Written by Ansercanagicus on 01.02.2021 at 14:21

Not that it matters a lot since none of them will win :/

Well if you don't vote for them they won't.

After coming from office, I drink a lot of coffee to cool my nerves and relax.

Today, How did I bypass my habit?

Seeing "2020 Metal Storm Awards Now Open".

Here we go, folks. As it must be said above, take your time out, listen to all the categories, and vote fucking wisely.

And don't forget the spelling error and year in the write-in votes.

It is as great as always to dive deep into the nominations. Instead of the series "how the hell could you exclude this or that", I'd open a different one: 18 over 30 albums of my Black Lodge 2020 List are in nomination (and still I will write-in some title). I'm very proud of myself: hours and hours spent on metalstorm were finally profitable!

Written by Evil Cooper on 01.02.2021 at 15:52

I'm very proud of myself: hours and hours spent on metalstorm were finally profitable!

Keep profiting now before we start taxing.

Shoutout to the person who voted for Pure Reason Revolution in "Biggest Surprise". While it's not a surprise for me that this album is great (The Dark Third is my #1 favorite album of ALL TIME and I suggest you all listen to it, 2 Disc Edition, which sadly is not on Spotify right now), nor that it has come out (they split up 10 years ago but they reactivated and announced new album in 2019, so it didn't come out of nowhere) and it's not metal by any means, I still respect that person.

For me, the biggest surprise was Sepultura by far. I've never really been into them. I like the old albums but I don't love them. Quadra is my favorite since Arise and hell, it may be my favorite ever from them. How they managed to do it after releasing like 10 albums in a row which were decent at best, I don't know. All I know Quadra is fun as hell.

Written by RaduP on 01.02.2021 at 16:06

Written by Evil Cooper on 01.02.2021 at 15:52

I'm very proud of myself: hours and hours spent on metalstorm were finally profitable!

Keep profiting now before we start taxing.

In that case I will start complaining about everything. You know how it works, don't you?

You guys did a tremendous job with the awards. Under really crazy circumstances. To manage this thing while writing reviews, articles, keeping up with 10,000 band news items during a world pandemic is a testament to your work ethic and dedication. Hell, whenever I wanted something done here at MS out of pure selfishness I got it. So thanks again. Especially a shoutout to Radup and Musclassia.

Well, this wouldn't be a proper comment in this thread without a proper complaint I really wish Iress and Pure Reason Revolution had a chance to make the cut!

+1 to the kudos to the staff for getting this together.
I was hoping against hope that my favorite albums would not be stuck in the same categories, that somehow they would be split apart
Unfortunately, it was not meant to be
Gothic - Draconian, On Thorns I Lay, Paradise Lost
Meloblack - Necrophobic, Dark Fortress
Extreme Progressive - Cryptic Shift, Black Crown Initiate
Folk/Pagan - Havukruunu, Finntroll, Ensiferum
DM - Vredehammer, Cytotoxin - ended up writing in Graceless, which would be my "underappreciated album of the year" award winner

No Testament in Thrash??????

Written by fenchik on 01.02.2021 at 20:25

No Testament in Thrash??????

I was surprised, but I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have been interested to know how many would have though. Was it your vote for thrash?

Written by tea[m]ster on 01.02.2021 at 19:44

You guys did a tremendous job with the awards. Under really crazy circumstances. To manage this thing while writing reviews, articles, keeping up with 10,000 band news items during a world pandemic is a testament to your work ethic and dedication. Hell, whenever I wanted something done here at MS out of pure selfishness I got it. So thanks again. Especially a shoutout to Radup and Musclassia.

Well, this wouldn't be a proper comment in this thread without a proper complaint I really wish Iress and Pure Reason Revolution had a chance to make the cut!

As much as I love PRR, you do realize they're not metal, therefore they're not eligible for being nominated?

(not that it stopped Crippled Black Phoenix and Yuri Gagarin ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Written by Ball Fondlers on 01.02.2021 at 20:39

Written by fenchik on 01.02.2021 at 20:25

No Testament in Thrash??????

