From Sleep Token to Ghost and Slaughter to Prevail, the genre\u2019s biggest stars are using freaky facial disguises. Are they hiding behind them \u2013 or revealing their true nature?<\/p>\n
When US avant garde metal band Imperial Triumphant decided that their image needed a shake-up in 2015, they considered putting on corpse paint, the ghastly makeup popularised by 90s black metal. But, their singer\/guitarist Zachary Ezrin says, they then realised how much effort it would take \u2013 and how uncool the post-gig rituals would feel: \u201cYou just rocked a show, and now you have to sit backstage and wipe off your makeup.\u201d (Perish the thought of being the average female pop star.)<\/p>\n
They instead chose to wear striking gold masks modelled after 1920s art deco architecture, though these brought their own problems when they got lost in transit. \u201cWe had to do one show where Steve [Blanco, bass] was wearing a new mask that we put together from parts. We went to some Hungarian costume shop and just started grabbing stuff and piecing it together.\u201d<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/1424e9eee07428a82cb22b33939acd753f087eda\/621_0_6213_4972\/master\/6213.jpg?width=140&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=6935e6e0c7878d9cf07dae9b45927b0a\" "\\"\u2018I")
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