Playlist: Heavy Music Awards 2018

Every now and then we need to celebrate all that is great in the world of rock and metal. Sure, we regularly put the spotlight on stellar releases, outstanding shows and more. But there is rarely an event that sees our community come together to award those who truly stand out from the plethora of bands that dominate our playlists, festival bills and local venues. Cue the Heavy Music Awards.

Launched in March 2017, next Thursday (August 23rd, 2018) sees the second annual Heavy Music Awards taking place in London at the iconic Koko venue in Camden. We’ve put together a playlist of all the nominees and performers alongside a guide to what the Heavy Music Awards are all about!

Who’s nominated for the Heavy Music Awards?

The Heavy Music Awards highlights the artists, producers, venues, festivals and designers with 10 awards set to be handed out next Thursday. And the nominees are…

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 Ballou)
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 & Carl Bown)

Best UK Band Presented by PPL

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 Presented by Indie Mixtape

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 Presented by Pirate Studios

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 Presented by Awesome Merchandise

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 (Easy Life)

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 Alan Brown / Medusawolf)
Northlane – Mesmer (UNFD – Artwork by Jacques Duquette / Fvckrender)
Sikth – The Future In Whose Eyes? (Millennium Night – Artwork by Meats Meier)

Best Festival Presented by Scuzz

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 Presented by Roadrunner Records

Kurt Ballou
Romesh Dodangoda
Neil D Kennedy
Dan Lancaster
Brendan O’Brien
Will Putney
Will Yip

How are the nominees decided?

The voting process for the Heavy Music Awards begins with a panel of music industry experts. With over 300 figures involved, the panel includes people from booking agents, publicists, record labels, management companies, TV and radio stations, venues and various media outlets including your good pals here at Already Heard!

Check out the full panel here.

Once the industry had pitched their choices this past spring, the most popular nominees were put forward to a public vote. By maintaining its democratic ethos, the results of that public vote will be announced next Thursday.

Who’s performing?

Last years inaugural event at the House of Vans in London saw performances from Creeper, Venom Prison, Vukovi and Dead! Although that bill was impressive, this year sees the HMA organisers taking things up a notch with headliners coming in the form of The Fever 333. While longtime AH favourites Black Peaks and Milk Teeth will be playing on the night with emerging instrumental band, Coldbones set to open the night.