This year’s Heavy Music Awards at London’s Ovo Arena Wembley honored global icons from heavy music. Kerrang! Radio host Alex Baker returned as host, joined by Download Festival presenters Alyx Holcombe and Nels Hylton who presented at Download.
Halestorm, Skindred and metal icons such as Creeper and Boston Manor performed at the ceremony with Halestorm taking home the Best International Act award while UK rock group Biffy Clyro won this coveted distinction.
Best Album
The Heavy Music Awards is an annual event that shines a spotlight on metal. Celebrating artists, festivals and icons in the genre as well as awarding albums based on votes cast by fans and experts from within their genre; winners are then revealed live at an ceremony hosted in London – this year it took place May 26 at OVO Arena Wembley.
Since Black Sabbath introduced heavy metal into the world on February 13, 1970, we’ve experienced quite an eventful journey since then. They revolutionized a style which has evolved through each decade to reach maximum extremity; eventually splitting off into underground subgenres such as black metal and thrash metal that remain hard to categorize today. Pantera, Judas Priest, Metallica, Slayer, Korn Avenged Sevenfold are just a few names who have contributed significantly towards heavy metal’s legacy – each adding their unique touch to its iconic lumbering guitars overdriven guitars overdriven drumming and forceful vocals which define this musical subgenre.
At first, the Grammys didn’t recognize metal music as its own genre until 1989’s 31st annual Grammy Awards when Jethro Tull won Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance with Crest of a Knave over Metallica’s album… And Justice for All. Subsequently, an entire category for metal albums was added and later renamed Best Metal Album.
At this year’s edition, a talented pool of artists, bands, and festival headliners competed for top honors; heavy metal icon Halestorm eventually claimed it. Joe Hottinger and Lzzy Hale delivered an exhilarating performance supported by guitarist Sophie Lloyd; surprise guests like Ed Gamble and Joel Dommett were present for an unforgettable night; Dougie Poynter and Danny Jones from McFly also presented awards during an evening that was as thrillingly bold as ever!
At the forefront of each category were four nominees each from Architects, Don Broco, Trivium and Spiritbox, along with industry powerhouses Bring Me The Horizon (with A Day To Remember and Gojira also receiving nods), Turnstile Code Orange as well as emerging acts Turnstile and Code Orange.
Best Performance
Heavy metal may present itself as a countercultural movement, yet its popularity in mainstream society cannot be denied. Few evidences this phenomenon more glaringly than when hard-hitting metal bands like Metallica and Gojira make an appearance on late night shows where their talents can be demonstrated to a wide audience. Below is our selection of the 10 Best Late Night Show Performances By Metal Bands
“Live albums and concert videos of metal performances capture the intensity and energy of some of its best artists perfectly, from Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album debut through Pantera’s Until We Die album release and Judas Priest’s Hell Is for Lovers live debut performances – each captured with great intensity.”
The UK-based Heavy Music Awards annually cast light on the rock and metal scenes, revealing nominees by an expert panel of 700 industry insiders in March before public voting determined winners across 11 categories. Architects, Don Broco, Trivium, and Spiritbox led this year’s nominations with four each; heavyweight acts such as Bring Me The Horizon, A Day To Remember and Gojira were nominated alongside newer acts like Code Orange and Turnstile as well.
This year’s ceremony took place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley with over 5,000 fans, artists, and industry professionals attending. Halestorm won Best International Act while Skindred won Best UK Live Act; Download Festival and Biffy Clyro were both honored with Pioneer Awards; Creeper, Loathe, Boston Manor and Lzzy Hale all made appearances at this year’s ceremony to an enthusiastic crowd in Wembley Arena.
At one time, the JUNOS awards included heavy metal as one of its categories. But after an act that played looser and poppier heavy metal won an award (and essentially equaled other acts on their shortlist), JUNOS decided to ditch that category altogether in favor of focusing more heavily on rock as an overall genre.
Best Song
The Heavy Music Awards have long been known for recognizing both up-and-coming talent as well as established industry icons, and this year was no different; UK-based awards gave recognition to newcomers Nova Twins, Wargasm and Spiritbox while simultaneously honouring Slipknot, Metallica and Bring Me The Horizon bands who had achieved significant milestones over their respective careers.
On May 26th at OVO Arena Wembley in London, this prestigious ceremony took place. Featuring performances by genre-leading artists from each category as well as special guests including Kerrang! Radio’s Alex Baker who was joined on the red carpet by Alyx Holcombe and Nels Hylton, it brought together some 4,000 people for an evening to remember!
One of the most coveted categories at the Heavy Music Awards is Best Song, given to songs that best embody heavy metal music’s genre. Winning tracks often combine explosive guitar riffs with melodic choruses and lead vocals in highly energetic compositions that draw listeners in. A panel of judges representing veteran headbangers as well as publications dedicated to metal music selects its winner in this category.
Rolling Stone recently published its list of 100 greatest metal songs and Black Sabbath’s eponymous dirge took first place, boasting dynamic shifts, intricate guitar work and Bruce Dickinson’s emotive vocals that set it apart as one of their masterworks.
Vulgar Display of Power’s powerful track is another worthy contender, featuring Philip Anselmo’s signature screams as it mixes thrash with groove. Furthermore, it reached No. 5 on Billboard charts!
Noteworthy winners at the 2023 Heavy Music Awards included Nottingham pop-punkers As December Falls, emo-crossover newcomers Static Dress and nu-metal provocateur Scene Queen. In addition, two major festivals received H Awards and Best Festival honors to recognize their dedication to heavy music of all kinds. Finally, veterans as well as up-and-coming talent were celebrated during this seventh annual ceremony; which will return in 2024.
Best Band
The Heavy Music Awards is one of the biggest dates on any metalhead’s calendar. Attracting veterans, innovators, and rising stars in metal music today, this night celebrates everything that makes our scene amazing – be it veterans or innovators or young hopefuls alike. And with its recent upgrade to Wembley OVO venue and stellar line-up of artists – 2018 promises to be an unforgettable celebration!
The 2023 Heavy Music Awards proved once again that this genre is diverse and powerful, from established rockers such as Architects and Metallica taking home multiple accolades to new acts that were recognized. They all show why this event remains one of the most vibrant and relevant in its field.
Nottingham pop punkers As December Falls, emo-crossover newcomers Static Dress and nu-metal provocateur Scene Queen were recognized in the breakthrough categories. Additionally, thrash icon Motionless In White won Best Band while Yorkshire hardcore outfit Malevolence won the award for Album Artwork for Malicious Intent with their visually arresting cover art.
These awards have long made an effort to recognize and acknowledge the broad diversity of metal music. After JUNOS stripped metal out of their title, HMAs added Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year as a showcase of this broad genre’s range; Voivod from Jonquiere Quebec was nominated twice; they offer blistering thrash with progressive metal technical dexterity in one package!
At Wembley OVO, the evening’s ceremony was an eventful testament to the diversity and power of these genres; featuring fans, musicians, producers, industry experts and industry leaders all gathering to recognize achievements over the last year. Awards were handed out and performances by nominees Vukovi, Loathe, Boston Manor and Underoath Creeper were showcased during an incredible set of hard hitting metal. Pop idols McFly also made an appearance and announced one of the winners; something which came as quite a shock yet was nonetheless brilliantly metal!