“Christmas time is here again / Santa needs a helping hand.”
Thus begins King Diamond’s eternal holiday heavy metal classic “No Presents for Christmas.” It’s a grim tale in which Santa Claus can’t find a “single sheep to draw his sleigh for the night,” leaving stockings empty on Christmas morning.
Just in case such a Christmas tragedy were to pass, we’ve compiled a gift guide to help keep the holidays heavy. From vinyl box sets and graphic novels, to branded booze and signature model guitars, these goodies are perfect for the metalhead in your life. Not only will there be presents for the holidays, there’ll be heavy metal presents!
Vinyl
Motörhead – Another Perfect Day 40th Anniversary Edition ($74.98): The only Motörhead album to feature ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian “Robbo” Robertson is an underrated gem in the band’s back catalog and features some of the most melodic and tuneful material ever penned by Lemmy and company. This 40th anniversary collection includes the remastered original album, previously unreleased demos and outtakes, and an era-specific concert recording spread across three LPs. Get it here.
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Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon 40th Anniversary Reissue ($24.98): This classic Ozzy LP is receiving its first vinyl reissue since it was originally released in 1983 — complete with poster. Get it here.
Kix – Blow My Fuse Vinyl Reissue ($37.98): Don’t look now, but original pressing of Blow My Fuse are going for damn near $100 on the second-hand market. It’s a testament to a tracklist of top-to-bottom bangers and the tight-knit, dedicated fanbase Kix cultivated over their lengthy career, which has sadly come to a close. Pick up Friday Music’s recent vinyl reissue of Blow My Fuse here.
Deafheaven – Sunbather 10th Anniversary Remix ($29.98): Ten years of Sunbather… boy, how time flies. To commemorate the occasion, this modern classic received a fresh coat of paint, sonically speaking, with a new remix/remaster from original producer Jack Shirley. Get it on colored vinyl here.
Van Halen – The Collection II Box Set ($124.98): Van Halen‘s The Collection II houses the band’s studio albums featuring Sammy Hagar on lead vocals: 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), and Balance (1995). Considering most these were released during late ’80s and ’90s, when vinyl as becoming less abundant to non-existent as a mainstream media format, original pressings have become scarce and expensive, making the new box set a boon for both Van Halen fans and record collector’s alike (and a CD box set is also available). Get it here.
Books, Blu-Rays, and Memorabilia
Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind Graphic Novel ($39.99): Iron Maiden and Z2 Comics have teamed up for a graphic novel based on the band’s legendary 1983 album Piece of Mind. Each chapter features stories and illustrations inspired by the album’s nine tracks, including “Where Eagles Dare,” “Die with Your Boots On,” and “The Trooper.” Get it here.
My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee ($24.99): Geddy Lee is currently on a book tour for his new memoir, My Effin’ Life, which explores the life and career of the RUSH bassist/singer. Reviews have been overwhelming positive, and Geddy’s own anecdotes and readings from the tour have been illuminating to say the least. Pick up a copy here.
Porcupine Tree – CLOSURE/CONTINUATION.LIVE Blu-Ray ($25): For the audiophile prog rocker in your life, Porcupine Tree‘s CLOSURE/CONTINUATION.LIVE promises an immersive visual/audio experience. The massive 21-song, three-hour set was recorded and filmed on November 7th at the 17,000-capacity Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam during the the UK band’s 2022 tour supporting its comeback album, CLOSURE/CONTINUATION. The Blu-Ray edition features Dolby Atmos surround sound, 5.1 audio, and 24-bit lossless audio, and you can get a copy via Porcupine Tree’s online store.
Funko Pop! Figures: Funko Pop! figures have become a ubiquitous collectibles across all genres of pop culture, and over the past few years, many heavy metal and hard rock musicians have been immortalized in Funko’s lovable, big-headed form. This season’s batch features such icons as Eddie Van Halen, Rob Zombie, Corey Taylor, and Bon Scott of AC/DC. See the full selection of music-themed Funko Pop! figures at this location.
