Solid results! As much as the MS Staff seems to complain about what the readers choose, I thought this year was pretty spot on for most of the categories. All my favorites of the year won their respective categories: Zeal & Ardor, Slugdge, Rivers of Nihil, Amorphis, Omnium Gatherum, Sirenia. I definitely listened to a lot more of the other nominees this year than I usually do and for the most part I found the albums from the 'bigger name' bands to be more polished and more interesting than a lot of the lesser known bands. This always isn't the case, but this year it seemed to be for me anyway.

Yeah muthatruckaa, Primordial best folk ever.

Well done Slugdge.

Oh, c'mon: Aevangelist should win in the drama of the year category! One member of the duo is accused of rape. The second is choosing the side of the victim. Then she is kicked-off of the band 'cos she's not sticking with the leader. Then she is accused of rape (separate case!). The "rape" took place when she was still a man. You just can't beat that!

That Tribulation's The Cure cover was originally released in 2015, wasn't it? Although now I see it also was on some special edition of Down Below, can't find any information if it was rerecorded or if it was still 2015 version. Similarly, Leprous's Massive Attack cover was released in 2019, although they did play it live last year.

Angelus Apatrida beating 5 of your nominees is pretty much I told you so Surprised Shyamalangongar didn't get more votes in spite of you snabbing them.

Most of the other results were pretty much predictable. Only 6 of my votes got #1 place in the main categories, which only further proves that people have no taste.

Kidding aside, on the main page of results you show both winners of 'The Best Video', yet only one winner for 'The best core album'. Why is that? Now, on desktop, it shows Daughters as winners, which is better, as they're clearly superior to Pig Destroyer... it used to show PD on my mobile.

Congrats to Slugdge, Sleep, Omnium Gatherum, & Deafheaven!

Ghost? Better than Graveyard? What in the flying fuck have you people been smoking?

Congrats to Sirenia!!!

It's nice that the write-ups for the nominations are still there for everyone to read. It's the first time this happens I think.

Written by nikarg on 01.03.2019 at 10:12

It's nice that the write-ups for the nominations are still there for everyone to read. It's the first time this happens I think.

I think it will only last for a while before the whole thing is archived. But honestly we all agree that the drama ones are the only ones really worth saving.

Written by RaduP on 01.03.2019 at 11:47

But honestly we all agree that the drama ones are the only ones really worth saving.

No doubt about that. Kevin outdid himself.

As always, a pleasure to participate in these prestigious awards.Haven't usually got the time to search around for great albums, but with these awards February was as always a month of discovery. Would never have discovered Wolvennest, Harakiri for the Sky, 1914, Chapel of Disease, Gaerea, Trna, Zeal & Ardor, Hegemone, Hamferð, Rivers of Nihil, The Atlas Moth, and Gåte to name a few, had I not taken the time to go through your wonderful picks and given them a spin.

Written by Lawre on 01.03.2019 at 13:25

As always, a pleasure to participate in these prestigious awards.Haven't usually got the time to search around for great albums, but with these awards February was as always a month of discovery. Would never have discovered Wolvennest, Harakiri for the Sky, 1914, Chapel of Disease, Gaerea, Trna, Zeal & Ardor, Hegemone, Hamferð, Rivers of Nihil, The Atlas Moth, and Gåte to name a few, had I not taken the time to go through your wonderful picks and given them a spin.

Chapel of Disease was my main discovery this time. Awesome relaese! One can enjoy almost every second of their guitarwork for years

Not sure why JP is the biggest surprise of 2018 since their previous album was already as good as Firepower, we were anyway waiting for a solid album.

Bring on the MS Staff picks!

Quote:

Quote:

Chapel of Disease was my main discovery this time. Awesome relaese! One can enjoy almost every second of their guitarwork for years

Slugdge was a lock for me til Chapel came along.

Written by MetalManic on 01.03.2019 at 16:32

Bring on the MS Staff picks!

You're a bit late to the show: http://metalstorm.net/pub/article.php?article_id=1878&page=&message_id=

Written by Mercurial on 01.03.2019 at 16:44

Written by MetalManic on 01.03.2019 at 16:32

Bring on the MS Staff picks!

You're a bit late to the show: http://metalstorm.net/pub/article.php?article_id=1878&page=&message_id=

hahaha. Typed that one in before I read through the MS awards results. Thanks for the heads up. Although this doesn't appear to be the same format as those of the past.