I was surprised, but I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have been interested to know how many would have though. Was it your vote for thrash?

same here, surprised, but I didn't think it was top 5 this year for thrash. Solid album, but there were a few that were better (like Bütcher!!!!)

Written by sgtrobo on 02.02.2021 at 01:04

Written by Ball Fondlers on 01.02.2021 at 20:39

Written by fenchik on 01.02.2021 at 20:25

No Testament in Thrash??????

I was surprised, but I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have been interested to know how many would have though. Was it your vote for thrash?

same here, surprised, but I didn't think it was top 5 this year for thrash. Solid album, but there were a few that were better (like Bütcher!!!!)

Yep, Bütcher was easily the best for me. But I somehow doubt it will win, probably Sepultura, because people know it

In midst of listening to all nominees(which I have securely now finished listening to Thrash category, btw), I forgot to thank all those who have day-in and day-out put your immense effort to make yet another Metal Storm Awards edition successful. From my side, each one deserves an Indian Desi Daru and Amrut Indian Malt Whiskey.

Whoever found and nominated Arctic Rain...

such a fun album, I would never expect a band like that in the awards (I was wrong ), it's melodic hard rock at its best, predictable, but still done right and very enjoyable. I'm a sucker for this kind of music sometimes, a good vocalist and some competent musicians and I'm in.

Written by musclassia on 01.02.2021 at 00:10

I'm curious to see which album we get criticized for overlooking first

From omne metallum's review of Lik's Misanthropic Breed:

"Misanthropic Breed is certainly a contender for album of the year and can boldly step up onto the podium already for death metal album of the year; whether or not it finishes first, it is nigh-on guaranteed to finish in the top three unless fans of death metal are about to be treated to a hell of a ending to 2020. Lik (SWE) do themselves proud and give fans of the genre something new to froth over."

I guess he didin't have a say in the death metal nominations.

For me it was between Lik and Vredehammer but after listening to both again it was the synthwave mixed in and the sheer speed in Viperous that tipped the scale over in its favour.

Written by nikarg on 01.02.2021 at 00:55

Can you please make sure you have checked ALL the categories before you place your write-in votes? The album you wish to vote for may have been nominated in another category than the one you expected. Of course, you can then tell us how clueless we are as far as genres and styles are concerned and you will probably be right.

Then you shouldn't have put Hail Spirit Noir and Protest The Hero in the same category. I still hold Eden In Reverse as AOTY but I really enjoyed Palimpsest and it deserves a vote so I'm sorry but it got a write-in in metalcore. And putting it in that category would probably have been an easy win.

God that Black Metal category is STACKED with awesome albums. Gonna be hard to pick just one.

Written by JoHn Doe on 02.02.2021 at 11:09

Whoever found and nominated Arctic Rain...

such a fun album, I would never expect a band like that in the awards (I was wrong ), it's melodic hard rock at its best, predictable, but still done right and very enjoyable. I'm a sucker for this kind of music sometimes, a good vocalist and some competent musicians and I'm in.

I think Teamster can take the credit for Arctic Rain - it's proper stadium hard rock but definitely an enjoyable rendition of it

Written by Nejde on 02.02.2021 at 12:55

Written by musclassia on 01.02.2021 at 00:10

I'm curious to see which album we get criticized for overlooking first

From omne metallum's review of Lik's Misanthropic Breed:

"Misanthropic Breed is certainly a contender for album of the year and can boldly step up onto the podium already for death metal album of the year; whether or not it finishes first, it is nigh-on guaranteed to finish in the top three unless fans of death metal are about to be treated to a hell of a ending to 2020. Lik (SWE) do themselves proud and give fans of the genre something new to froth over."

I guess he didin't have a say in the death metal nominations.

For me it was between Lik and Vredehammer but after listening to both again it was the synthwave mixed in and the sheer speed in Viperous that tipped the scale over in its favour.

