Defenders of the Faith: The Religious Devotion of Heavy Metal Subculture
The religious ferocity of Heavy Metal fandom is one of the most fervent in the history of subculture. The display of this fervor has been channeled and distilled throughout time into one sacred object: the battle vest. Often referred to as the Kutten (German for monk’s robe), the battle vest serves a multitude of purposes: as a musical CV, a badge of authenticity, a creative practice of identity, and a fashion statement. Heavy Metal has survived and evolved through the decades, always maintaining a deep connection with its audience.
The Sacred Object: The Battle Vest
Defenders of the Faith documents the timeless and universal concept of fandom through the elevation of the battle vests, revering them beyond the sweaty bodies they adorn and the mosh pits they live in, to the status of religious artifact. The decorative armor of the battle vest serves as a visual history of the genre, memorializing the bands and also telling a personal story of each fan. This collaborative nature has always been at the heart of metal, elevating the individual and the communal beyond the dynamic of performer/audience.
As Peter Beste put it himself, “For many, it shows how “true” one is by how authentic their patches are, which festivals they have attended, or which bands you got to see way back when. It is an object that gains in value as it deteriorates, and is pretty much never bought or sold. You have to create your own.” Recognizing these personalized artifacts as timeless and artistic expressions of the universal human experience of devotion helps shed light on metal’s place within our cultural history.
Photographic Documentation by Peter Beste
Defenders of the Faith is a book of heavy metal photography by the artist Peter Beste. Photographer Peter Beste has been documenting subcultures for over 20 years. His first book True Norwegian Black Metal was a portrayal of the extreme end of the genre and the stunning photos contained within translated far beyond the niche fans of the music. Defenders of the Faith is Beste’s fourth book that has been edited by Boo-Hooray's Johan Kugelburg and his photographic treatment of traditional heavy metal culture and dress code is similarly striking.
The book contains a foreword by Biff Byford of Saxon. Metal fans, fashion enthusiasts, and subculture geeks will come to the book naturally but the images have a gravity of humanity that speaks to universal expression of passion and devotion and make the book instantly relatable. The physical edition is an embossed hardcover, first edition, consisting of 288 pages of full color heavy metal photography.
Book Editions and Exclusives
The publication is available in several specialized formats for collectors and enthusiasts:
- Limited Edition Hardcover Book: Limited to 400 copies, only available from the Sacred Bones site.
- Artist Edition Hardcover Book: Limited to 100 copies, only available direct from Sacred Bones.
- Battle Vest Starter Pack: Includes exclusive patches for Aura Noir, Black Magic, and the Sacred Bones logo.
| Edition Type | Key Features | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Limited Edition | Faux leather bound slipcase, 7" vinyl featuring Aura Noir and Black Magic, Defenders of the Faith patch, and a two sided poster. | 400 copies |
| Artist Edition | Everything in the limited edition PLUS a battle vest starter pack (5 exclusive patches) and a hand-numbered and signed artist print photograph. | 100 copies |
The Artistic Craftsmanship
All patches except the Sacred Bones logo patch were designed by Dan Capp, who also designed the logo for the book. The Aura Noir and Black Magic patches coincide with an exclusive 7" that is available with the deluxe edition of the book. These items serve as a visual history of the genre, memorializing the bands and telling a personal story of each fan.