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Metal Storm Awards 2015 - Results Are Up!


The voting is closed, the votes are counted, the results are up.

Friends, Romans, countrymen: pencils down. You came, you saw, you voted, and now the die is cast - behold them, the conquerors of the [ed: wait, what? We're still doing the Star Wars theme? Hang on.] Gands, Devaronians, Calamarians: turn off your datapads. Another edition of the Metal Storm Awards has come and gone, like only so many nomadic Alwari. Observe the results; have your prophecies been fulfilled?

While 2014's Awards shook up the competition with some fresh and unexpected victors, in the case of 2015, like any good Death Star, you could sense the results from lightyears away - as if millions of voices suddenly cried out and immediately voted only for the bands they recognized. In many of these categories, the winner was the only nominee to break a hundred votes, and then often by a margin more expansive than the Rakatan Infinite Empire. The only category with a reasonably close competition was Power, in which Blind Guardian and Symphony X traded places more times than Darth Vader has had to replace his right hand; otherwise, nobody managed to bring balance to the votes. Enslaved, Paradise Lost, Ghost, Ensiferum, Lamb Of God - just about every field got swept. It might be about time to present Amorphis with a Lifetime Achievement Award and excuse them from future competitions.

Nightwish ran through the Symphonic category like a fleet of World Devastators, snatching victory from the jaws of... well, completely foreseeable victory, as they pulled away with more than ten times as many votes as the runner-up. Interestingly, Nightwish also comfortably secured the dubious distinction of Biggest Letdown, crushing other reputable acts like Iron Maiden, Slayer, and The Avengers II: Age of Ultron (whose nomination we're pretty sure was Joss Whedon's first-ever on this or any metal site). While two of our users seem to have declared ar'krai against that film, another took it upon themselves to defend Robert Downey, Jr.'s honor by nominating him for Best Power Metal Album.

Biggest Surprise went to Swallow The Sun and their three-disc, multi-genre epic Songs From The North I, II & III (and not to Michael Kiske on account of "how much he looks like a potato now"). Metal Storm itself received four separate nominations for Biggest Drama. It means a lot to us, guys, but we have to hand it to Immortal - not since the Max Rebo Band nearly became sarlacc food has a band died such an undignified death, only to be resurrected after some faffing about technicalities. The Blizzard Beasts even topped Wintersun (nominated again; might be Time II give up on that one, folks). On a lighter note, we at Metal Storm Towers heeded your requests, and this year we reintroduced the Best Album Artwork category, which generated a lot of attention.

Win or lose, we maintain our philosophy that the Metal Storm Awards are about the music, and not about who gets our lovely, prestigious trophies. If you're feeling disenfranchised about the results (which were more thoroughly predictable than The Force Awakens), just remember that the nominees are all still down there, still available to be uncovered by potential fans.

But enough talk; go check out the results!

Source: metalstorm.net
Posted: 01.03.2016 by Ivan


Comments

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Comments: 117   [ 12 ignored ]   Visited by: 669 users
01.03.2016 - 00:07
Hex_Omega
Gem Seeker
The fact that this great album is nowhere in results is kinda disappointing http://metalstorm.net/bands/album.php?album_id=85647&band_id=9278&bandname=Sea+Witch
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01.03.2016 - 00:27
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Staff
Only 5 votes for "The Powers That B"?! Whomever didn't vote for it isn't noided.
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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01.03.2016 - 00:28
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Staff
Other than that pretty predictable winners, still didn't have the time to listen to all the nominees, anyways gg all
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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01.03.2016 - 00:41
Unhealer
Eclecticist
I was sure Leviathan would win black metal, weird. Also what a surprise to see Leprous with their worst album so far beat Steven Wilson on prog.
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01.03.2016 - 00:42
Karlabos
So 2016 has officialy began now
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"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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01.03.2016 - 00:44
BlueMobius
Account deleted
I voted on a few. 2016 didn't have a lot that stood out to me though.
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01.03.2016 - 00:53
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Staff
Written by the_scarecrow on 01.03.2016 at 00:46

Ugh, Endless Forms Most Beautiful is the best symphonic metal winner? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering the band's popularity. I thought it was sooo boring and meh. Apparently not, it seems.

Symphonic metal is boring and meh. Most people don't bother to listen to much else in the genre besides the big names.
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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01.03.2016 - 00:58
Karlabos
Written by [user id=20536] on 01.03.2016 at 00:44

I voted on a few. 2016 didn't have a lot that stood out to me though.

