Written by Starvynth on 13.02.2022 at 11:28

Maybe that's a thing we should look into and re-evaluate in the future.
I mean, technically all the write-ups are still there, they are just not available for the public anymore. I've always found the idea of writing round about 250 short reviews but only making them available for 28 days of the year to be very unfortunate. No one would ever consider deleting news articles once their content has become obsolete, however, we do delete write-ups whose content I believe remains relevant.
This is such a waste and it doesn't really make any sense either.

They're available for more than 28 days, since they'll still be accessible until the next MSA is online. But I agree, I don't really see the point of having them disappear.

Written by nikarg on 13.02.2022 at 11:35

Written by RockwiththeDoc on 13.02.2022 at 11:22

What does "clandestine cut" mean?

It's a feature we have every month for demos and EPs by new, independent, unsigned, and underground bands. The latest one is here. Every month we post an article with six releases and users can vote for their favourite one. The ones with the most votes of every month are nominated in the Awards come the end of the year. This is why the Clandestine Cuts category is the only one in the Awards that has 12 nominees. It is also the only category that the nominees are chosen by the users.

Perfect! Thanks! I already voted all MSA categories except this, i'll listen to these in 2-3 days

Getting back into the awards after a short break today, and I'm impressed by the hardcore / metalcore section. Most of the bands I would've never listened to on my own, and it makes me think I should maybe consider the sub genre a bit more. Special mention to Svdestada with the Black influences that really impressed me. I have my winner here, and I will definitely follow these guys.

Any chance that next years award has a Comments Page like this at the bottom of each voting category? It might mean that people will try to influence votes there, but that happens here and in shout box anyway.

Written by Ball Fondlers on 17.02.2022 at 13:12
Any chance that next years award has a Comments Page like this at the bottom of each voting category? It might mean that people will try to influence votes there, but that happens here and in shout box anyway.

We've already answered that

Written by Liafev on 16.02.2022 at 11:27

Getting back into the awards after a short break today, and I'm impressed by the hardcore / metalcore section. Most of the bands I would've never listened to on my own, and it makes me think I should maybe consider the sub genre a bit more.

This is actually the category that has impressed me the most too for the same reasons as you. I always considered myself as a casual hardcore listener, but metalcore and deathcore were pretty much a no-no for me. I listened because I had to for the Awards nominations. Yet, this year things changed (or I changed a little too), and I find that there are some great albums in the category. Which makes corrupt's following point even more relevant and valid:

Written by corrupt on 03.02.2022 at 16:19

So if they find a discussion about an album they don't even know, they might get curious and accidentally discover a whole new genre they never listened to. One they'd never look into otherwise because the thread would be hidden behind a genre name they think they're not interested in. Just to give one example.

Written by corrupt on 17.02.2022 at 13:15

Written by Ball Fondlers on 17.02.2022 at 13:12
Any chance that next years award has a Comments Page like this at the bottom of each voting category? It might mean that people will try to influence votes there, but that happens here and in shout box anyway.

We've already answered that

Thanks. I hadn't seen that post, this thread is quite long now.
I'll just say that I hope you can find a way. I know this site likes to try and push other types of music onto it's users that they don't have an interest in, but it's not for everyone

Written by Ball Fondlers on 18.02.2022 at 08:41
Thanks. I hadn't seen that post, this thread is quite long now.
I'll just say that I hope you can find a way. I know this site likes to try and push other types of music onto it's users that they don't have an interest in, but it's not for everyone

I don't know what you mean by 'force'. You are here on your own volition, taking part in a voluntary awards poll. I agree the situation isn't perfect, but I reject the notion of trying to 'force' anything on anyone. All genres are represented with full categories and you are free to discuss whatever your favorite one is in this thread

Genres are for experts, only half of bands fits on standards in a music style. Not all can judge it. Forefather says they play Anglo saxon metal, manowar true metal, venom says they only play true bm, norvegians play white, snow, cold or north metal..
Let the people whit knowlage judge the genre and category where album belongs and if it should ever be nominated

Written by corrupt on 18.02.2022 at 11:01

Written by Ball Fondlers on 18.02.2022 at 08:41
Thanks. I hadn't seen that post, this thread is quite long now.
I'll just say that I hope you can find a way. I know this site likes to try and push other types of music onto it's users that they don't have an interest in, but it's not for everyone

I don't know what you mean by 'force'. You are here on your own volition, taking part in a voluntary awards poll. I agree the situation isn't perfect, but I reject the notion of trying to 'force' anything on anyone. All genres are represented with full categories and you are free to discuss whatever your favorite one is in this thread

you keep putting the word force in quotes like I actually said the word

And to answer anyway, yes I am here by my own volition, and do want to vote on the awards, but I'd prefer if side chats could happen specifically about genres I care about the most. It's difficult to do, sure, but if it can be done I think it would add value.

