I thought Ex Deo would sweep for sure.

Tristania - Rubicon!!! WTF! Best Gothic metal album! Bullshit! This is the worst choice !
Btw I woted for Throes Of Dawn - Great Fleet Of Echoes - a brilliant album...

Written by Jeeers on 01.03.2011 at 10:44

Tristania - Rubicon!!! WTF! Best Gothic metal album! Bullshit! This is the worst choice !
Btw I woted for Throes Of Dawn - Great Fleet Of Echoes - a brilliant album...

Quicksilver clouds is so much better though!

Nevermore won thrash... That's the surprise of the year! I barely noticed it in the nominees. I was thinking Exodus would win. Anyway, I am really sad that Lich King didn't get in the list with some write-ins. REEEAAALY disappointed! Dudes, check out World Gone Dead. It's the best thrash album in 2010. I was actually hesitating between Death Angel and them but finally thought Lich King at least needed support more, so...

Prog... well, great year for this genre, but I didn't really dig Orphaned Land, and I didn't try much to tell the truth, so that's my homework. Star One... listened to it twice and didn't like at all. Have no idea how it wound up a runner-up. Happy for Ihsahn. I was expecting more votes for Haken, but, unfortunately, it had not been reviewed by a staff member, so Echoes got more votes.

Out of the main categories, Thrash and Prog are the only ones I voted in just like last year.

Meh, no surprises for me. It was a 100% sure bet Enslaved would win, just as well as Agalloch (although, I think they earned their place, I voted for them) and Mar De Grises, Accept, Alcest, Blind Guardian, Dark Tranquility etc. The only one that did surprise me was Remembrance... I was sure Ophis would win Extreme Doom category, it seemed to be quite popular 'round here. My personal biggest disappointment was Tristania winning... That piece of shit didn't even deserve to be nominated.
I guess these awards, once more, prove that voting for a band that isn't a big, established name in the genre is completely pointless, because it's enough for most people just to see their favorite band's logo on the cover and poof! there goes the vote.

Written by Slayer666 on 01.03.2011 at 11:38

Meh, no surprises for me. It was a 100% sure bet Enslaved would win, just as well as Agalloch (although, I think they earned their place, I voted for them) and Mar De Grises, Accept, Alcest, Blind Guardian, Dark Tranquility etc.

don't know about the rest but in my opinion Accept won by far and deservedly so.

where i noticed the popular band won is with Nevermore's album. it failed to move me like Overkill's monsterriffholocaustofanalbum, and i saw many people were slighlty underwhelmed by it. but in the end who cares, i'm glad Accept won and Maiden didn't win any positive award(moreover, they almost won "worst letdown"). it's not like these are the Oscars anyway.

I never care much about the winners hence in a lot of categories it's just a popularity contest. What I really like about the awards is the possibility to discover lots of great bands and great albums every year.

As usual, the ones I voted for didn't win but hey I'm used to it. Apart from best DVD I think. And the fact that Dark Tranquillity and Nevermore won in their respective category is very surprising. But we know how it all goes, popularity wins awards

And this from a person who is a fan of both Nevermore and Dark Tranquillity. I just think that there were other offerings this year much better than what they released. I'd like to think I can keep away from the fan impulse in me most of the times.

Popularity wins votes, it is proven again. Doesn't really matter though. What does matter is that thanks to these awards I encoutered some great music I didn't know before. I mention
Burzum - Belus;
Cebren Khal - A Mass Of Despair
The Vision Bleak - Set Sail To Mystery
Sigh - Scenes From Hell

...and a couple more.

Keep up the good work MS!

Written by Elodie Artour on 01.03.2011 at 00:31

I'm personally very disappointed with Les Discrets not winning an award this year. Not to mention that Kylesa (whose video I voted for, too) also deserved to win. It's quite impressive.

Besides, how the fuck could Tristania win in the "Best Gothic Metal Album" category?! "Rubicon" sucks really hard. I should have voted for it as biggest letdown of the year but I simply forgot.

I'm quite agree with you, all the chosen albums in Gothic Metal category were better than Tristania's album, that's so fucking wierd, I can't stand it.

Suprised that DT won over Omnium Gatherum in the Melodeath category . IMO "We are the void" is one of the biggest disappointments this year.

-I thought at least "Ea - Au Ellai" or "Ankhagram - Where Are You Now" would win in Extreme Doom Metal. I spent too much time thinking which of them to vote and at last I voted for EA.

-Tristania won!!! that is bullshit, I'm very disappointed.
I voted for Throes Of Dawn - The Great Fleet Of Echoes, that is a great album and I have very sweet memories with the last track, Blue Dead Skies.

-I'm thrilled for Barren Earth winning in Best Debut Album , I think everyone who vote for them think that their vote made them win, isn't it? and Akelei was very very good, that was a tough choice.

-IN Mourning didn't win!!.. strange.

-Mar De Grises are the masters of doom, no wonder they won.

Written by Skylord on 01.03.2011 at 16:29

Suprised that DT won over Omnium Gatherum in the Melodeath category . IMO "We are the void" is one of the biggest disappointments this year.

NWS is a 2011 album

Written by Skylord on 01.03.2011 at 16:29

Suprised that DT won over Omnium Gatherum in the Melodeath category . IMO "We are the void" is one of the biggest disappointments this year.

Omnium Gatherum?! I think you mean their new album, New World Shadows, but man it is released in 2011.
You're right DT's We Are The Void was disappointing.

