Written by:	D.T. Metal
Published:	January 16, 2015

Another year has come and gone which only means one thing - the annual Metal Storm Awards are right around the corner.

2014 also marked the 10th year of publishing said awards. To commemorate such, we went down memory lane and compiled the winners of past awards in one neat package - The 10th Anniversary Special - A Decade Of Metal Storm Awards

With this being said - all/most/some of you are probably antsy to start voting on the cream of the crop of 2014 but since this will have to wait for about another two weeks you might as well check out what tickled our fancy this past year.

Compare our (Staff, Elites, and Official Contributors) highlights to your lists and have fun voting on the upcoming Metal Storm Awards.

The folks at the 'Tower'

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[user_id]13767[/user_id] Favorite Album: Profetus - As All Seasons Die Best Home-Country Album: None (it's difficult to choose any at all, while there is around 10-15 albums released per year). Most Played Song: Benighted - "Saw It All" Most Promising Band: Rintrah. Best Concert: Seeing Worship and Loss (USA) on their co-headlining tour... also Kylesa, Planet Of Zeus, Entombed A.D. and Svart Crown shows were quite intense too. Biggest Disappointment: Failing to attend Hellfest. Metal Moment Of 2014: Except some great concerts that I've attended, there's nothing special to mention. And 2015?: Becoming a parent this summer, attending some cool concerts and expecting an exquisite sophomore full length album from Royal Thunder.

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[user_id]108040[/user_id] Favorite Album: Too many! But special mentions to the Sunn O))) / Ulver collab, Coffinworm, Earth, Emptiness, and Atomikylä. Best Home-Country Album: Coffinworm - IV.I.VIII Most Played Song: I've played Earth's "There Is A Serpent Coming" so many times the mp3 is probably rusted by now Most Promising Band: Atomikylä. Great to see the Oranssi Pazuzu and Dark Buddha Rising guys finally collaborating, and the results are spectacular. Best Concert: Terra Tenebrosa's devastatingly eerie set at Roadburn, even if they had tech issues that shaved 20 minutes off of it. Biggest Disappointment: Lord Mantis canceling for Southern Darkness Fest. Metal Moment Of 2014: Split between hanging out with Mories at Roadburn, and interviewing Dave Wyndorf. And 2015?: Attending Roadburn for the second time! Album-wise I'm looking out for A Forest Of Stars, Leviathan, Midnight Odyssey, Cloak Of Altering, and anything Stephen O'Malley related.

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[user_id]1423[/user_id] Favorite Album: Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun (Honorable mention to Teitanblood and Chaos Moon) Best Home-Country Album: see above for Estados Unidos. Not sure anyone in PY released a metal album. Most Played Song: "The Motherload" Most Promising Band: Altar Of Betelgeuze Best Concert: Me singing along to "Winds Of Change" in Stock Supermercado to the amusement of all the store's customers, none of whom spoke English. Got a standing O. Biggest Disappointment: the year in metal just seemed sort o blah. Metal Moment Of 2014: Trashing our hotel room in Asuncion, albeit accidentally. Blew a fuse, nuked a TV, partially flooded it... and my wife nearly burned it down. Exodus would be proud, even if we didn't nail a pizza to the ceiling. And 2015?: Tort, Enslaved, High On Fire, watching if the Sign For The Norse Lawyers To Ride finds Abbath the winner of the Immortal name. I've got $50 on it... oh, and Mendoza, Rio, Patagonia