Written by Ball Fondlers on 18.02.2022 at 11:49
you keep putting the word force in quotes like I actually said the word

Wow, yeah. That's my mistake

I guess I shouldn't do forums before the first coffee of the day. But we don't try to 'push' anything either
As I said, the situation isn't perfect. We'll re-work the awards at some point and regard as much feedback as we can (I am collecting almost all of it all the time anyway). No promises though

Written by corrupt on 18.02.2022 at 11:55

Wow, yeah. That's my mistake

I guess I shouldn't do forums before the first coffee of the day. But we don't try to 'push' anything either
As I said, the situation isn't perfect. We'll re-work the awards at some point and regard as much feedback as we can (I am collecting almost all of it all the time anyway). No promises though

Appreciate it

If anyone cares, these are my votes. If nobody cares, too bad, I'm posting them anyway


I'm surprised by how much I've listened of the nominees. Think they're better than ever. I'd guess >90% of albums, or even around 95%. And I've got only one write-in (Panopticon) from standard categories.
But no way in hell I'm gonna listen to The Slot - did that last time they were nominated, one of the worst albums I have *EVER* heard.

WIth that being said, some of the albums, even the nominees I've only listened to once (will do so more later) so in some cases maybe I'd have voted differently if I had proper time to listen.
Particularly alternative metal (Soen was really good, but after one listen of Converge&Wolfe I trusted this album may be better overall), doom, extreme doom, stoner (was hesitating between that and Green Druid), metalgaze, prog metal.
I'd have voted for Leprous write-in for prog metal but didn't think that album was metal enough to be in the awards.
I didn't care for -core categories as always. The rest won't change.

The biggest disappointment was definitely Diablo Swing Orchestra - I really love this band (yes, even Pacifisticuffs - in fact, it was one of my favorite albums of 2017, which was the best year of the previous decade, musically speaking) and I'll even post one song from the newest album (Malign Monologues) to my yearly best-of playlist. But that being said, that production is horrendous and they're just that kind of band, which suffers the most from production like that. And if it's really their artistic choice, I really do wonder why such talented musicians can't hear how brickwalled and badly produced their music sounds.

Biggest surprise (and also best thrash) went to Flotsam & Jetsam. I never really cared for them, even their two classic albums are just... good to me, the rest is meh. Saw them live at festival, was ok. So imagine my surprise after hearing such a great, catchy thrash album. The final track is a killer.
Just like Sepultura last year - even though I liked Sepultura's older stuff, they managed to release their best (by far!) album in over 20 years. To me, F&J released their best overall.
Anneke van Giersbergen was also suprising - of course, she's a great vocalist and I love her in The Gathering, or wherever she's putting her vocal abilities to (Devin, Moonspell, Anathema etc.) but her solo stuff was just very lukewarm/mediocre. Her latest album is really good. Though F&J was a bit more surprising, and Anneke's album isn't metal.

'Till next year, fellas. Thanks for doing that as always. Maybe I'll hop by next week when I'm bored at work to predict which albums are gonna win

Written by NastyHero on 18.02.2022 at 17:03

If anyone cares, these are my votes. If nobody cares, too bad, I'm posting them anyway

I haven't voted yet, but at least 11 of mine will be the same as yours. As always, thanks for the input.

Written by nikarg on 17.02.2022 at 13:31

This is actually the category that has impressed me the most too for the same reasons as you. I always considered myself as a casual hardcore listener, but metalcore and deathcore were pretty much a no-no for me. I listened because I had to for the Awards nominations. Yet, this year things changed (or I changed a little too), and I find that there are some great albums in the category. Which makes corrupt's following point even more relevant and valid:
...

Yeah I understand the comment as well. I have to admit that for genres I don't listen to often (and there are quite a few since metal is so bread), I usually stick to album rating and don't spend much time reading reviews / comments .. Good to have things mixed here

As for the core category this year, it's made me change my opinion that the genre is somewhat not diversified enough, a few of the albums in the list this year felt like things I had never heard in my life before and that's always great. I'm thinking about Svdestada again, but also Humanity's Last Breath or Zao. But like you I'm not sure wether this an evolution of the genre or of my curiosity

One feeling that is quite frustrating but also absolutely amazing in music, is ending an album feeling like: "this was so unique I have no idea what I can play next .. Anything will break the state of mind the last album put me in".

