The 2003 Metal Awards

[Nate The Great]

I thought it would be prudent to hand out some awards for the hardworking metal bands who released something worth talking about in 2003.

Here's my awards. Feel free to tell me who you would have given the award to, or give out some of your own awards.

The This-Could-Be-Great-But-I-Just-Haven't-Gotten-It-Yet Award
Halo - Body of Light

The What-The-Hell?-This-Is-The-Worst/Best-Album-This-Band-Has-Ever-Released Award
Green Carnation - Blessing in Disguise

The Where-Did-This-Come-From? Award
Goatsblood - Drull

The I-Wish-People-Would-Listen-To-Me-About-This-Band Award
Unearthly Trance - Season of Seance, Science of Silence

The Best-Newcomer-That-Is-Apparently-Releasing-Their-8th-Album Award
Burst - Prey on Life

The With-All-That-Talent-This-Is-The-Crap-We-Get Award
Arch Enemy
Morbid Angel
Zyklon

The Best-Album-I-Bought-In-2003-But-Wasn't-Released-In-2003 Award
Swans - The Great Annihilator

The Album-That-Took-Me-Until-2003-To-Fully-Enjoy-And-Comprehend Award
Meshuggah - Nothing

The Best-Album-From-The-"Old"-Farts Award
Entombed - Inferno

. . . and some serious awards.

Best Label of 2003 Award
Willowtip Records

Best Musician of 2003 Award
verdict is still out on this one

Best CD Cover Art Award
Watchmaker - Kill.Fucking.Everyone

Best Country For Metal Award
America and Sweden tied on this one for me this year.

 

[NAD]

The This-Could-Be-Great-But-I-Just-Haven't-Gotten-It-Yet Award
Aborym - With No Human Intervention

The What-The-Hell?-This-Is-The-Worst/Best-Album-This-Band-Has-Ever-Released Award
Metallica

The Where-Did-This-Come-From? Award
Manes - Vilosophe

The I-Wish-People-Would-Listen-To-Me-About-This-Band Award
KING FUCKING CRIMSON GODDAMMIT

The Best-Newcomer-That-Is-Apparently-Releasing-Their-8th-Album Award
Goatsblood. Change 8th to 2nd.

The With-All-That-Talent-This-Is-The-Crap-We-Get Award
Crimson II

The Best-Album-I-Bought-In-2003-But-Wasn't-Released-In-2003 Award
Today is the Day - Sadness Will Prevail

The Album-That-Took-Me-Until-2003-To-Fully-Enjoy-And-Comprehend Award
Nile - Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka (didn't like it until 1 week before purchasing In These Darkened Shrines)

The Best-Album-From-The-"Old"-Farts Award
King Crimson

Best Label of 2003 Award
Willowtip with code666 following very closely

Best Musician of 2003 Award
Either Robert Fripp or Negru

Best CD Cover Art Award
Negura Bunget

Best Country For Metal Award
I dunno, NADLAND.

 

[Black Winter Day]

who in the hell is this king crimson of whom you speak?

 

[Demonspell]

The This-Could-Be-Great-But-I-Just-Haven't-Gotten-It-Yet Award
either Falkenbach or Manes

The What-The-Hell?-This-Is-The-Worst/Best-Album-This-Band-Has-Ever-Released Award
Opeth or Green Carnation

The Where-Did-This-Come-From? Award
Ephel Duath - The Painter's Palette

The I-Wish-People-Would-Listen-To-Me-About-This-Band Award
Into Eternity or Maudlin Of The Well/Kayo Dot

The Best-Newcomer-That-Is-Apparently-Releasing-Their-8th-Album Award
no clue

The With-All-That-Talent-This-Is-The-Crap-We-Get Award
Arch Enemy or Soilwork

The Best-Album-I-Bought-In-2003-But-Wasn't-Released-In-2003 Award
anything from Enslaved's back catalogue

The Album-That-Took-Me-Until-2003-To-Fully-Enjoy-And-Comprehend Award
need more time for this one...

The Best-Album-From-The-"Old"-Farts Award
King Crimson

Best Label of 2003 Award
three-way tie: Elitist, The End, Code666

Best Musician of 2003 Award
Devin Townsend for releasing two albums and touring his ass off

Best CD Cover Art Award
might as well give this one to Crimson as well.

Best Country For Metal Award
At the risk of perpetuating a cliche, Sweden. But not for its melodic death.

 

[Nate The Great]

The This-Could-Be-Great-But-I-Just-Haven't-Gotten-It-Yet Award
either Falkenbach or Manes

The What-The-Hell?-This-Is-The-Worst/Best-Album-This-Band-Has-Ever-Released Award
Opeth or Green Carnation

The Where-Did-This-Come-From? Award
Ephel Duath - The Painter's Palette

The I-Wish-People-Would-Listen-To-Me-About-This-Band Award
Into Eternity or Maudlin Of The Well/Kayo Dot

The Best-Newcomer-That-Is-Apparently-Releasing-Their-8th-Album Award
no clue

The With-All-That-Talent-This-Is-The-Crap-We-Get Award
Arch Enemy or Soilwork

The Best-Album-I-Bought-In-2003-But-Wasn't-Released-In-2003 Award
anything from Enslaved's back catalogue

The Album-That-Took-Me-Until-2003-To-Fully-Enjoy-And-Comprehend Award
need more time for this one...