Agreed 2016 didn't have much good stuff if compared to the other years
but then again it has still more 10 months to go...
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"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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01.03.2016 - 01:05
Diverge
Written by Unhealer on 01.03.2016 at 00:41

I was sure Leviathan would win black metal, weird. Also what a surprise to see Leprous with their worst album so far beat Steven Wilson on prog.

Yeah that Mgla album was one that everyone and their dog seemed to rave about on other websites. As far as I'm aware, the response was far more polarized on Metal Storm up until the voting began.
Also surprised about Leprous and also about Alkaloid.
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01.03.2016 - 01:06
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Staff
Written by the_scarecrow on 01.03.2016 at 01:04

Aside from a good selection of gems

Care to name a few?
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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01.03.2016 - 01:19
musclassia
Staff
Surprised Leprous beat BTBAM. Congrats Nightwish on winning best Symphonic album AND best letdown. Thought Sylosis might've won a weak melodeath field but hey. Think about 3 albums I voted for won - at least Amorphis beat Iron Maiden
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01.03.2016 - 01:35
RockSplendid
It's really surprising that Steven Wilson's album did not win! Apart from the somewhat untrue category it was put in, it should have won the best album, no doubts!

Another surprise was that Amorphis beat Iron Maiden and Vhol! Weird voters
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01.03.2016 - 01:38
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
I don't remember when I have so much votes what actually wins
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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01.03.2016 - 01:42
Druss
That Amorphis won Melodic makes me almost physically ill. That album blew. Also was not aware Amorphis was THAT popular, Christ
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01.03.2016 - 02:26
Overrwatcher
I'm a super generic metal listener who doesn't really go deep into any respected genres, so my non write-in categories mostly won. It should be no surprise at Ghost, Moonspell, Deafheaven, Lamb of God, and Fear Factory winning since they are big names that put out solid albums. Same with Nightwish, as bland as the album was, they're an even bigger name which makes them an auto-win. Amorphis vs Iron Maiden will probably be debated for quite a while, I personally think Under The Red Cloud is Amorphis's best album since Elegy, so that's the team I'm on.

I'm really glad Thy Art Is Murder won. The -core genres are stale as hell, the only variety being in added gimmicks (oh look a symphony forced in), but Thy Art showed that you can take the base sound and make it crushing and terrifying. It doesn't have much going for it other than the atmosphere, but they nail that down so well that it makes everything else that much better.
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Overr's List Of Worthwhile Deathcore Albums

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 12.06.2016 at 19:43

Overwatcher, MS Xena, crumbled him in no time. MS needs you to kill the boredom in here.

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01.03.2016 - 03:13
Maco
Pvt Funderground
I'm just satisfied that Ahab won.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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01.03.2016 - 06:18
Skoda
I didn't realize how popular Tribulation was. Their release was definitely deserving of that win, as were many of the nominees in that category (Horrendous got my vote simply because Anareta blew me away the most. Those fucking RIFFS).

Also, I was surprised that Galneryus wasn't an official nomination in the Power Metal section, considering how well it was received. I didn't think UTFOC was their best release, but it sure as hell obliterated just about every official nominee in the PM category IMHO.
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Sleeping on his laurels.
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01.03.2016 - 07:13
Daggon
Underpaid M.D.
I Just love this site, the staff and the community as a whole, I've been in this website for almost 8 years and even when I don't post as much as I would like to, I still think it's the best heavy metal site of the interwebs.
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"Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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01.03.2016 - 07:25
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Hey, they mentioned my Michael Kiske vote on the results page

Written by musclassia on 01.03.2016 at 01:19

Surprised Leprous beat BTBAM. Congrats Nightwish on winning best Symphonic album AND best letdown. Thought Sylosis might've won a weak melodeath field but hey. Think about 3 albums I voted for won - at least Amorphis beat Iron Maiden

Not suprised Leprous won. Maybe the instumental disc of Endless Forms Most Beautiful was nominated in sympho metal, and the regular disc in letdown. I agree that at least someone beat Maiden, I went for Motorhead, though. I had 1 winner.
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"I'm here to nunchuck and not wear helmets. And I'm all out of helmets."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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01.03.2016 - 07:41
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
I see Cradle Of Filth placed in 3 awards. I wonder how they'd have gone with a nomination to consolidate the votes in one place?
----
"I'm here to nunchuck and not wear helmets. And I'm all out of helmets."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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01.03.2016 - 07:44
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Overrwatcher on 01.03.2016 at 02:26
The -core genres are stale as hell, the only variety being in added gimmicks (oh look a symphony forced in)