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[user_id]966[/user_id] Favorite Album: Could not choose just one, sorry rules! Giant Squid - Minoans; Evergrey - Hymns For The Broken; Anubis Gate - Horizons; Mekong Delta - In A Mirror Darkly. Best Home-Country Album: Equaleft - Adapt & Survive; Past Undone - See You Tomorrow Most Played Song: Giant Squid - "Sixty Foot Waves"; Anubis Gate - "Never Like This (A Dream)"; Gazpacho - "The Wizard Of Altai Mountains"; Casualties Of Cool - "Ether" Most Promising Band: Mortals, Bask, Casualties Of Cool project. Best Concert: Anathema in Lisbon. Fourth time seeing them and they only get better with time (fangirl) Biggest Disappointment: Most of my favourite bands continue to skip Portugal, it's a disappointment every year. I wish I had attended more shows. Metal Moment Of 2014: Got my second brown belt in Karate (2nd Kyu). If that's not metal, I don't know what is! And 2015?: New Riverside should be sweet. Oh, and Leprous. Maybe Between The Buried And Me? And more great stuff I hope to discover.

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[user_id]125330[/user_id] Favorite Album: a tie between Primal Fear - Delivering The Black and the Grave Digger one below Best Home-Country Album: Grave Digger - Return Of The Reaper Most Played Song: Slipknot "Dead Memories", Korn "Hater" and Metallica "Master Of Puppets" - I know, I am weird Most Promising Band: Exmortus; yes they are not a new band, but they are driven and 'hungry' and always deliver. Best Concert: way too many to choose from but what stood out was: Maryland Deathfest and watching Dark-fucking-Angel! in addition to Tankard, Candlemass and Asphyx. Agalloch back home was rather sweet as well. Biggest Disappointment: Arch Enemy - War Eternal Metal Moment Of 2014: The 70K cruise once again; finally being able to attend MDF after years of scheduling conflicts; drunkenly (and loud as hell) calling out some karate moshing punk at Denver Black Sky during Cannabis Corpse and seeing the entire mosh-pit walking on egg shells around me during the next band's set. I don't mosh often, but when I do I want to have fun. And 2015?: live long and prosper I guess - shit, I don't know; maybe this year I will finally make it over to some Euro festivals.

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[user_id]1861[/user_id] Favorite Album: Without doubts Major Parkinson - Twilight Cinema. Honorable mentions go to Barrows, Lux Occulta, Nero Di Marte and Vortech! Best Home-Country Album: For nine months or so, it was The Great Old Ones - Tekeli-li. Then Trepalium - Voodoo Moonshine came out and owned everything. Most Played Song: Beaks of Benevola - easy when you're so good and released so early! Most Promising Band: bands deliver or not, I don't believe in promises... Best Concert: Skyclad at Hellfest! Biggest Disappointment: 2014 IRL Metal Moment Of 2014: Skyclad's show and interview at Hellfest. Twenty years in coming, but it happened! Now I just have to interview Martin Walkier too, I guess And 2015?: Je suis Charlie

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[user_id]1763[/user_id] Favorite Album: Keitzer - The Last Defence Best Home-Country Album: Crimson Shadows - Kings Among Men Most Played Song: Goatwhore - "Schadenfreude" Most Promising Band: Phosphorus Best Concert: No concerts attended. Biggest Disappointment: Blake Judd's behavior. Metal Moment Of 2014: Pre-ordering the new Nachtmystium and actually receiving it. And 2015?: New High On Fire, Marduk, Blind Guardian, Keep Of Kalessin, Enslaved and Cancer Bats - already shaping up to be a great year for releases...and who knows, maybe the new Ensiferum might not suck this time.

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[user_id]125[/user_id] Favorite Album: Major Parkinson's Twilight Cinema was simply mindblowing, Iamthemorning's Belighted was stunning in its beauty, and United Progressive Fraternity's Fall In Love With The World was just surprisingly good. Best Home-Country Album: Have to go with Ocean Districts Expeditions as I haven't heard any others. This one's good, though. Best Concert: Hands down Green Carnation's reunion show under the dam in Norway. One of the most beautiful places I've been to. Honorable mentions are Freak Kitchen's minitour in Estonia, and The Gathering's 25th Anniversary show in The Netherlands. Biggest Disappointment: Crippled Black Phoenix was disappointing and Nightingale underwhelming. Metal Moment Of 2014: A night of beers with Green Carnation; and surprisingly a totally problem-free car trip to Russia, how cool is that? And 2015?: Let's see if the new albums by Subterranean Masquerade, Beardfish, Steven Wilson, and Moonspell are any good. And maybe another visit to the Night of the Prog festival is in order.

