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MS Awards 2022 - Staff Picks!!


Written by: ScreamingSteelUS
Published: 21.03.2023


The final event of the MSA season is here: the staff picks, the winners of each category chosen by the collective staff members of Metal Storm. You will not find a more correct summation of 2022 in metal, save for the personal ratings of your editor-in-chief. As with the public awards, the staff-picking process saw a few obvious winners ride in on a landslide, but a fair few of these went to tie-breaks in overtime; we, too, have our fierce competitions behind the scenes, and there was a lot of great stuff to choose from, as always.





2022 Metal Storm Staff Picks






Alternative Metal
Bloodywood - Rakshak

Ambient / Drone / Noise
Am Himmel - As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow

Avant-Garde / Experimental Metal
Sigh - Shiki

Black Metal
Gaerea - Mirage

Death Metal
Astral Tomb - Soulgazer

Djent / Math Metal
Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory

Doom Metal
Messa - Close

Extreme Doom Metal
Shape Of Despair - Return To The Void

Extreme Progressive Metal
An Abstract Illusion - Woe

Folk / Pagan / Viking Metal
Darkest Era - Wither On The Vine

Gothic Metal
Hangman's Chair - A Loner

Grindcore
Wormrot - Hiss

Hard Rock
Gaupa - Myriad

Hardcore / Metalcore / Deathcore
Lorna Shore - Pain Remains

Heavy / Traditional Metal
Fer De Lance - The Hyperborean

Industrial / Cyber / Electronic Metal
Final Light - Final Light

Melodeath / Extreme Power / Gothenburg Metal
The Halo Effect - Days Of The Lost

Melodic Black Metal
Drudkh - Всі Належать Ночі (All Belong To The Night)

Metalgaze
Kardashev - Liminal Rite

Post-Metal
Panzerfaust - The Suns Of Perdition - Chapter III: Astral Drain

Power Metal
Blind Guardian - The God Machine

Progressive Metal
Disillusion - Ayam

Sludge Metal
Kurokuma - Born Of Obsidian

Stoner Metal
Elder - Innate Passage

Symphonic Metal
Abyssic - Brought Forth In Iniquity

Thrash / Speed Metal
Deströyer 666 - Never Surrender

Debut
Bloodywood - Rakshak

Clandestine Cut
Euphrosyne - Keres





We begin and (almost) end this article with Bloodywood, who would probably want us to remind you to take care of yourself, appreciate the people around you, and take each day as a blessing. Or something like that. If you don't want to, that's also cool. Just make sure you're back here this time next year - it's already high time to start thinking about the 2023 Metal Storm Awards.






Written on 21.03.2023 by I'm the reviewer, and that means my opinion is correct.


Comments

Comments: 16   Visited by: 254 users
21.03.2023 - 08:26
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
I think I was the only one who couldn't get into Bloodywood, shame really, I guess it's just not my cup of tea I can't argue with the other results though, it's been tough competition this year in all categories.
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21.03.2023 - 08:42
musclassia

Written by AndyMetalFreak on 21.03.2023 at 08:26

I think I was the only one who couldn't get into Bloodywood, shame really, I guess it's just not my cup of tea I can't argue with the other results though, it's been tough competition this year in all categories.


Definitely not the only one, I didn't click with it either

9 of these were my first choice picks, and another 2 or 3 were runners-up in my rankings, vs 7+3 in the user vote, one of the more even years for me, but still shows that everyone's tastes, users and contributers alike, need to improve
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21.03.2023 - 09:33
tintinb

Haha, probably listening to some Punjabi Bhangra hip-hop will increase your affinity towards Bloodywood. Here in India they are selling out almost all shows. Probably the most successful band to emerge from here, even bigger than Kryptos and Demonstealer. The fact that their success is fully DIY without any push from any major labels makes for a even better story.
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Leeches everywhere.
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21.03.2023 - 13:28
nikarg

I am also one that cannot get into Bloodywood, but I like what tintib is saying about them.

