Are all comments gone?

So, one category at a time:
Alternative metal - Wheel was also pretty great, so was Mother of Millions. Tool was good but I have to listen to it a bit more to pass my verdict. Wear Your Wounds and Thenighttimeproject were okay, the rest was mediocre at best.
Ambient/drone/noise - Wolvennest stole my heart like a year ago - but Big Grave and Ulver were also pretty strong. The rest is good-goodish and I will never understand how one can listen to Sunn O))) and not get bored to tears, I barely lasted one listen. Maybe it's better experienced live but studio albums at home? No way.
Avantgarde/experimental - nothing too interesting this year - last year had 4 albums which were better than #1 this year (Zeal & Ardor, Thy Catafalque, Sigh, Imperial Triumphant - with the first two being my top 2 of 2018). That being said, Helium Horse Fly is still great. I picked up Katharos XIII thanks to Awards and it also grabbed my interest, I'll come back to it for sure.
Black metal - Hard to judge after one listen, strong category overall - with Mgła, Abigail Williams, The Great Old Ones, Misþyrming and Aoratos. Mayhem is overrated. So are their older albums. Fight me.
Death metal was meh this year, especially compared to the previous one. Blood Incantation was good but I expected it to be MUCH better considered it's #1 metal album of 2019 on RYM. I voted for Suffering Hour but last year had a few better picks.
Djent/math - Hypno5e is beautiful. Herod and Cloudkicker were ok. Car Bomb was mediocre and Periphery was worse, shame they'll win due to popularity contest.
Doom - now, that was one strong category. I voted for Waste of Space Orchestra as it's my #1 album of the year (before Awards it was Cult of Luna) but honestly all nominated albums were at least very good. Special shout to Candlemass's last song, Fvneral Fvkk, Our Survival Depends on Us and of course Swallow the Sun
Extreme doom - also strong category, with a few worse apples. Esoteric was beautiful, Eremit and Weeping Sores were not too far behind.
Extreme Prog - most of it was good, Dreadnought was the best, Disillusion was #2 and maybe Warforged was #3.
Folk/pagan/viking - oh, boy, not my category. That being said, Obsequiae was very good. Finsterforst and Véhémence were neat as well.
Gothic metal - while all of the albums were good, Idle Hands is a clear winner here. And on debut album.
Grindcore - totally not my category but Full of Hell were the most interesting out of a bunch. Might catch them at Roadburn if clashes allow me.
Hard rock - Kadavar <3 special shoutouts to Duel and The Devil and the Almighty Blues.
Hardcore/metalcore/deathcore - skipped most (after a few seconds on youtube) because I hate these genres. I've known Fange before the Awards, I don't consider it -core album but since they were nominated... I also considered The Acacia Strain, that was surprisingly nice.
Heavy - lots of good albums, but only Spirit Adrift were great.
Industrial - eh, nothing too special. Master Boot Record were better last year but they're still better than the rest. I also considered Vous Autres.
Melodeath - 10 years ago it used to be my favorite genre, now not so much. That being said, In Mourning is always nice. Eternal Storm and Insomnium are worth a couple of listens too. Unfortunately, this Amon Amarth release breaks the long streak of amazing first tracks on their albums.
Melodic black - while I voted for Saor, Exulansis surprised me very positively and I'll definitely return to them. Wormwood and Nasheim were also great.
Metalgaze - lots of good stuff here, but White Ward is just too awesome. Accept and Somn were #2 and #3.
Post-metal - just as strong as doom metal category, everything was at least very good. Cult of Luna was the best (hey, #2 album) but damn, Dead to a Dying World, Downfall of Gaia, Inter Arma or Jambinai would also deserve a win in a fair world.
Power metal - the only category I voted for a non-nominated album (yes, I know T/L Rhapsody were considered for symphonic metal instead of power metal). But what can I say? 4 albums were decent (Beast in Black, Paladin, Warrior Path, Thornbridge), the others... were not. With Dragonforce being plain bad.
Progressive metal - surprisingly bleak this year, Borknagar was a close win with Sermon, the rest was from mediocre to good. Even my favorite Devin put out a non spectacular album in my opinion. Still love the guy. Oh yeah, Leprous would have stolen the spot but it's not a metal album. Gonna see them tonight for the eighth time <3
Sludge - this category misses Lord Dying (especially over atrocious Miscarriage) but overall, except for Conjurer & Pijn (and 1 other album but I forgot which one, Lord Mantis maybe?) nothing too exciting.
Stoner metal - I don't consider Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard and stoner metal but you nominated it so here's my vote. Monolord was on par with their previous releases - which is great. Red Eye seemed very good too.
Symphonic metal - Embrace of Disharmony was very good, Wilderun was better than that, the rest was good(-ish). I'll never understand Fleshgod Apocalypse's popularity in a world with Septicflesh around.
Thrash - some good albums, only King Gizz were great. I'd have voted for them for Biggest Surprise even if the album was bad -- for obvious reasons.

