Many will argue that the drummer is often the most important member of any band. Along with acting as a human metronome, drummers facilitate transitions, set the mood for each individual part of a song and add a tremendous amount of character to their band’s music. Simply put, drummers act as the foundation, provided they don’t spontaneously combust! The nominees in the Drummer of the Year category achieved great feats in 2012, driving their groups to new heights by adding a strong sense of identity of connectivity and using it as gunpowder. Check out the nominees below and be sure to vote in the poll below: ? Adam Jarvis, Pig Destroyer / Misery Index Adam Jarvis is a true force in the world of extreme metal. Not only does Jarvis possess the skills to play the most precise brands of metal in existence, he was recruited by Pig Destroyer for their 2012 album, ‘Book Burner.’ Jarvis’ drumming is incredibly strong on ‘Book Burner,’ bringing a noticeably nastier sound to the band. ? Arejay Hale, Halestorm Mainstream radio rock doesn’t tend to focus heavily on technical drumming, but Arejay Hale is an absolute exception. Fans who have seen Halestorm live bear witness to this fact, as Arejay regularly busts on monster drum solos while spinning his sticks like a veteran circus performer. ? Barry Kerch, Shinedown Berry Kerch has been holding down the drums for Shinedown since the band’s inception in 2001. Kerch’s skills have been broadcast on rock radio as much as any other drummer this year due to Shinedown’s domination of the airwaves. ? Blake Richardson, Between the Buried and Me The technicality displayed by Between the Buried and Me drummer Blake Richardson in ‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence in incredible, and his ability to transition the band’s complex music from part to part is extraordinary. Plus, to witness Richardson making a mistake live is like running into a Sasquatch. ? Chris Adler, Lamb of God Chris Adler put some impressive drumming onto tape with Lamb of God’s 2012 album, ‘Resolution.’ Not only does Adler remain tight and powerful, he also showcases his ability to write memorable drum parts, most notably heard in the intro of ‘Desolation.’ ? Gene Hoglan, Dethklok/Testament Gene Hoglan is a robot … actually he’s ‘The Atomic Clock,’ but either way he certainly is not human. The talent that Hoglan possesses is mind-boggling, and he lent his stellar abilities to Testament ‘s 2012 album, ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ and Dethklok ‘s ‘Dethalbum III.’ ? Mario Duplantier, Gojira The metal music community saw the rise of two brothers this year: the Duplantier brothers of Gojira . While Joe handles vocal and guitar duties, Mario Duplantier leads the rhythm section with pummeling drum lines. When listening to Gojira’s ‘L’Enfant Sauvage,’ the character Mario’s drumming adds to the band is unmistakeable. ? Matt Cameron, Soundgarden/Pearl Jam As if drumming for one legendary grunge band isn’t enough, Matt Cameron handles the sticks for both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam . Cameron has been most active with Soundgarden this year with the release of the band’s first full-length album since 1996, ‘King Animal.’ ? Roy Mayorga, Stone Sour Although vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root from Slipknot are funnily enough, the faces of Stone Sour , drummer Roy Mayorga deserves his share of praise. Mayorga’s drumming style is much different than that of Slipknot’s Joey Jordison, allowing Stone Sour to further develop their own sound. ? Vinnie Paul, Hellyeah/Pantera Vinnie Paul has turned 2012 into one of his definitive years with both Hellyeah and the legendary Pantera. With Paul working behind the drum kit, Hellyeah released their third full-length album, ‘Band of Brothers,’ while the legacy of Pantera continued with the release of the new song ‘Piss.’ ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite drummer wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/rock-song-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards” title=”Next Category: Rock Song of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email
Metal Blade Records It has been more than five years since the last King Diamond studio album, and now the legendary vocalist has announced he has signed a new three-album deal with Metal Blade Records. “This is gonna be awesome! Another perfect piece of the puzzle. We have the full backup of Metal Blade, and there’s an understanding between us that goes much, much deeper than before,” says King Diamond. “Our new business setup will noticeably benefit the fans in so many ways. You must have already noticed some of all the cool new stuff that is happening. Now we can’t wait to get out there and start touring again!” After having a triple bypass in 2010, King is fully recovered, feeling better than ever and ready to get back to making music. The band made a triumphant return to the stage this year at the Hellfest festival in France and the Sweden Rock festival. In addition to King, the lineup includes Andy La Rocque (guitar/keyboards), Mike Wead (guitar), Hal Patino (bass) and Matt Thompson (drums). If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for that King Diamond fan in your life, the band recently unveiled a line of holiday merchandise . You can sport a ‘No Presents for Christmas’ hoodie, or buy some King Diamond Christmas ornaments to decorate the tree. Watch King Diamond – ‘No Presents For Christmas’ Live Video