Overall, the picks that I 100% agree with are Messa, Fer De Lance, Abyssic, and Darkest Era (of course). Cannot complain though; all these are some very good albums in their respective genres.
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21.03.2023 - 14:33
Netzach
Planewalker
Hell yeah Bloodywood!!!
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21.03.2023 - 16:21
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 21.03.2023 at 08:26

I think I was the only one who couldn't get into Bloodywood, shame really, I guess it's just not my cup of tea I can't argue with the other results though, it's been tough competition this year in all categories.

I also thought it wasn't very good. Agreed on Shape Of Despair and Wormrot. That's about it

Still butthurt Municipal Waste wasn't featured
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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21.03.2023 - 18:24
ScreamingSteelUS
Editor-in-Chief
In the Awards, I picked 7 winners out of 28, which I would say is normal for me, even on the high side. Here I picked 11, which feels like a lot.

I, for one, am chuffed to see Bloodywood even nominated in the MSAs in the first place, let alone winning two staff pick titles. I also believe that we should have more album covers with elephants on them.
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"Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader

I'm the Agent of Steel.
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21.03.2023 - 20:03
Nejde
CommunityManager
Usually I like all kind of metal that implement music styles native to a country or region of the world. Put oriental/folk before [genre] and I'm most likely on board. With that said nor did I click with Bloodywood. Out of the staff picks I got five of them, Final Light, Kardashev, Gaerea, The Halo Effect and Euphrosyne to be exact. A lot of my runner ups got the staff picks though so it's all good
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21.03.2023 - 22:30
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Just happy to see D666 end up with the nod.

Possibly the weirdest of metal years for me since I joined the site.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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21.03.2023 - 22:32
anxiety

I like this list a lot and I find it much more satisfying than the voters one. Rolo Tomassi in my opinion was the best Djent album (I mean if Meshuggah wasn't there), Am Himmel, Hangman's Chair, Shape of Despair, Gaupa were my picks as well. Kurokuma was on my short list. I'm also very happy with that Folk pick.
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22.03.2023 - 11:22
24emd
Theory Snob
I thought Stratovarius was miles ahead of Blind Guardian. But hey, that's just me.
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"I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense." - Proverbs 30:2
"Music? Well, it's just entertainment, folks!" - Devin Townsend

Best 2024 Albums
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23.03.2023 - 03:03
Uxküll

Written by 24emd on 22.03.2023 at 11:22

I thought Stratovarius was miles ahead of Blind Guardian. But hey, that's just me.


Agreed, wouldnt say miles but definitely more memorable/replayable.
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"Nullum unquam exstitit magnum igenium sine aliqua dementia [there was never great genius without some madness]."

Best of Metal A-Z: http://metalstorm.net/users/lists.php?user_id=158339
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23.03.2023 - 07:19
musclassia

Written by Uxküll on 23.03.2023 at 03:03

Written by 24emd on 22.03.2023 at 11:22

I thought Stratovarius was miles ahead of Blind Guardian. But hey, that's just me.


Agreed, wouldnt say miles but definitely more memorable/replayable.


I rated BG's album higher than Stratovarius' in my review, but I've listened to Stratovarius' one quite a bit more since finishing the reviews, it's just super memorable and listenable
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25.03.2023 - 03:03
Jaro

Written by 24emd on 22.03.2023 at 11:22

I thought Stratovarius was miles ahead of Blind Guardian. But hey, that's just me.

I listen to "Voice of Thunder" fairly regularly, fucking great song.
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30.03.2023 - 00:45
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
I think I enjoy almost 3/4 of the albums featured here. And I voted for 7 of them.
Can't say I like Bloodywood though haha. the ones I most glad for are Am Himmel, Astral Tomb, Panzerfaust and Abyssic. The last one really deserves some more listens!
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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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01.04.2023 - 20:33
RoyBoy432
Dr. Quark
Oh fun, 7 of these got my votes too (Gaerea, An Abstract Illusion, Gaupa, Lorna Shore, The Halo Effect, Dislliusion, Eurphosyne).

I really liked the Kardashev and Final Light records, but Master Boot Record just edged out Final Light for me. And there was something about Sylvaine's record that made it perfect for me, like there is a way of expressing love that I need and that I find it expresses. Subjective, but I love "Nova"!
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