Clandestine Cut had a lot of very good stuff, Bewailer was the best. Might check out their full-length which was later released.
The Best Cover Song - it's not metal (wasn't written in the rules /shrug), but it's jazz group covering a disco band and it's... surprisingly sad and heartbreaking.
The Biggest Letdown - I still liked that Death Hawks album but it's a change for much worse. Other than that, some bands I used to like released some shit but who in their right mind would expect e.g. In Flames to be better than the shit they put out?
Drama of the Year - this Batushka stuff is just too much fun, especially with 60 Batushka joke projects around now.


It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I read it all. While I don't agree with many of your votes (which is only normal, tastes vary), I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting, instead of just choosing the bands you already know, and for commenting here. See you again next year, I guess

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I read it all. While I don't agree with many of your votes (which is only normal, tastes vary), I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting, instead of just choosing the bands you already know, and for commenting here. See you again next year, I guess

Uh, yeah, about that 'everything' 😅
Majority - like 80%, maybe more. There are 2 albums I haven't touched at all (Slipknot and Babymetal), I've already heard a lot of the nominated albums and I had even more of them on my wishlist (which I am slowly but consistently clearing). The rest I checked out a short fragment and if it had potential or at least a real shot at winning the category, then I heard it in full. Sure, you can't rate the whole album without listening to it at all, but a short fragment can tell you how likely it is you're going to like the whole album more than your current favorite;)
But still, I like to think I've heard enough (and definitely much more than the majority of voters).
About that 'next year', I'll probably come to comment on winners so give me a week or so;)

Cheers!

Edit: oh, yeah, now I remembered Critical Defiance - my vote for King Gizzard stays, but they are definitely second (and 'true' thrash). You missed them!

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

Might catch them at Roadburn if clashes allow me.

See ya there

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I read it all. While I don't agree with many of your votes (which is only normal, tastes vary), I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting, instead of just choosing the bands you already know, and for commenting here. See you again next year, I guess

I listen most before i vote always... My votes are based on my lust Witch is based on what i have heard

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting.

MS awards getting stiffer each year. It looks like even a month will be less to listen to all nominations.

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 21.02.2020 at 11:37

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting.

MS awards getting stiffer each year. It looks like even a month will be less to listen to all nominations.

If you Follow metal as I do 6 8 genres whole albums will be done before alwards are open

Written by Bad English on 21.02.2020 at 12:10

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 21.02.2020 at 11:37

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting.

MS awards getting stiffer each year. It looks like even a month will be less to listen to all nominations.

If you Follow metal as I do 6 8 genres whole albums will be done before alwards are open

I do follow metal (and other genres as well) but there's just too many releases (and I do have a life as well) - I still have a few hundreds of 2019 releases to check out and listen thoroughly so i will be a couple of months before I start listening to this year's stuff. Which will again cause delays for the next year. Not complaining though, I love it.

Written by NastyHero on 21.02.2020 at 13:53

Written by Bad English on 21.02.2020 at 12:10

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 21.02.2020 at 11:37

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting.

MS awards getting stiffer each year. It looks like even a month will be less to listen to all nominations.

If you Follow metal as I do 6 8 genres whole albums will be done before alwards are open

I do follow metal (and other genres as well) but there's just too many releases (and I do have a life as well) - I still have a few hundreds of 2019 releases to check out and listen thoroughly so i will be a couple of months before I start listening to this year's stuff. Which will again cause delays for the next year. Not complaining though, I love it.