And there were quite a few in the awards this year. Last in the list, LLNN. I read the first sentence of the review, and I was sold. Couldn't agree more with that sentence now, it is definitely absolutely crushing! And it has quite an interesting mix of influences as well, really cool album

Not sure what to listen next now .. Other albums in the Sludge category will feel fragile and vulnerable compared to this mean and filthy album.

The Melodeath category is the first one to get more than a thousand votes. Makes sense given the insane amount of great releases the genre had last year. Alternative and Progressive are also very likely to to go past the 1000-vote mark by the end of February.

The participation has been amazing and this is shaping up to be one of the most successful years of the MS Awards. Thank you, Metal Stormers, for all the support, it means the world to us!

Small corrections - Borgne's album is called "Temple Morts" (not Mort, it's correct on your website - not correct on Awards).
And since I'm already being obnoxiously pedantic, Takafumi Matsubara's album Awards description has a small error in first sentence "then" -> "than"

Written by NastyHero on 24.02.2022 at 22:01

Borgne's album is called "Temple Morts"

Are you very sure? I bet my left testicle it's called Temps Morts.
However, both typos are now fixed. Thanks for the heads-up.

Written by Starvynth on 24.02.2022 at 22:19

Written by NastyHero on 24.02.2022 at 22:01

Borgne's album is called "Temple Morts"

Are you very sure? I bet my left testicle it's called Temps Morts.
However, both typos are now fixed. Thanks for the heads-up.

Um... a bit embarassing... but yeah, it was a test to see if you'd spot a typo. You passed.

Finished voting

Written by JoHn Doe on 27.02.2022 at 17:31

Finished voting

Why the hurry? There's an entire day left.

Written by RaduP on 27.02.2022 at 17:35

Written by JoHn Doe on 27.02.2022 at 17:31

Finished voting

Why the hurry? There's an entire day left.

there was no hurry TBH

And I'm done voting, with not much time to spare. I think it's the first time I succeed in listening to every single nominee before the Awards are over. That was quite a ride (I admit skimming the djent category though - by Jove I really don't like that genre!)

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.02.2022 at 10:07

And I'm done voting, with not much time to spare. I think it's the first time I succeed in listening to every single nominee before the Awards are over. That was quite a ride (I admit skimming the djent category though - by Jove I really don't like that genre!)

Hint: don't miss out on Pupil Slicer and Telomēre.

Written by RaduP on 28.02.2022 at 10:41


Hint: don't miss out on Pupil Slicer and Telomēre.

Yeah, Pupil Slicer is pretty much the only one I enjoyed a little, with Vildhjarta. I didn't like Telomēre in the CC's already, so... Djent was by far the last interesting category for me. I even found a lot of cool stuff in Heavy/Power/Prog/Symphonic, all categories I'm far from being a fan of. Djent was mostly annoying.

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.02.2022 at 11:10

Djent was mostly annoying.

Seeing as about half the nominees in that category were my suggestions for the awards, I will take that personally

Written by musclassia on 28.02.2022 at 11:33

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.02.2022 at 11:10

Djent was mostly annoying.

Seeing as about half the nominees in that category were my suggestions for the awards, I will take that personally

Sorry!

Written by musclassia on 28.02.2022 at 11:33

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.02.2022 at 11:10

Djent was mostly annoying.

Seeing as about half the nominees in that category were my suggestions for the awards, I will take that personally

We should call you the Djentleman

Written by nikarg on 13.02.2022 at 11:35

Written by RockwiththeDoc on 13.02.2022 at 11:22

What does "clandestine cut" mean?

It's a feature we have every month for demos and EPs by new, independent, unsigned, and underground bands. The latest one is here. Every month we post an article with six releases and users can vote for their favourite one. The ones with the most votes of every month are nominated in the Awards come the end of the year. This is why the Clandestine Cuts category is the only one in the Awards that has 12 nominees. It is also the only category that the nominees are chosen by the users.

Just curious, this category is not "choose the best record mentioned in clandestine cut 2021" but rather "best demo/ep 2021" so its not restricted to those 12 nominees right? See there's lots of write-in votes and I'm confused a little :