Most people don’t usually associate heavy metal with sneaker culture. This is understandable because typically, the metal scene hasn’t been as closely tied to sneakers as those of other music genres—particularly R&B and hip-hop. In fact, many would argue that one can’t truly tell the story of those two latter genres without mentioning the role that sneaker culture played in their development.

However, there is undoubtedly a place in the sneaker world for devoted headbangers—especially where thrash metal is concerned. For more than four decades, there have been links between thrash metal and sneaker culture.

Thrash Metal Sneakers

Certain sneakers became major hits in the thrash scene after being worn by members of big-name thrash bands. Among the standouts were the Brooks Transition, Jordan 1, Nike Air Force 1, Nike Air Tech Challenge II, Chuck Taylor All Star, Adidas Retro High Basketball, Jordan 4, and adidas Retro High Basketball, just to name a few.

In due time, some of these shoes would become closely associated with iconic figures in the thrash scene—despite the fact that “signature shoes” have never really been a thing in metal. For example, Metallica frontman James Hetfield’s Brooks Transitions developed quite the reputation in the metal scene in general while Dave Mustaine, first with Metallica before becoming better-known as the frontman of Megadeth, was known for his Nike Air Tech Challenge IIs and Jordan 1s.

Sneakers and the Thrash Aesthetic

During the heyday of thrash metal in the ‘80s, the shoes of choice for many thrash bands—regardless of brand—were white high-tops. Many thrash bands of the era such as Slayer, Exodus, Testament, Megadeth, and of course the GOATs themselves: Metallica—donned white high-tops not only during concerts, but also during the majority of public appearances. In fact, these bands’ labels usually encouraged them to do so.

While they may seem arbitrary, there were actually very specific reasons why white high-tops and why they became an unquestioned part of the thrash aesthetic.

First off, back in the ‘80s there was a rivalry between the thrash metal and glam metal scenes. As implied by its name, glam metal aesthetics featured gaudy, striking color palettes. Many thrash bands used the minimalistic approach exemplified by the white high-tops as a way to distance themselves from the glam scene.

In addition, there have always been close ties between the skateboarding and thrash metal scenes. During the thrash scene’s peak, sneakers specifically made for skateboarding hadn’t even been conceptualized by any sneaker companies. At the time, high-tops were the average skateboarder’s sneakers of choice due to the ankle support they provided as well as the improved balance through their flat bottoms. Thrash bands emulated this and incorporated it into their own aesthetics.

Finally, record labels used these white high-tops as a way to solidify the public images of their thrash bands. The first label to do this was Megaforce Records who gave each member of Metallica a pair of white Reebok high-tops. Other labels soon caught wind of this and copied this look for their own thrash bands, eventually causing white high-tops to become the thrash scene’s dominant sneakers.

The Evolving Relationship Between Sneakers and Thrash Metal

The impact of thrash metal on the sneaker scene is also evident through multiple sneaker collaborations involving thrash bands. Among the most notable of these to have surfaced in the last decade-plus include the Nike SB “Reign in Blood”—a collaboration with Slayer—as well as Megadeth’s collabs with Stan Smith and Metallica’s with Vans. These sneakers do more than just consolidate the bands’ thrash aesthetic or provide another method of advertising the band—they’re the latest evolutions in a decades-long relationship between the two scenes.

Sadly, in recent years there’s been a growing split among thrash fans with regard to sneakers. Many thrash fans, particularly those who got into the subgenre following the turn of the century, tend to look down on the fans—mostly older ones, but some newer ones as well—who continue to closely associate thrash metal and sneakers.

This split partially has to do with the fact that over time, the sneakerhead scene became less and less associated with metal and more and more associated with hip-hop. Metal and hip-hop are two music genres which as far as fanbases are concerned, usually have relatively little overlap. For a similar reason, some elitist metalheads today actually look down on thrash fans who are also sneakerheads, “gatekeeping” them by claiming that these sneakerheads thrash fans are “not real metalheads” purely because they’re into sneakers too.

Fortunately, in recent times things have begun to change for the better. Many younger, newer fans who have recently gotten into thrash and begun to discover ‘80s thrash—the subgenre’s heyday—were not part of the fandom when the stereotypes in question regarding thrash and sneakers first began to come about.

Make no mistake about it—although their association has become somewhat diluted over the years, sneaker culture is indeed metal. There’s no reason why kicks that every metalhead will love can’t accompany face-melting guitar solos and pounding double-pedal drums.

After all, when it comes to sneakers in the thrash subculture, there are ultimately no hard and fast rules but one: in the words of Massacration: “Metal Is the Law”.

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