I had 300 albums from last year

Written by Bad English on 21.02.2020 at 13:54

I had 300 albums from last year

439 ratings now (sure, some of there are singles/EPS but I think it's less than 10%), much more to come.
947 from 2018.

Written by NastyHero on 21.02.2020 at 13:53

Written by Bad English on 21.02.2020 at 12:10

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 21.02.2020 at 11:37

Written by nikarg on 21.02.2020 at 00:18

Written by NastyHero on 20.02.2020 at 17:53

It was fun.
Kudos if anyone read that!

I just want to say thanks for listening to everything before voting.

MS awards getting stiffer each year. It looks like even a month will be less to listen to all nominations.

If you Follow metal as I do 6 8 genres whole albums will be done before alwards are open

I do follow metal (and other genres as well) but there's just too many releases (and I do have a life as well) - I still have a few hundreds of 2019 releases to check out and listen thoroughly so i will be a couple of months before I start listening to this year's stuff. Which will again cause delays for the next year. Not complaining though, I love it.

This.

Go through the same issue every year. The more I try to clean up my piling, the bigger it gets.

Voting ends at midnight, tonight.

Just don't make into fucking warzone over results. Just remember: Irrespective of your choice of winner(s), it's important that great quality bands get to reach out to maximum users(even outside MS borders) to the extent that some of the big labels recognize new breed of talent.

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 29.02.2020 at 22:49

Just don't make into fucking warzone over results. Just remember: Irrespective of your choice of winner(s), it's important that great quality bands get to reach out to maximum users(even outside MS borders) to the extent that some of the big labels recognize new breed of talent.

Well maybe warzone posts will vanish hehe

Written by Bad English on 29.02.2020 at 23:09

Well maybe warzone posts will vanish hehe

You can bet on that one.

Shite. Just one minute left and I still have to listen to one complete category.

Please, give me a good 2019 power metal album NOW.

Written by Starvynth on 29.02.2020 at 23:59

Shite. Just one minute left and I still have to listen to one complete category.

Please, give me a good 2019 power metal album NOW.

>power metal
>good
choose one

Still don't get why you would feel the need to vote in every category. I voted in 8 normal categories + the Batushka one and I feel it's already a bit much.

Written by Starvynth on 29.02.2020 at 23:59

Shite. Just one minute left and I still have to listen to one complete category.

Please, give me a good 2019 power metal album NOW.

Check out my list

Quote:

The important thing is that no band without an established international presence and a two-decade career under its belt will ever win Melodeath ever again. Of course, it could have been Swallow The Sun, if you all had coordinated and written them in for ONE category instead of EIGHT

Well, maybe if SOMEONE did their nominating job correctly, this wouldn't have happened

I also predicted Insomnium taking the melodeath win in a post that was deleted along with the other comments. Can't wait till next year some big name melodeath band releases a mediocre album and you'll be like "oh, they'll win fo sho", even though some Be'Lakor or other Mors dropped album revered by everyone

Bit of a light year for me, current-year listening-wise. Got through about 200 albums, but that's all genres, beyond metal too. Maybe 100 metal albums. I'm still catching up on stuff from 2017. Haha... siiiiiigh. I have issues.

My favourite overall was Torche 'Admission'. Riff buffet. I find it to be in a weird category, but I'm not sure where it would make more sense... maybe alt... maybe hard rock... maybe stoner... Always fun when they're tough to categorize. Makes for an interesting band.

I CANNOT believe Russian Circles did not even chart in Post-Metal. Found it to be excellent, far beyond the bloated Cult of Luna (which I did enjoy thoroughly *ducks a tomato* but it was definitely not the best in the genre). Interesting what people end up loving.

Glad Lord Mantis won, excellent dirty album. Great to see Kaleikr and the Conjurer/Pijn EP get the love they deserve.

Written by Maxder on 01.03.2020 at 00:26

Still don't get why you would feel the need to vote in every category. I voted in 8 normal categories + the Batushka one and I feel it's already a bit much.

hell, i only voted in 8 and listened to a LOT more albums than were actually in the MSA's as part of the nomination process. it is a bit much.