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[user_id]2481[/user_id] Favorite Album: Ravenscry - The Attraction Of Opposites and Helevorn - Compassion Forlorn Best Home-Country Album: Graveshadow - Graveshadow EP Most Played Song: Triosphere - "Breathless," Fright Night - "Ice," and Unseelie - "Prometheus' Pain" Most Promising Band: EnkElination Best Concert: HIM and Anathema in NYC. Ville was as inspired as ever on stage, and Lee Douglas's vocals are stellar live. Biggest Disappointment: None. After a mostly forgettable metal year for me in 2013, I approached this year with a clear mind, and wasn't let down. Metal Moment Of 2014: Reading an email from Ehsan of Atoma quoting my staff pick: "In seven words you said what I tried to say in a 50 min album." And 2015?: Continuing more regular reviewing! And it sure would be nice to see any of the bands in my top ten of 2014 live....

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[user_id]207[/user_id] Favorite Album: Blood Farmers - Headless Eyes Best Home-Country Album: Herder - Gods and Nihill - Verderf Most Played Song: Tesla - "Love Song" Most Promising Band: Galg Best Concert: Dead Congregation Biggest Disappointment: none whatsoever Metal Moment Of 2014: nothing as such And 2015?: we'll just wait and see like every single year

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[user_id]828[/user_id] Favorite Album: Horrendous - Ecdysis Best Home-Country Album: Benevolent - The Covenant Most Played Song: Probably Altar Of Betelgeuze - "The Spiral Of Decay" or Horrendous - "The Stranger" Most Promising Band: Altar Of Betelgeuze, Benevolent & Nasheim all released fantastic debut albums in 2014 so I'm interested to see what they come up with next Best Concert: Herder at Hellfest without a doubt Biggest Disappointment: None. Metal Moment Of 2014: Finally crossing Hellfest off my bucketlist while also getting the opportunity to enjoy Wacken & Brutal Assault again. And 2015?: Hitting The European summer metal festival circuit for a fifth year in a row.

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[user_id]40513[/user_id] Favorite Album: Amaranthe - Massive Addictive Favorite Home-Country Album: Lascaille's Shroud - Interval 02: Parallel Infinities - The Abscinded Universe Most Played Song: [metal] Amaranthe - "Digital World" [non-metal] Destroid - "Wasteland" Most Promising Band: Wovenwar Best Concert: Unfortunately my career change prevented me from making it to any Biggest Disappointment: No new Judicator album Metal Moment Of 2014: Same as concert, career change kinda prevented me from really having any "metal moments" -_- And 2015?: Hopefully listening to more music than I got to listen to in 2014 since I'm now settled into my new career

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[user_id]105044[/user_id] Favorite Album: Gazpacho - Demon Best Home-Country Album: Sleepmakeswaves - Love Of Cartography Most Played Song: Yob's "Nothing To Win" Most Promising Band: Nero Di Marte Biggest Disappointment: Sanctuary's "comeback" album Metal Moment Of 2014: Just before 2014 drew to a close and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were to be covered in fireworks and smoke, I realised I had survived another year. Nothing more metal than survival. Plus the bridge contains about 52,000 tonnes of steel, kinda assisted in the moment. And 2015?: Enslaved will deliver. They always deliver.