Death and black are reliably the most congested categories each year (although prog had a hell of a year this time around, considering Psychotic Waltz, Haken, Caligula's Horse, Thurisaz and more missed out) - of the albums that made death this year, I think all of them definitely merit their place (I personally couldn't stand Defeated Sanity, but brutal death fans seemed to love it), and yet the likes of Khthoniik Cerviiks, Cult Of Lilith, Void Rot, Ulthar, Skeletal Remains, Necrot and indeed Lik have ended up not being nominated. I enjoyed Lik's album quite a lot, particularly compared to most of the many other OSDM-style records out this year, but when I look at the the albums that did make the cut, none of them stand out as having stolen its place. It was just a good year for death metal really!

On the topic of wrong categories:

We have misplaced a few albums indeed, like we do every year. But bear in mind that we have nominated 255 albums in 26 categories. The total number of albums that were considered for nomination must be a lot more than a thousand. And we had to pick which genre/category every album belongs to before actually voting for the ones we were going to nominate. That means we had to decide genres for more than a 1000 albums, so it kind of makes sense that we have decided incorrectly about some. Not every band is as straightforward as AC/DC, it is a bit of a headache if you think about it.

Imagine that Radu wanted to start a genre debate just one day before the awards went live, when everything was already written-up and uploaded in the awards page. Here is proof. I was all for it but the others were having none of that nonsense.

* For the record, Ellengæst is alt rock/metal as much as it is post-rock. What is debatable is if it is metal enough. We decided that it is metal enough, and then we decided to put it in alternative simply because it is borderline metal. Post-METAL it definitely isn't, not by any stretch.

Written by nikarg on 02.02.2021 at 16:27

[pic]

(me checking black category to find Mora Prokaza)

Written by musclassia on 02.02.2021 at 16:06

Death and black are reliably the most congested categories each year (although prog had a hell of a year this time around, considering Psychotic Waltz, Haken, Caligula's Horse, Thurisaz and more missed out) - of the albums that made death this year, I think all of them definitely merit their place (I personally couldn't stand Defeated Sanity, but brutal death fans seemed to love it), and yet the likes of Khthoniik Cerviiks, Cult Of Lilith, Void Rot, Ulthar, Skeletal Remains, Necrot and indeed Lik have ended up not being nominated. I enjoyed Lik's album quite a lot, particularly compared to most of the many other OSDM-style records out this year, but when I look at the the albums that did make the cut, none of them stand out as having stolen its place. It was just a good year for death metal really!

I totally agree with you. When reading nikarg's post above it's understandable that not every great album can be nominated. But hats off for the diversity in the different categories although imo tech death could have its own category next year. For me prog was the biggest hornets nest but the choice was easy when you guys put Hail Spirit Noir there. And I want to thank whoever nominated Lucid Planet and Vulkan because I had totally missed that Lucid Planet had put out another album. And Vulkan, damn that was a nice discovery!

Written by Nejde on 02.02.2021 at 16:42

And I want to thank whoever nominated Lucid Planet and Vulkan because I had totally missed that Lucid Planet had put out another album. And Vulkan, damn that was a nice discovery!

I think I may have possibly first introduced Vulkan to the site after someone sent Technatura in a WhatsApp group I'm in, but Nefarious was the one that brought Lucid Planet II to our attention. I totally agree, both fantastic releases - between them, Protest The Hero, Pain of Salvation, Intronaut and Hail Spirit Noir, prog is impossible to pick for me this year!

Written by Ball Fondlers on 02.02.2021 at 06:29

Written by sgtrobo on 02.02.2021 at 01:04

Written by Ball Fondlers on 01.02.2021 at 20:39

Written by fenchik on 01.02.2021 at 20:25

No Testament in Thrash??????

I was surprised, but I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have been interested to know how many would have though. Was it your vote for thrash?

same here, surprised, but I didn't think it was top 5 this year for thrash. Solid album, but there were a few that were better (like Bütcher!!!!)