Woah, do we really have a huge difference in the way we see the genre. Can't say I see any gimmicks in the bands that were nominated this year (or the previous for that matter). Since the last couple of years that hardcore has increasingly become one of my favorite categories as it's one of the more varied andoriginal ones of the lot.
I pretty much liked all of the nominated bands, except for Coliseum which I didn't care for. Naturally, the shit that I enjoyed the most was tramped by competition... In particular Frontierer, Cowards and crowns&thieves who didn't even get 10 votes.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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01.03.2016 - 09:00
slim pickings
Account deleted
Subsignal got 17 votes only and Symphony X got 24 write-in votes in prog-metal category, weren't they under power metal already?
The albums I've voted for did not win any category.
Discovered two bands thanks to these awards, so it's all cool.
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01.03.2016 - 10:47
Nimlot
A. Reader
"Nightwish also comfortably secured the dubious distinction of Biggest Letdown, crushing other reputable acts like Iron Maiden, Slayer, and The Avengers II: Age of Ultron (whose nomination we're pretty sure was Joss Whedon's first-ever on this or any metal site). While two of our users seem to have declared ar'krai against that film, another took it upon themselves to defend Robert Downey, Jr.'s honor by nominating him for Best Power Metal Album."
Hahaha, that's beautiful!
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01.03.2016 - 10:51
Nimlot
A. Reader
Written by [user id=142921] on 01.03.2016 at 09:15

Nice to see Disturbed winning Best Cover.

That cover sucked harder than the vacuum of space at a spaceship's punctured hull. Nevermore had a great cover of The Sound Of Silence, Disturbed's was a cheap Manowarized ballad teabagging a beautiful song.
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01.03.2016 - 10:54
.:Nataras:.
.:Saratan:.
It seems most of the voters, just know about famous big bands in metal world.
Nobody gives a shit about new bands, of course Metal Storm nominated so many non famous bands but it was strange because for example near all of the bands which were nominated for Death metal genre, were Blackend death...
It's like just one staff who really likes Blackend death, was in charge to nominate bands for Death metal genre.
In other hand i'm really thankful, that Metal Storm nominates underground band, I really appreciate that.
For me Staff awards is much more interesting.
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.:Saratan:.
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01.03.2016 - 11:11
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
To the 14 people that voted for this in the best artwork category, you should be ashamed. Thoroughly, thoroughly ashamed.

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01.03.2016 - 11:15
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Skoda on 01.03.2016 at 06:18

I didn't realize how popular Tribulation was. Their release was definitely deserving of that win, as were many of the nominees in that category

I agree it should have won, but in another category completely.

I guess it blocked Sulphur Aeon from winning though, which was a pretty dull album on the whole I thought.
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01.03.2016 - 11:53
HyperDrifter
Wilderun's Sleep At The Edge Of The Earth is far superior to Ensiferum's One Man Army (I love both for the record).
Symphony X's Underworld is far better than Blind Guardians's The Red Mirror.

It all comes down to popularity rather than "best".

Only in Metalstorm Awards can Nightwish win both Best Symphonic Album and Biggest Letdown for the same album...
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01.03.2016 - 12:13
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Irritable Ted on 01.03.2016 at 12:10



Still thought Marcel's avatar photo should have got best drama. Classic.

ANd once again I'd like to ask... how was that a drama? I thought it was great.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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01.03.2016 - 12:32
Eternity'sChild
As every year, I found some great stuff in the awards. And as always, in most categories, one of the most uninteresting stuff in the end wins the thing, but this isn't really surprising. It's incredible though, how some bands got write-in-votes for around 4 genres.

Somehow interesting to see Amorphis winning the heavy category, wasn't expecting that. Unfortunately there's not enough time for me to check out every category (or within the time offered, I couldn't gather enough motivation to listen to everything - because one month is a somewhat suitable time, if you at least know some stuff before the awards), so I couldn't really vote in the Post-category, where most likely Kontinuum would've got my vote.

For their results, Nightwish actually should get the drama award.
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