The Sunglasses-Donning Metal Artists Inspiring Music and Style In Jungle Drum and Bass
The Sunglasses-Donning Metal Artists Inspiring Music and Style In Jungle Drum and Bass
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If there’s any genre that influences musicians of all stripes, it’s metal. That’s because metal’s impact ranges from aesthetics to lyrical depth. We’re talking about the leather, all-black, andoften studded attire that’s spawned both high fashion and streetwear collections, the energetic tracks that fuel action-packed movies, TV shows, and video games, and even major acts like Ozzy Osbourne who’ve become widespread cultural icons. Metal’s truly rebellious, countercultural spirit inspires artists regardless of genre, from Lady Gaga to Post Malone. Jungle drum and bass is no exception.
That’s especially apparent in releases like OVTLIER’s Warrior. Just last year, the metal band brought in Drum & Bass titans Zardonic and Ekwols to remix the track. The result? A more hard- hitting, high-energy beat perfect for the dance floor, accentuated by the two artists’ distinctly fierce synths paired with distorted basslines.
However, metal’s impact reaches even further into this uniquely British genre. In particular, the striking means with which metal artists express themselves—especially with the use of now- iconic metal accessories like sunglasses—have significantly influenced the style and even the sound of various jungle drum and bass acts. Here are just a few musicians inspiring the genre in these ways:
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Beyond being Guns & Roses’ lead guitarist, this legendary British-American musician is alsowidely known for wearing sunglasses in public for virtually his entire career. Slash is particularly partial to the Aviator. This is arguably the most popular frame design from Ray-Ban’s collection of men’s eyeglasses, standing out from other bestsellers like the Wayfarer for using large,teardrop-shaped lenses that suit pretty much everyone. However, Slash only revealed in 2015 that he opts for this particular style with the eyewear brand’s UV-blocking tinted lenses for a couple of genius reasons: the bigger and darker Aviator lenses help him avoid direct eye contact withfans when performing and shield himself from the camera flashes of the paparazzi.
Regardless of why he wears them, Slash’s sunglasses have undoubtedly characterised both his style and his sound. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons why up-and-coming jungle drum and bass artists like cameron cite him as one of his biggest and earliest musical influences. That impact continues to shape the Northampton-based act’s music today. Many of cameron’s tracks, like Primal and Roller Coaster, embody the genre’s sound—which the artist himself describes as ‘people not taking themselves too seriously’—in a way that mimics metal’s overall ‘devil-may- care’ attitude. Slash’s use of Ray-Ban has also established the eyewear brand as a go-to among
other jungle drum and bass musicians, with pioneers like AK1200 often seen wearing the popular Wayfarer eyeglasses to his sets.
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If there’s one word to describe industrial metal band Nine Inch Nails members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, it’s classy. Though the act often performs in outfits with an aesthetic so dark as to almost be considered goth, they always look exceptionally polished in well-tailored, clean-cut pieces topped off with even sleeker and shinier shades. Reznor often opts for double-bridged, round sunglasses reminiscent of the Castles from Maui Jim, while Ross can be seen styled in bespoke men’s sunglasses from Barton Perreira. Strikingly similar to the luxury brand’s Walker frames, their glossy outer rims contrast with a matte black inner lining, creating an editorial- worthy pair of specs that Ross has worn to interviews with major publications like GQ.
The duo’s clever choice of sunglasses designs perfectly mirrors Nine Inch Nails’ signature sound, which drives traditional rock and metal themes with fuzzy yet energetic synthesisers. In line with the band’s reputation as a 2006 Kerrang! awardee for their long-standing influence in rock and metal, the collaborative work of Reznor and Ross has heavily inspired jungle drum and bass acts like Zardonic, who’s even produced official remixes for them in the past. That inspiration even extends to Zardonic’s own sense of style. When he’s not wearing his signature white mask, the artist is often spotted wearing similarly polished, double-bridged frames similar to the Ice Round sunglasses from Vuarnet.
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Unlike Slash, Reznor, and Ross Kerry King—thrash metal band Slayer’s songwriter and co-lead guitarist—doesn’t usually wear his sunglasses on stage. However, he does wear them everywhere else. Many fans believe his hades significantly help contribute to his ‘badass’ persona offstage, and that’s strengthened by the fact that King doesn’t opt for conventional round or rectangular frames. Instead, he goes for more eccentric, sporty shades, often donning a pair of Oakleys that, like him, hails from Southern California. This leading sports eyewear brand is renowned for its out-of-the-box eyewear designs, and that’s exactly the kind of sunglasses King wears the most—ranging from models with wavy frames to the silver Pit boss and lime green Quetee.
King’s sunglasses bolster Slayer’s overall aesthetic, which was part of how the act embodied the metal genre in the ‘80s alongside the use of studded leather accessories, clothing, and even black eyeshadow. That’s undoubtedly influenced the style of one of the jungle bass and drum artists who really know how to stand out from the crowd: John B. The renowned artist—who, through the release of the retrospective work Timelines, now boasts a remarkable career spanning over three decades—is famous for a similarly ‘80s-inspired getup comprised of spiky silver hair, dark makeup, and, of course, outlandish sunglasses frames that call back to Kerry’s favourite Oakleys.
That includes a futuristic pair that spans across the eyes using one streamlined band, as well as a larger, sportier model that highly resembles the oversized goggles Oakley designs for sports like skiing.