Music Instruments and Gear
Dave Mustaine Kramer Vanguard Signature Model Guitar ($1,299): The latest axe in Dave Mustaine’s line of signature-model guitars for Gibson Brands comes in three finishes: Ebony, Silver Metallic, and a limited edition “Rust In Peace” in Alien Tech Green. Mustaine himself played the guitar — unbeknownst to him at the time — during Megadeth’s 2023 tour, and the replica held up so well, Mustaine didn’t realize he wasn’t playing his trusty Gibson Flying V. Get one via Kramer.
Kirk Hammett Epiphone Flying V Signature Model Guitar ($1,299) and 1959 “Greeny” Les Paul Standard ($1,499): Earlier this year, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and Epiphone joined forces for the 1979 Flying V signature model guitar — a “painstaking recreation” of Hammett’s prized original ’79 Flying V. The new model pays homage to one of the most recognizable guitar silhouettes of all-time, and you can pick up the axe via Epiphone’s website. More recently, Hammett and Epiphone announced a faithful recreation of his prized 1959 “Greeny” Les Paul Standard, also available via the Epiphone site.
CBD, Coffee, and Liquor
Three Chord Bourbon’s Backstage Series: For its Backstage Series, Three Chord Bourbon (founded by recent Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Neil Giraldo) partnered with a slew of heavy artists and alternative rockers including Theory of a Deadman, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry, Lucero, Dinosaur Jr, The Cadillac Three, and Goodbye June. Each custom blend was created in direct collaboration between the aforementioned artists and whiskey maker Ari Sussman. Learn more and find pre-order locations via Three Chord Bourbon’s website.
GWAR “Bud of Gods” and “New Dank Ages” CBD Products: Why not put some trees under the Christmas tree? GWAR‘s Bud of Gods line of CBD and Delta-8 products continues to go strong in an effort to ease our measly Bohab minds. Considering the inherent stress that sometimes accompanies the holiday season, the Bud of Gods remains a perfect stocking stuffer. This year, the band introduced the “New Dank Ages” line, featuring all-new flower, gummies, and vape cartridges. Get some via the Consequence shop.
Papa Roach’s Ego Drip Coffee ($29.99): Highlighting Papa Roach‘s unexpected line of homeware goods is this custom roast from Das Gud Coffee. It’s a 70-percent Ethiopian/30-percent Brazilian blend with notes of blackberry, milk chocolate, and blueberry that’s ideal for the cold mornings ahead. Snag a bag and grind those beans into pieces via Papa Roach’s merch store.
Metallica Blackened Whiskey 72 Seasons Batch ($49.99): The 72 Seasons Batch of Metallica‘s Blackened Whiskey was aged in casks that were pulverized by songs for the new album — what the distillers dub the “sonic-enhancement process.” Find a bottle via the Blackened Whiskey website.
Concert Tickets
Judas Priest: Metal legends Judas Priest will be supporting their highly anticipated new album Invincible Shield with a spring US trek. The outing kicks off April 18th in Wallingford, Connecticut, and runs through May 22nd in Syracuse, New York. The fiery singles “Panic Attack” and “Trial by Fire” have us sufficiently hyped for both the album and tour. Get tickets here.
Sammy Hagar: Sammy Hagar‘s upcoming North American solo tour is setting up to be a celebration of all things Van Halen. Piggybacking off the release of the “Van Hagar” box set mentioned above, the Red Rocker plans on playing hits from both Hagar and David Lee Roth eras of Van Halen, backed by an all-star band featuring bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani, and drummer Jason Bonham. Hell, Hagar even invited DLR to get onstage at some point on the tour, and Diamond Dave sounds ready to take him up on the offer. This tour is not to be missed, and you can get tickets here.
A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and Primus: A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and Primus’ joint “Sessanta” US tour is essentially an ongoing birthday party for Maynard James Keenan, who turns 60 in April. It’s proven to be a hot ticket, with the bands expanding the tour multiple times due to demand. Anyone who is a big fan of any of the three bands — who will be sharing the stage and rotating sets simultaneously — would certainly be gracious of receiving a ticket to this stacked bill. Get tickets here.