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[user_id]1729[/user_id] Favorite Album: Evenoire - Herons and Evergrey - Hymns For The Broken Best Home-Country Album: Wayfarer - Children Of The Iron Age Most Played Song: November-7 - "Tug Of War" Most Promising Band: Wayfarer (Cascadian black metal sweetness), Morost (progressive death metal) Best Concert: Wilderun. Wilde-fucking-run. Wow. They rocked the shit out of a small, packed club in Oakland this past spring. Biggest Disappointment: Pythia's what-the-shit 2nd album. Also, Nero Di Marte didn't inspire like their previous release did. Better luck next time, boys. Metal Moment Of 2014: Introducing friends to the glory that is Wilderun, meeting the guys, and rocking the fuck out; see above. And 2015?: Enjoying the next new fusion/sub-genre on metal's evolutionary journey.

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[user_id]37247[/user_id] Favorite Album: Probably Mastodon's Once More 'Round the Sun, but Benighted, Architects, and Truckfighters were all quite nice on the ears. Best Home-Country Album: Kind of disappointing on the Canadian front this year. Beyond Creation's Earthborn Evolution is the only standout for me, but others seemed to enjoy albums by Tyrant Of Death and Devin Townsend Project. Most Played Song: Hard to say since I don't keep track, but I remember listening the shit out of "The Motherload" (Mastodon), "Empress Rising" (Monolord), "Mind Control", and "The Chairman" (both by Truckfighters). Most Promising Band: Ass To Mouth definitely look like they're poised to make a name for themselves in the grind scene. Morbus Chron is another name that definitely needs paying attention to, and I'm personally looking forward to a Desolace full-length. Best Concert: Truckfighters in Toronto at the BATL Grounds - a warehouse-turned-ax-throwing-venue alongside Metal Storm Contributor Mattybu. The Dark Tranquillity gig with Omnium Gatherum and Exmortus (who I thought stole the show) wasn't too shabby either. Biggest Disappointment: No quality releases from the Québécois black metal scene. </3 Metal Moment of 2014: I don't know what this means; I need an adult. And 2015: Do I look like a man with a plan. Finishing up this college program and seeing Mayhem and Watain with Revenge is about all I'm prepared for this year.

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[user_id]35890[/user_id] Favorite Album: Ringworm - Hammer Of The Witch or Ghoul - Hang Ten Best Home-State Box Set: Hell Trilogy Most Played Song: Mayhem - "Watchers" Most Promising Band: Infernal Curse Best Concert: Swans Biggest Disappointment: Blood Mantra Metal Moments Of 2014: Slam Sundays at the Franklin Blvd Buy2 And 2015?: New Aura Noir would be sweet

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[user_id]188[/user_id] Favorite Album: Babymetal - Babymetal Best Home-Country Album: Trepalium - Voodoo Moonshine Most Played Song: Babymetal - "Megitsune" Most Promising Band: Babymetal of course, then Whispered and Xerath Best Concert: I had a quiet year but seeing Iron Maiden finally perform at Hellfest was a bliss! Biggest Disappointment: Having missed Babymetal's show in Paris... Metal Moment Of 2014: Watching the audience footage for Babymetal's Sonisphere UK performance and being pleased with the positive reactions And 2015?: Not expecting much of 2015, since Babymetal will likely release only a couple of singles

[user_id]1186[/user_id] Favorite Album: Orange Goblin - Back From The Abyss, Hail Spirit Noir - Oi Magoi Best Home-Country Album: Animals As Leaders - The Joy Of Motion, Kayo Dot - Coffins On Io Most Played Song: Lord Mantis - "Coil" Most Promising Band: Hemina Best Concert: Tim and Eric & Dr. Steve Brule 2014 Tour Biggest Disappointment: Cynic - Kindly Bent To Free Us, Pink Floyd - The Endless River Metal Moment Of 2014: Married Opiatious 6/6/06 And 2015?: Chimp Spanner, Symphony X, Enslaved, Steven Wilson, Ghost B.C., Profusion, The Gentle Storm, Tool?

