Heavy Music Awards Finalists Announced

The finalists for the second ever Heavy Music Awards have been announced.

The British award ceremony aims to highlight the best national and international music, producers and photographers through a voting ballot which was put together by more than 100 independent music industry professionals, including All Things Loud owner Jack Parker. This makes the Heavy Music Awards the only fully independent and democratic programme of its kind, quickly establishing itself as a key date in the alternative music calendar.

Following a successful first edition last year, the ceremony will once again take place this summer at the KOKO in London’s Camden district on Thursday, 23 August. As was also the case last year, the Heavy Music Awards will once again take place the day before Reading & Leeds Festivals.

Last night, all of the finalists were unveiled during a launch event at the Gorilla in Manchester, with young British hopefuls Milestones, LOATHE and Cold Years all performing. The nominees for this year’s Heavy Music Awards are:

Best Album

Code OrangeForever (Roadrunner Records – Produced by Kurt Ballou & Will Yip)
ConvergeThe Dusk In Us (Epitaph Records / Deathwish Inc – Produced by Kurt
CreeperEternity, In Your Arms (Roadrunner Records – Produced by Neil D. Kennedy)
Enter ShikariThe Spark (Ambush Reality – Produced by David Kosten & Rou Reynolds)
MastodonEmperor Of Sand (Reprise Records – Produced by Brendan O’Brien)
The MenzingersAfter The Party (Epitaph Records – Produced by Will Yip)
While She SleepsYou Are We (Independent – Produced by While She Sleeps)

Enter Shikari. (c) Natasja de Vries
Enter Shikari. (c) Natasja de Vries

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)

Architects. (c) Natasja de Vries
Architects. (c) Natasja de Vries

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)

Metallica. (c) Christian Sarkine
Metallica. (c) Christian Sarkine

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)

Frank Carter. (c) Jack Parker
Frank Carter. (c) Jack Parker

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)

Milk Teeth. (c) Jade Hill
Milk Teeth. (c) Jade Hill

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)

Sløtface. (c) Jack Parker
Sløtface. (c) Jack Parker

Best Album Artwork

Presented by The Pit
Bell WitchMirror Reaper (Profound Lore Records – Artwork by Mariusz Lewandowski)

ConvergeThe Dusk In Us (Epitaph Records / Deathwish Inc – Artwork by Jacob Bannon)

CreeperEternity, In Your Arms (Roadrunner Records – Artwork by Nicky Barkla)

Frank Carter & The RattlesnakesModern Ruin (International Death Cult – Artwork by Dean Richardson / Studio Yuck)

MastodonEmperor of Sand (Reprise Records – Artwork by Donny Phillips)

NorthlaneMesmer (UNFD – Artwork by Jacques Duquette / Fvckrender)

SikthThe Future In Whose Eyes? (Millennium Night – Artwork by Meats Meier)

Northlane. (c) Dewi Mik
Northlane. (c) Dewi Mik

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)

2000 Trees. (c) Jade Hill
2000 Trees. (c) Jade Hill

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

Cast your votes here, and click here for more details. Voting closes on 27 June 2018, with each participant in with the chance of winning two tickets for the awards.