Quote:
An enjoyable discovery of new music, which is what it's all about. I actually didn't even cast a vote in a lot of categories just because I ran out of time to give an honest opinion...

Me too, I just couldn't vote for a band that I know without knowing or listening carefully to the others.

A huge thanks to the staff for compiling a great list of bands, I am pleased to see that not so well known bands are put alongside widely accepted success acts.
As for the metal awards I have a few words to say:
Borknagar in the folk/pagan/Viking category doesn't make any sense to me though.
Personally I would have liked to see Solefalds album Norrøn Livskunst in the avant-garde selection, but that's just my personal cup of tea, highly doubt it'd be anywhere near close to winning anything... but it is a kick ass album.

Now I'm just curious about the staff picks, keep waving that flag of metal!

Also didn't have time to check everything I wanted, but the greatest discoveries for me was Kveltarak (was actually expecting them to win the Debut category, it seemed like they deserved it since they weren't nominated anywhere else)...

..and then District 97, which was one of the nicest prog albums I heard in quite some time (they ended with 18 votes, with only write-ins behind them.. I guess I just love going against the public opinion ). But Orpahned land would come as second in my mind (together with Haken), they deserve the win.

Now excuse me, I still have like 10 Avant/Post albums I need to check.

No surprises for me.
I only voted in 4 categories:

Black: Black Anvil - Triumvirate
Death: Demiurg - Slakhtus Gamleby
Thrash: Zombiekrig - Undantagstilstand
Debut: Zombiekrig - Undantagstilstand

I knew they wouldn't win, but I don't mind, they were MY choice.

There are a lot of albums that still haven't heard from 2010 but I think the overall results are pretty acceptable, with the exception of the Best Video. There were a few great videos, but Maiden won with a poor CGI effects and uninteresting plot. But of course, it's Maiden...
Also I was hoping In Mourning to won Melodeath category.

Who the hell voted Tristania for Gothic Metal?! Come out and explain yourselves please!

(Seriously, I want to know your opinions on what is so great about it)

Written by Unhealer on 01.03.2011 at 18:40

Who the hell voted Tristania for Gothic Metal?! Come out and explain yourselves please!

(Seriously, I want to know your opinions on what is so great about it)

I voted for The Foreshadowing, it was an excelent album, after I listened to Tristania I couldn't see a winner in it :-??

Masterplan is more of Power Metal than Heavy Metal. The votes are fine by me but i would give 7 Sinners as best Power Metal album...

All i want to know is how the hell dimmu borgir got more votes than the new Burzum. Also i think the kvelertak album should have won in the -core category. I'm happy with Agalloch winning their category though. Also i am really disappointed that Transcending Bizarre or Yakuza didn't win in the avant garde ballot.

Written by KvltovKthvlhv on 01.03.2011 at 19:40

All i want to know is how the hell dimmu borgir got more votes than the new Burzum.

because more people liked it? just guessing, as i wasn't particularly fond of either... much better music out last year to focus my time on.

it's always much fun to see the whining after the awards, because we all know everyone in the universe has inferior tastes to whomever is reading this now.

reality check - it doesn't matter how awesome a release by an unknown band is. they will never win. it's just that simple. the point of the awards is for us to recognize those bands who released good shit in the given year, and at least for one month, the 'smaller' bands are given the same footing and exposure as the big boys. those users who take the time to sort through all the nominees discover new bands, and those new bands get new fans.

everyone wins.

I didn't mean to come off as an elitist, i just read that quote and damn, i'm sorry. I don't think anyone's musical tastes are inferior to mine, all i was saying is that in my opinion Burzum should have been higher on the list. I am glad Enslaved won it, though. I voted them in the Progressive category, that album was a damn good one. I also think the Intronaut album should have won something, but I'm still satisfied with the High on Fire album winning, as it was my second favorite out of the nominees in sludge.

Misery Index winning in the grindcore genre didnt come as a big suprise.

Written by Slayer666 on 01.03.2011 at 11:38

I guess these awards, once more, prove that voting for a band that isn't a big, established name in the genre is completely pointless, because it's enough for most people just to see their favorite band's logo on the cover and poof! there goes the vote.

I completely disagree with this. Mar De Grises started as NOTHING and thanks to MS and their awards they kept getting more attention and they are now one of the most respected band sin the genre. He explained it way better:

Written by BitterCOld on 01.03.2011 at 19:50

the point of the awards is for us to recognize those bands who released good shit in the given year, and at least for one month, the 'smaller' bands are given the same footing and exposure as the big boys. those users who take the time to sort through all the nominees discover new bands, and those new bands get new fans.
everyone wins.

The everyone wins part isn't cheesy in this case at all . Also, I feel like people should stand by their tastes, just because I know that the band I liked wont win doesn't mean I'm not going to vote, you give your vote to state an opinion that says "hey this abnd is good guys, you should check it out!".

It is the first year that i voted without any fanboy-ism (meaning i didnt vote albums of my fav bands just because it is theirs) and i am proud about that (meaning that last year if i remember well i voted for 2-3 categories my fav bands without having listened a lot to the others -basically categories i didnt care a lot). for that reason this year i voted only on 3 categories. this year was awful for metal and the awards have proven it one more time. at least for extreme metal. i hope i'll change my opinion on that by time; though i doubt that...

Thanks for the tremendous work, that was put in this year's edition. I spent a couple afternoons listening to new bands and new albums. Still I'm a little pleased, that Heaven Shall Burn won something. They really shaped my listening habits last year...

I've lost my enthusiasm for participating in any other MS Awards.there are many unfair and ridiculous votings.