The Best-Album-From-The-"Old"-Farts Award
King Crimson

Best Label of 2003 Award
three-way tie: Elitist, The End, Code666

Best Musician of 2003 Award
Devin Townsend for releasing two albums and touring his ass off

Best CD Cover Art Award
might as well give this one to Crimson as well.

Best Country For Metal Award
At the risk of perpetuating a cliche, Sweden. But not for its melodic death.

I hear you on that last one. I didn't pick Sweden for their obvious stuff either. I chose them because of Burst, Cult of Luna, Entombed, and others I can't remember right now.

 

[Erik]

Yeah, because Entombed aren't way way more successful than In Flames or Arch Enemy's ever going to be..? Hint: they are, in Sweden at least; Entombed is probably Sweden's biggest metal band ever, commercially, definitely the most well-known.

I answered most of these but then I felt like not posting it. Best country is Ukraine anyway.

 

[Nate The Great]

Yeah, because Entombed aren't way way more successful than In Flames or Arch Enemy's ever going to be..? Hint: they are, in Sweden at least; Entombed is probably Sweden's biggest metal band ever, commercially, definitely the most well-known.

I answered most of these but then I felt like not posting it. Best country is Ukraine anyway.

Did I say anything about Entombed being successful or not? I didn't think so. I simply mentioned them because I liked their CD this year. I didn't like any of the melodeath stuff from Sweden this year. That's not that hard to understand is it?

 

[Erik]

You said they weren't "obvious" stuff... Now when most people think of Sweden and metal they think EOMG NTOMBED!!!!!!!1

That was my point.

 

[Nate The Great]

Oh . . . I guess I didn't know how popular they are over there. Most people over here seem to equate In Flames, Arch Enemy, and Soilwork with Sweden.

 

[Erik]

Yeah, I know. Especially Arch Enemy like to whine about how bad the crowds are in their homeland and how few records they sell over here (only a couple of million I should imagine,) but they're apparently really fucking big in Japan. Sorry if I sound harsh and shit but I'm tired and generally fucked.

 

[J.]

The This-Could-Be-Great-But-I-Just-Haven't-Gotten-It-Yet Award
Ion Dissonance - Breathing is Irrelevant

The What-The-Hell?-This-Is-The-Worst/Best-Album-This-Band-Has-Ever-Released Award
Neurosis & Jarboe - Neurosis & Jarboe

The Where-Did-This-Come-From? Award
Rune - The End of Nothing

The I-Wish-People-Would-Listen-To-Me-About-This-Band Award
Scald

The Best-Newcomer-That-Is-Apparently-Releasing-Their-8th-Album Award
Poison the Well (on their 4th release)

The With-All-That-Talent-This-Is-The-Crap-We-Get Award
The Haunted
Zyklon

The Best-Album-I-Bought-In-2003-But-Wasn't-Released-In-2003 Award
Iron Monkey - Our Problem
Kiss It Goodbye - She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not
Scald - Nematoid: SPecimen Parts I-IV

The Album-That-Took-Me-Until-2003-To-Fully-Enjoy-And-Comprehend Award
Today is the Day - In the Eyes of God

The Best-Album-From-The-"Old"-Farts Award
Graveland - The Fire of Awakening

Best Label of 2003 Award
Willowtip Records

Best CD Cover Art Award
Geasa - Fate's Lost Son

Best Country For Metal Award
America or Ireland

The I-Told-You-So Award
Arcane Sun - Arcane Sun

 

[Erik]

The What-The-Hell?-This-Is-The-Worst/Best-Album-This-Band-Has-Ever-Released Award
Neurosis & Jarboe - Neurosis & Jarboe

I thought you'd put "Masquerade."

 

[J.]

I thought about it, but I would not dishonor The Art of Dreaming by mentioning that abortion.

 

[Black Winter Day]

BEST THIS-WOULD-BE-MUCH-BETTER-IF-QUORTHON-COULD -FUCKING-CARRY-A-TUNE ALBUM: uhhh... i forget. pending.

BEST I-HATE-THIS-FUCKING-GENRE-BUT-THIS-ALBUM-IS-PRETTY-DAMN-COOL ALBUM: Sonata Arctica - "Winterheart's Guild"

BEST MARKGUGS-WAS-WRONG-ABOUT-THIS-ALBUM-BECAUSE-IT-DRINKS-DICK ALBUM: Grave Digger - "Rheinghold"

 

[JayKeeley]

I answered most of these but then I felt like not posting it.

That's a shame.

Also, generally speaking, do Graveland qualify as "old farts"? How long have they been around then?

I've got an award for some of you:

The-album-most-deserving-to-be-in-my-top-10-2003-list-but-I-didn't-realize-until-2004:

"Worlds Beyond the Veil" by Mithras.

 

[J.]

Graveland has been around since 1992. Entombed is just 1 or 2 years older.

 

[NAD]

The-album-most-deserving-to-be-in-my-top-10-2003-list-but-I-didn't-realize-until-2004:

"Worlds Beyond the Veil" by Mithras.

Absolutely.