMICS 'PIECE OF MIND' GRAPHIC NOVEL
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Maiden's legendary fourth studio album, the band has teamed with Z2 Comics to launch a new graphic novel which features stories, art and recollections from a ensemble of celebrated writers, musicians and more, including an entry from Bruce Dickinson himself. The Asylum Edition super deluxe tier of the release features special prints and trading cards with art from Dan Mumford, Jason Edmiston, J.G. Jones and Martin Simmonds. There is also a 'Piece of Mind' Eddie model kit, a 1983 Piece of Mind replica ticket and a Piece of Mind asylum clamshell box with a locking cell door. The ultimate for the ultimate Maiden fan.
BLACK SABBATH HAND OF DOOM BOX SET
Limited to just 4000 pressings, this comprehensive collector's set highlights the Ozzy-erra of Sabbath featuring the band's first eight albums from 1970's self-titled through 1978's Never Say Die. The Hand of Doom box set is distinct however, as it features the collection of iconic albums pressed on picture disc vinyl. Each album's artwork printed on side A of the discs, while entries like the debut, Vol 4., Technical Ecstasy as well as Sabbath Bloody Sabbath will feature the OG back album artwork on side B. Paranoid, Master Of Reality and Sabotage include an album-era photo of the band as the picture disc art on side B. Additionally, the box set comes with a large color poster of Black Sabbath which features a photo from 1972, while the band was in Los Angeles recording Vol 4.
EL SEGUNDO BREWING COMPANY x 311 'COME ORIGINAL' IPA
Teaming with the respected SoCal brewers at El Segundo, 311's Come Original IPA clocks in at a 7.0% ABV and is made with a variety of Simcoe, Mosaic, Chinook hops for some serious flavor. Upon cracking open a can, aromas of mango, strawberry, lychee and stone fruit hit your nose with a taste that balances the bitterness beer drinkers come to expect from an IPA with a bit of sweetness to make these cans seriously crushable.