Although they can remain low-key, bassists are essential for holding down the rhythm section of a band. Despite a fewer amount of strings, there is something unique about watching or listening to a bassist shred with the same technical expertise as a guitarist. These low-end masters have helped define 2012 through their playing along with their songwriting abilities. Check out the nominees for Bassist of the Year and be sure to vote for your favorite in the poll below: ? Alex Webster, Cannibal Corpse Original Cannibal Corpse member and longtime songwriting force Alex Webster delivered disgusting bass lines within the band’s 12th studio album, ‘Torture.’ Along with his prowess behind a bass, Webster penned tracks such as ‘Scourge of Iron’ and ‘Intestinal Crank’ for the ‘Torture’ album. ? Dan Briggs, Between the Buried and Me If you like your metal bassists to dance around lead parts and create complex polyrhythms, Dan Briggs delivers like few can. His lines can be heard throughout Between the Buried and Me ‘s ‘Parallax II: Future Sequence,’ proving to be one of metal’s most valuable rhythm musicians. ? D.D. Verni, Overkill Along with the thrash-tastic parts showcased by Overkill ‘s D.D. Verni, the bassist is also the primary songwriter for the band. Creating the foundation for every track on Overkill’s must-hear 2012 album, ‘The Electric Age,’ there would be no ‘Come and Get It’ or ‘Electric Rattlesnake’ without the legendary bassist. ? Eric Bass, Shinedown Your name is Eric Bass and you play the bass?! Get right outta town! In fact, the Shinedown bassist has also contributed backing vocals and piano for the band since 2008. Bass also boasts writing credits for tracks such as ‘Unity’ and ‘Enemies’ from Shinedown’s 2012 album, ‘Amaryllis.’ ? Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers There are few bassists more talented and beloved than Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band released ‘Look Around’ and ‘Brendan’s Death Song’ as singles this year, and although the band share writing credits for such tracks, there is no denying the massive contribution Flea has brought to the band. ? Frank Bello, Anthrax Anthrax bassist Frank Bello has led a stellar year in 2012. Along with headlining the second stage at this year’s Mayhem Festival, Bello took part in both the Los Angeles and New York City ‘Metal Masters’ clinics. ? Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead Is it of popular opinion that Lemmy Kilmister is, in fact, God. Looking past his divine birth, Lemmy is one hell of a bassist and frontman. Motorhead were one of the 2012 Mayhem Festival’s marquee acts, and the band rocked it like no others can. ? Nikki Sixx, Motley Crue As one of the most beloved hard rock bassists in history, Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx saw success with the release of the single ‘Sex’ this year. Sixx also helped make Las Vegas history as Motley Crue completed a residency at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, a move that is quickly being adopted by bands such as Guns N’ Roses. ? Steve Harris, Iron Maiden / Solo Legendary Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris embarked on the incredible ‘Maiden England’ tour in 2012, along with releasing his debut solo album, ‘British Lion.’ Harris is showing no signs of slowing down, and his presence has been heavily felt in 2012. ? Wolfgang Van Halen, Tremonti / Van Halen As the son of Eddie Van Halen, there are some monstrous expectations placed above your head when you choose to pursue music. Wolfgang Van Halen has been doing his father proud as a member of Van Halen, but stepping in at the last minute as the touring bassist for Mark Tremonti’s solo project was truly remarkable. Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite bassist wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/drummer-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards/” title=”Next Category: Drummer of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email
Reprise The final installment of Green Day ‘s trilogy doesn’t hit stores for another week, but fans can get a sneak preview now. ‘¡Tré!’ is currently streaming in full at this location . The album will be released on Dec. 11. ‘¡Tré!’ was originally scheduled to be released in January of next year, but after frontman Billie Joe Armstrong entered rehab , the band canceled their remaining 2012 live shows and moved the album’s release to December. Drummer Tre Cool explained, “We feel bad we have to delay our tour, so to make up for it we want to give our fans the music earlier than we had planned. If we couldn’t be there to play it for you live, the least we could do was give you the next best thing.” ‘ ¡Uno! ‘ was released in September and ‘ ¡Dos! ‘ followed in November. Both albums were well-received, with Loudwire reviewers bestowing four out of five stars on each. After the three albums, Green Day will release the documentary ‘ ¡Quatro! ,’ which will give viewers a behind the scenes look at the recording process of ‘¡Uno!,’ ‘¡Dos!, and ‘¡Tre!.’ The complete documentary won’t be available until 2013, but a show with highlights from the film premiered on VH1 in November. It will be shown several more times on Palladia through Dec. 22. [button href=”http://www.iheartradio.com/iplaylist/artist/69310/” title=”Listen to Green Day – ‘¡Tré!’ ” align=”center”]