Now, let's hope 'Wheel' gets added to the MS bands list so that their new album 'Moving Backwards' gets it's much deserved 2019 readers attention.

Written by MetalManic on 01.03.2019 at 16:45

Written by Mercurial on 01.03.2019 at 16:44

Written by MetalManic on 01.03.2019 at 16:32

Bring on the MS Staff picks!

You're a bit late to the show: http://metalstorm.net/pub/article.php?article_id=1878&page=&message_id=

hahaha. Typed that one in before I read through the MS awards results. Thanks for the heads up. Although this doesn't appear to be the same format as those of the past.

The MSA staff picks are coming mid march

You people gotta be kidding me, we all know thrash wasnt all that good in 2018, but fucking Soulfly ?? Are you people out of your minds ?

Written by RaduP on 01.03.2019 at 16:50

Written by MetalManic on 01.03.2019 at 16:45

Written by Mercurial on 01.03.2019 at 16:44

Written by MetalManic on 01.03.2019 at 16:32

Bring on the MS Staff picks!

You're a bit late to the show: http://metalstorm.net/pub/article.php?article_id=1878&page=&message_id=

hahaha. Typed that one in before I read through the MS awards results. Thanks for the heads up. Although this doesn't appear to be the same format as those of the past.

The MSA staff picks are coming mid march

thanks man!

Immortal sweeping black metal lol that is as classic an example of the "name behind the band overshadows the quality of the music" nature of these awards as any. Guess I should expect no less at this point in the game.

At the very least I can appreciate the Ambient/Noise/Drone results here more than anything, as that was probably the only category this year that didn't have any big name bands in it who you just knew would sweep the whole category in advance. Surprised (pleasantly so) that Wolvennest got it. I thought it would be Primitive Man, and personally voted for Offerbeest.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 01.03.2019 at 21:10

At the very least I can appreciate the Ambient/Noise/Drone results here more than anything, as that was probably the only category this year that didn't have any big name bands in it who you just knew would sweep the whole category in advance. Surprised (pleasantly so) that Wolvennest got it. I thought it would be Primitive Man, and personally voted for Offerbeest.

AmNoiDro isn't the only category where that's the case, but def the one with the least instant recognizability among nominees

Talking about Ambient/Noise/Drone...

I think the predictability of the results is not the most interesting aspect of the awards, but user participation (or lack thereof) can provide some significant value.
Checking the total amount of votes given, you will see that the average MS user doesn't really care about certain genres. Ambient/Drone/Noise combines three fairly diverse styles, but yet, only standalone Grindcore gained less total votes - and less attention.

Grindcore 292
Ambient / Drone / Noise 307
Djent / Math 396
Hardcore / Metalcore / Deathcore 406
Metalgaze 425
Industrial / Cyber / Electronic 442
Symphonic Metal 447
Extreme Doom 458
Sludge / Stoner 487
Thrash 488
Post-Metal 548
Doom 591
Gothic 599
Avantgarde / Experimental 613
Hard Rock 621
Power 632
Alternative Metal 661
Folk / Pagan / Viking 731
Melodic Black 737
Black Metal 739
Death Metal 742
Extreme Progressive 783
Progressive 816
Melodeath / Extreme Power / Gothenburg 856
Heavy / Melodic 956

Let's face it: you can't please the average Metalstormer by featuring more Drone, more Ambient and more Noise.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 01.03.2019 at 21:10

Immortal sweeping black metal lol that is as classic an example of the "name behind the band overshadows the quality of the music" nature of these awards as any. Guess I should expect no less at this point in the game.

That Immortal album was actually very good. Whether or not it was a black metal album of the year is another story. It got the most votes anyway. Can you accept it? Or is your head so deep up your ass that it's impossible for you to see anything else than your own myopic opinion?

Wow I completely missed the awards this year.
Well... My vote wouldn't have changed anything anyway

Written by Karlabos on 02.03.2019 at 00:29

Wow I completely missed the awards this year.

How?

Written by RaduP on 02.03.2019 at 00:39

Written by Karlabos on 02.03.2019 at 00:29

Wow I completely missed the awards this year.

How?

I've been on a lot of travelling/ changing address and stuff which requires me not being able to sit in front of my desktop

Written by Karlabos on 02.03.2019 at 00:44

I've been on a lot of travelling/ changing address and stuff which requires me not being able to sit in front of my desktop

Well stop doing that. Now we'll have to do it all over again.