At a launch show at Manchester’s Gorilla venue last week that saw performances from Milestones, Cold Years and Loathe, Heavy Music Awards announced the finalists for the 2018 awards!
The event, in only its second year, has become a staple in the heavy music calendar, being the only awards to be fully independent, with a panel of over 300 industry figures involved in the initial nominating (with 2018’s panel even including AltCorner’s very own head of reviews) the finalists before voting opens to the general public to decide the winners, last year almost 10,000 people cast their vote on the talented artists, producers, designers, best venues and festivals!
The 2018 HMAs take place at KOKO, London on August 23 and will be exclusively shown on Scuzz TV. Check out all the nominees below;
Heavy Music Awards 2018 Finalists
Best Album
Code Orange – Forever (Roadrunner Records – Produced by Kurt Ballou & Will Yip)
Converge – The Dusk In Us (Epitaph Records / Deathwish Inc – Produced by Kurt
Creeper – Eternity, In Your Arms (Roadrunner Records – Produced by Neil D. Kennedy)
Enter Shikari – The Spark (Ambush Reality – Produced by David Kosten & Rou Reynolds)
Mastodon – Emperor Of Sand (Reprise Records – Produced by Brendan O’Brien)
The Menzingers – After The Party (Epitaph Records – Produced by Will Yip)
While She Sleeps – You Are We (Independent – Produced by While She Sleeps)
Best UK Band
Arcane Roots (Easy Life)
Architects (Epitaph Records)
Creeper (Roadrunner Records)
Enter Shikari (Ambush Reality)
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (International Death Cult)
Marmozets (Roadrunner Records)
While She Sleeps (Independent)
Best International Band
Code Orange (Roadrunner Records)
Converge (Epitaph Records)
Mastodon (Reprise Records)
The Menzingers (Epitaph Records)
Metallica (Blackened Recordings)
Parkway Drive (Epitaph Records)
Trivium (Roadrunner Records)
Best Live Band
Presented by Jackson Guitars
Architects (Epitaph Records)
Enter Shikari (Ambush Reality)
Every Time I Die (Epitaph Records)
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (International Death Cult)
Ghost (Loma Vista Recordings)
Gojira (Roadrunner Records)
While She Sleeps (Independent)
Best UK Breakthrough Band
Bad Sign (Basick Records)
Conjurer (Holy Roar Records)
Employed To Serve (Holy Roar Records)
Holding Absence (Sharptone Records)
Loathe (Sharptone Records)
Milk Teeth (Roadrunner Records)
Venom Prison (Prosthetic Records)
Best International Breakthrough Band
Brutus (Hassle Records)
Can’t Swim (Pure Noise Records)
Knocked Loose (Pure Noise Records)
Palaye Royale (Sumerian Records)
Sløtface (Propeller Recordings)
Stand Atlantic (Rude Records)
Waterparks (Equal Vision Records)
Best Album Artwork
Presented by The Pit
Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper (Profound Lore Records – Artwork by Mariusz Lewandowski)
Converge – The Dusk In Us (Epitaph Records / Deathwish Inc – Artwork by Jacob Bannon)
Creeper – Eternity, In Your Arms (Roadrunner Records – Artwork by Nicky Barkla)
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Modern Ruin (International Death Cult – Artwork by Dean Richardson / Studio Yuck)
Mastodon – Emperor of Sand (Reprise Records – Artwork by Donny Phillips)
Northlane – Mesmer (UNFD – Artwork by Jacques Duquette / Fvckrender)
Sikth – The Future In Whose Eyes? (Millennium Night – Artwork by Meats Meier)
Best Festival
2000trees Festival (United Kingdom)
Arc Tan Gent (United Kingdom)
Bloodstock Open Air (United Kingdom)
Download Festival (United Kingdom)
Hellfest Open Air (France)
Slam Dunk Festival (United Kingdom)
UK Tech Fest (United Kingdom)
Best Photographer
Corinne Cumming
Ben Gibson
Joshua Halling
Paul Harries
Tina Korhonen
Jennifer McCord
Ed Mason
Best Producer
Kurt Ballou
Romesh Dodangoda
Neil D Kennedy
Dan Lancaster
Brendan O’Brien
Will Putney
Will Yip
Voting for the 2018 Heavy Music Awards is open now. Vote here and be entered into the draw to win HMA 2018 tickets! Voting closes June 27th 2018.
Watch the 2018 HMA finalists reveal below;