You know them, you love them, and though the singer may get most of the spotlight, we all know that a good guitarist is what typically drives a band. Whether it be a flashy solo or just keeping time with the band, hanging on a heavy chord, the guitarist is one of the most key elements to a group, especially when it comes to hard rock and heavy metal. This Loudwire Music Awards category of Guitarist of the Year to narrow down to 10, as there are simply a lot of great guitarists out there, but here are the nominees for the Best Guitarist of the Year. Check out each and our argument for them, and then let your voice be heard by voting in the poll below: ? Alex Skolnick, Testament As far as thrash metal goes, there aren’t many guitarists that are held in as high regard as Testament ‘s Alex Skolnick . This year he got a chance to shine again on the band’s ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ album. Frequently working in tandem with Eric Peterson, Skolnick’s runs and riffs remain as fresh today as they did way back when. ? Jacky Vincent, Falling in Reverse One of the emerging guitarists on the scene is Jacky Vincent, who is getting plenty of notice for his work alongside vocalist Ronnie Radke in Falling in Reverse . Vincent’s riffing helps make ‘The Drug in Me Is You’ album really go. ? Jim Root, Slipknot / Stone Sour Onstage this year, Jim Root brought his energetic licks to Slipknot ‘s North American trek, and he further showcased his axe skills in 2012 on Stone Sour ‘s latest disc, ‘House of Gold & Bones, Pt. 1.’ Working opposite Josh Rand, Root delivered some of the most in-your face licks on the singles ‘Gone Sovereign’ and ‘Absolute Zero.’ ? Herman Li, DragonForce It was a welcome return in 2012 for Dragonforce ‘s Herman Li, whose band got back in the game after changing vocalists. ‘The Power Within’ album got the group back out on tour and refreshed in the minds of fans exactly how quick and masterful that the guitarist is at his instrument. ? Kim Thayil, Soundgarden Kim Thayil has been largely out of the spotlight since the late ’90s, when Soundgarden went their separate ways, but the time apart allowed Thayil to replenish his riff bank and it’s the fans that are reaping the rewards on the stellar new disc, ‘King Animal.’ ? Kurt Ballou, Converge Hardcore rockers Converge returned after a three-year absence with ‘All We Love We Leave Behind,’ an aggressive collection featuring the superb guitar (and production) work of Kurt Ballou. Ballou gets bonus points for doing it all organically, rocking without artificial distortion, triggers or Auto-Tune. ? Mark Tremonti, Tremonti / Alter Bridge /Creed We knew Mark Tremonti was a great guitarist before this year, but the Creed and Alter Bridge member showed he was a true artist with his ‘All I Was’ solo album. If anything, it allowed Tremonti rock even harder than he usually does and show off more of his metal side. ? Paul Waggoner & Dustie Waring, Between the Buried and Me Between the Buried and Me ‘s ‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence’ would not have been the standout set it was without the talents of guitarists Paul Waggoner and Dustie Waring. The pair perform in tandem for the majority of the 2012 record, making it nearly impossible to choose just one of the two. ? Siouxsie Medley, Dead Sara While Emily Armstrong is getting the bulk of the attention for her powerhouse vocals, Dead Sara ‘s Siouxsie Medley is the perfect compliment on guitar. It’s her mesmerizing guitar lick that pulls listeners into the lead single ‘Weatherman,’ and her bluesy work on ‘Sorry for It All’ and ‘Timed Blues’ show her versatility. ? Slash A perennial favorite for Top 10 lists anytime he’s involved with a record, Slash got to put more of a stamp than ever on his music with the ‘Apocalyptic Love’ disc. Whether it was the chugging ‘You’re a Lie,’ the hard-driving ‘Standing in the Sun’ or the groovy ‘Bad Rain,’ Slash got a chance to show his range with no real restrictions. ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite guitarist wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/bassist-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards/” title=”Next Category: Bassist of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email