Yep, Bütcher was easily the best for me. But I somehow doubt it will win, probably Sepultura, because people know it

which would be disappointing. The Sepultura album was a solid 7.0-7.5, at best. Arguably makes the top 10 thrash albums of the year.

Written by nikarg on 02.02.2021 at 16:27

On the topic of wrong categories:

We have misplaced a few albums indeed, like we do every year. But bear in mind that we have nominated 255 albums in 26 categories. The total number of albums that were considered for nomination must be a lot more than a thousand. And we had to pick which genre/category every album belongs to before actually voting for the ones we were going to nominate. That means we had to decide genres for more than a 1000 albums, so it kind of makes sense that we have decided incorrectly about some. Not every band is as straightforward as AC/DC, it is a bit of a headache if you think about it.

Imagine that Radu wanted to start a genre debate just one day before the awards went live, when everything was already written-up and uploaded in the awards page. Here is proof. I was all for it but the others were having none of that nonsense.

* For the record, Ellengæst is alt rock/metal as much as it is post-rock. What is debatable is if it is metal enough. We decided that it is metal enough, and then we decided to put it in alternative simply because it is borderline metal. Post-METAL it definitely isn't, not by any stretch.

It seems like you guys are shrinking the amount of categories. Wasn't there a Groove Metal category last year?

Written by Aries Rising on 02.02.2021 at 17:04

It seems like you guys are shrinking the amount of categories. Wasn't there a Groove Metal category last year?

I don't remember there ever being one

Written by sgtrobo on 02.02.2021 at 01:04

Written by Ball Fondlers on 01.02.2021 at 20:39

Written by fenchik on 01.02.2021 at 20:25

No Testament in Thrash??????

I was surprised, but I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have been interested to know how many would have though. Was it your vote for thrash?

same here, surprised, but I didn't think it was top 5 this year for thrash. Solid album, but there were a few that were better (like Bütcher!!!!)

Interesting to me... many people said great things about Bütcher's second album, but I was hyped with their debut album and that second is not so good. Anyway, I voted for Sylosis

Written by Aries Rising on 02.02.2021 at 17:04


It seems like you guys are shrinking the amount of categories. Wasn't there a Groove Metal category last year?

Nah, we had all the same categories this year as last year (we actually managed to nominate more bands this year, as we mustered up 10 for gothic and djent, just failed on the symphonic front); as last year was the first time we'd split stoner/sludge into stoner and sludge, I think this is the most nominees we've had in a year (looking back, meloblack/metalgaze used to be combined as well, and back in 2013 there wasn't even ambient/drone or symphonic). Not sure there's ever been groove - bands that would probably end up in there typically find their way into either alternative or thrash depending which way they most strongly lean

Written by ChapuLviz on 02.02.2021 at 20:05

Written by sgtrobo on 02.02.2021 at 01:04

Written by Ball Fondlers on 01.02.2021 at 20:39

Written by fenchik on 01.02.2021 at 20:25

No Testament in Thrash??????

I was surprised, but I wouldn't have voted for it. I would have been interested to know how many would have though. Was it your vote for thrash?

same here, surprised, but I didn't think it was top 5 this year for thrash. Solid album, but there were a few that were better (like Bütcher!!!!)

Interesting to me... many people said great things about Bütcher's second album, but I was hyped with their debut album and that second is not so good. Anyway, I voted for Sylosis

Since I'm a huge Havok fan I really missed V among the nominees but sadly the Havok hype is long gone so I can understand why it was left out. For me at least Phantom Force was the best thrash song of 2020 and V was the best thrash album by far.

Written by musclassia on 02.02.2021 at 16:49

I think I may have possibly first introduced Vulkan to the site after someone sent Technatura in a WhatsApp group I'm in, but Nefarious was the one that brought Lucid Planet II to our attention. I totally agree, both fantastic releases - between them, Protest The Hero, Pain of Salvation, Intronaut and Hail Spirit Noir, prog is impossible to pick for me this year!

Kudos to you both then!

If Armagedda aren't nominated for best BM album then i'm deaf \m/