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[user_id]27874[/user_id] Favorite Album: Lack of internet at home and shitload of University stuff makes it hard to choose. But bands like The Great Old Ones, Emptiness, Plebeian Grandstand, Morbus Chron, Bölzer, Idylls, Fjørt and a shit load of hardcore-related albums have been a constant theme for my year with their latest albums. Best Home-Country Album: Again, this year I haven't done my homework so I know very little of what's going on in Chile but Siaskel, Athanatos and Unaussprechlichen Kulten show that the underground extreme metal scene is alive and kicking. Creds to Capilla Ardiente for their doom debut as well! Most Played Song: Can't say... I always listen to albums, not songs. MAYBE Hail Spirit Noir's "Satan Is Time". Those clean vocals are beautiful. Most Promising Band: Hmmmm thinking about debuts I'd say Idylls is a fine example. Best Concert: Many shows at Roadburn Festival including: Bong, The Great Old Ones, Procession, Terra Tenebrosa, Indian, Tribulation, Triptykon and Bölzer. At home in Sweden I saw motherfucking MAYHEM (fucking brilliant. All fanboy here) and Sonne Adam who played at my hometown with a very small stage with only around 30 people. Quite intimate experience! Biggest Disappointment: A very unmetal year for me... I've felt a bit disconnected with what's new! Metal Moment Of 2014: Hmmm, apart from the concerts, not much. I finally moved out of my folks... I guess that's very metal(?). And 2015?: I want Bölzer to release their debut NOW! Roadburn and Temples festival will allow me to see some insane bands but also meet a whole bunch of wonderful people once again or for the first time. So I'm definitely psyched.

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[user_id]119663[/user_id] Favorite Album: DragonForce - Maximum Overload. I never thought I'd say that Best Home-Country Album: Derdian - Human Reset Most Played Song: Lascaille's Shroud - "Awakened: Not Even Remembered By The Dust Of Stars" Most Promising Band: Guilty As Charged Best Concert: Iron Maiden, Opeth, Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry and more at Rock In Rio in Bologna Biggest Disappointment: HammerFall - (r)Evolution Metal Moment Of 2014: This whole year's been pretty rad. Not a standout moment, except the aforementioned live. Also became Elite. Yo, bitch! And 2015?: Sonata Arctica's Ecliptica live in full with Freedom Call as special guests, that's a good place to start

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[user_id]109472[/user_id] Favorite Album: Sabaton - Heroes Best Home-Country Album: Rigor Mortis - Slaves To The Grave Most Played Song: The SLoT - "Стёкла революции" Most Promising Band: Killer Be Killed Best Concert: Sabaton/Korpiklaani/Týr Biggest Disappointment: missing Ghost B.C. and Mastodon; Manowar continuing to sully their own name Metal Moment Of 2014: interviewing Dave Hunt of Anaal Nathrakh; getting bumped up to Elite; dropping the singer from Origin after a failed crowd-surfing attempt at Summer Slaughter And 2015?: new Blind Guardian

[user_id]146138[/user_id] Favorite Album: Mastodon Once More 'Round The Sun got me back into Mastodon Best Home-Country Album: They make metal in Australia?!? I thought it was all just listening to AC/DC whilst riding kangaroos and drinking beer in the outback. Most Played Song: "Mother" by Danzig and "Holiday In Cambodia" by Dead Kennedys. I know they're old but they keep creeping into my head. From a more modern perspective "Feast Your Eyes" by Mastodon Most Promising Band: Bloodshot Dawn Biggest Disappointment: Iced Earth - Plagues of Babylon. Also Revocation finally proved that they can't exploit their potential and release a mind blowing spectacular death thrash affair. Real shame! Metal Moment Of 2014: Getting promoted to contributor. Woo hoo. At The Gates releasing a new album was great too even though it was just ok and nothing too brilliant. And 2015?: New stuff by the usual suspects ala Anthrax, Blind Guardian, Kreator. Hell even Megadeth if they can nail whatever alternative rock they're planning. More banjos could be a good thing here.

