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 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
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.