Justin Sullivan, Getty Images We’ve all been curious to see ‘Sound City,’ Dave Grohl ‘s star-studded documentary tribute to the legendary L.A. studio of the same name, and now the wait is almost over — provided you have a ticket to next year’s Sundance Festival. Sundance 2013, set to kick off Jan. 17 in Park City, Utah, will play host to a wide variety of new films from across the spectrum, and ‘Sound City’ will be among the new documentaries getting their first public screenings. It’s one of the most high-profile premiere outlets a filmmaker can ask for, and Grohl is understandably enthused. As he put it in a press release, “As a first time director, I am humbled to be able to share my passion for songwriting and storytelling with this incredible cast of legendary musicians, as seen through the extraordinary story of America’s greatest unsung recording studio, Sound City. Being included in this group of artists is a true honor, and the Sundance Film Festival is the perfect place to premiere a film about craft, integrity, and passion for art. I am over the moon!” Grohl has been hard at work on ‘Sound City’ over the last year, interviewing a long list of former studio clients and organizing jams with everyone from his former Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic to Rick Springfield to Slipknot ‘s Corey Taylor, not to mention kicking off a SiriusXM radio show dedicated to the studio’s history. Check out the trailer below, and start saving up for a plane ticket to Utah. Dave Grohl’s ‘Sound City’ Trailer [button href=”http://loudwire.com/foo-fighters-dave-grohl-taylor-hawkins-swap-places-to-honor-led-zeppelin/” title=”Next: Dave Grohl Drums in Foo Fighters Tribute to Led Zeppelin” align=”center”]
The human voice comes in many forms, and in our list of nominees for 2012 Vocalist of the Year, an incredibly wide range is covered. Along with your classic clean style of singing, we’ve got musicians who wail, scream, yell and, in a few cases, create evil gutturals. In another Loudwire Music Awards category that pits veterans against debuting artists and everything in between, we’ve got 10 singers who have helped shape the sound of 2012. Check out the nominees and be sure to vote in the poll below: Bobby Blitz, Overkill Overkill’s 2012 album, ‘The Electric Age’ just barely missed our 2012 Top 10 list, but there’s no way that the vocals of Bobby Blitz could be left out of our 2012 awards. Blitz delivered a diamond-sharp performance for the album, as well as one of the sickest high notes ever unleashed during the intro of ‘Wish You Were Dead.’ ? Chino Moreno, Deftones As one of modern rock’s most iconic voices, Deftones frontman Chino Moreno strung together another masterful group of vocal tracks to tape on ‘Koi No Yokan.’ There are few modern rock bands as original and reliable as Deftones, and Moreno makes it simple to understand why. ? Corey Taylor, Stone Sour/Slipknot Corey Taylor had himself a massive 2012, both with Slipknot and Stone Sour. During Slipknot’s headlining spot on the 2012 Mayhem Fest, Taylor’s voice was in fine form. OnStone Sour’s 2012 album, ‘House of Gold & Bones – Part 1,’ Taylor shows a different yet equally powerful side to his voice. ? Chris Cornell, Soundgarden Still legendary, still solid. Chris Cornell has been a vocal force in the rock world for nearly three decades, and the Soundgarden frontman delivered once again with ‘King Animal.’ Along with the success of Soundgarden, Cornell went around the world for a string of solo tour dates. ? David Gold, Woods of Ypres The deep and haunting vocals of the late David Gold will be sorely missed in the metal community. As Woods of Ypres’ central figure, Gold played guitar and drums on ‘Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light,’ but his singing is the standout feature of the brilliant album. ? Emily Armstrong, Dead Sara Having exploded onto the scene in 2012, Dead Sara ‘s Emily Armstrong brings soul and ear-splitting aggression to the up-and-coming band. Although displayed prominently within the single ‘Weatherman,’ Armstrong’s versatile voice is captivating throughout the band’s entire self-titled album. ? Joe Duplantier, Gojira With warmongering screams, narrative gritty singing and a little French twang, Gojira vocalist Joe Duplantier left a massive stamp on 2012. His vocals captivate the listener throughout the band’s 2012 full-length, ‘L’Enfant Sauvage,’ and steered Gojira in a direction which would greatly shape 2012. ? Lzzy Hale, Halestorm Yet another breakout artist of 2012, Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale made a massive impact in the world of hard rock. Whether listening to ‘The Strange Case of…’ or seeing the band live, Lzzy Hale’s vocal prowess is undeniable. ? ? Myles Kennedy, Slash/Alter Bridge Myles Kennedy made some major strides in 2012. Along with providing vocals for Slash on his latest “solo” album, Kennedy was also featured in Alter Bridge’s 2012 live album, ‘Live at Wembley.’ The singer also stepped in to deliver a stellar performance during Guns N’ Roses’ set at the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. ? Randy Blythe, Lamb of God Nobody has had a year like Randy Blythe . The vocalist hit soaring heights with Lamb of God’s ‘Resolution’ album, but also had to undergo the hardship of being imprisoned for five weeks in the Czech Republic. Regardless, Blythe’s gutturals remain terrifying, like serpentine constriction coiling tightly around the listener. ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite vocalist wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/guitarist-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards” title=”Next: Vote for Guitarist of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email