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[user_id]32468[/user_id] Favorite Album: I sincerely have no idea how you guys can elect just one. But okay *tosses a coin*. Schammasch - Contradiction. Best Home-Country Album: Plebeian Grandstand - Lowgazers. Most Played Song: Sectioned - Prodigal Scum | warning: lower your volume first. Most Promising Band: Death Engine and Sectioned. Best Concert: When you have to travel 2000 kms to go to any gig, you'd be surprised how much you'd enjoy the only small concert you could travel for. It happened to be a Yob performance. Biggest Disappointment: None. After a six years break in metal, I came back with zero expectations, (re)discovering new music is the best feeling the world. Metal Moment Of 2014: Getting the privilege to promote the music I love in the form of front-page rants opinionated reviews. And 2015?: Looking forward to my first big festival in years. Temples Festival, here I come.

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[user_id]117770[/user_id] Favorite Album: Cannibal Corpse - A Skeletal Domain tied with At The Gates - At War With Reality Best Home-Country Album: N/A (I assume it would be Beyond Creation's if I'd heard anything by a Canadian band this year, though). Most Played Song: "High Velocity Impact Spatter" by Cannibal Corpse from 2014. From any year probably "Stabwound" by Necrophagist. Most Promising Band: Revocation even though they have been around for a while. Their new album is the first time I've heard them go that hard. Best Concert: Havok, Armed For Apocalypse, Revocation and Crowbar in Ottawa. By an extremely large margin Havok was the best. Biggest Disappointment: Falconer announcing they won't be playing live past 2015/Lulu. Metal Moment Of 2014: Getting to meet David Sanchez of Havok was my personal favourite moment of the year. The guy is a champ. And 2015?: Hoping to be surprised in some way cause my expectations are basically 0. New Toxik album might be interesting.

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[user_id]109309[/user_id] Favorite Album: Nothing But The Whole by Emptiness Best Home-Country Album: Esperalem tkane by Odraza Most Played Song: "Starzy są już królowie świata" by So Slow Most Promising Band: Eerie [PL][/url] Best Concert: Thaw, Outre & Entropia: Autumn Tour at Chmury, Warsaw Biggest Disappointment: Phil McSorley leaves Cobalt Metal Moment Of 2014: I officially became a Contributor here And 2015?: Mannveira's debut full-lenght on the way!

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[user_id]40573[/user_id] Favorite Album: Lantlôs - Melting Sun Best Home-Country Album: This made me realize that out of my top 20 albums for 2014, TWO are from the USA. WTF USA, get on the ball!!! Most Played Song: Moanaa - "Lit" Most Promising Band: Eden Circus Best Concert: None really stood out Biggest Disappointment: Anathema - Distant Satellites Metal Moment Of 2014: Since writing reviews for this prestigious webzine, musicians/bands now want a piece of me. Stop it! I cannot lead you to the promise land, I'm just a schmuck who loves metal! And 2015?: What new concoction of metal elixir are bands going to stir in the pot and brew?

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[user_id]104352[/user_id] Favorite Album: Horrendous - Ecdysis Best Home-Country Album: Deadwood - Picturing A Sense Of Loss, followed by Equilibrium - Erdentempel and Empyrium - The Turn Of The Tights. Most Played Song: How could I know? I guess either Taake's "Det Fins En Prins" or any of the songs of Horrendous' Ecdysis as it was spinning non-stop through my player. Most Promising Band: Did I already mention Horrendous? But actually Sivyj Yar, Wildernessking (again) and Deadwood share this place as well. Best Concert: Probably Wolfszeit Festival or Der Weg Einer Freiheit supporting The Ocean earlier. Biggest Disappointment: Nothing in particular, it was a good year. Not as awesome as 2013, but solid. Metal Moment Of 2014: The concerts of course, plus unleashing hell with my new 1W guitar amp. Oh, and Equilibrium's video and live performance of "Wirtshaus Gaudi". And 2015?: Most anticipated albums: Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Heretoir and Wildernessking. Then releasing my own project's debut.

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