The Best Metal Performance Grammy nominees add up a whole bunch of what you would expect: old bands (Motörhead and Anthrax) playing the role of favorites while more modern acts (Mastodon and Slipknot) wait for the tides to shift. Tenacious D wonders how it even got a nomination, being a comedy act and all, while Ronnie James Dio is the real winner.
NOMINEES:
"Neon Knights" by Anthrax
"High Road" by Mastodon
"Heartbreaker" by Motörhead
"The Negative One" by Slipknot
"The Last In Line" by Tenacious D
WHO SHOULD WIN: "High Road" by Mastodon
Ask around the Music Times offices and you'll find out that your correspondent takes issue with no Grammy segment more than he does with the Best Metal Performance category. If I have my way this year, and almost assuredly I won't, Mastodon will take the trophy with its single "High Road," and I still won't be that happy about it.
Only two of the acts nominated this year reflect any sort of future for the metal genre-Mastodon and "The Negative One" by Slipknot-yet even those two bands weren't chosen for the better songs fro their most recent albums.
The rest of the nominations show just how little of an effort the Recording Academy puts toward selecting nominees. Two songs come from the same album, suggesting that of all metal songs released during 2014, 40 percent of the best ones were on the same album. And not just any album, but a covers album dedicated to Ronnie James Dio. Anthrax did a solid job with "Neon Knights" but it's a nearly spot-on mimic of the original, which hardly constitutes a prize representing Best of 2014. Tenacious D has honest passion for metal but they'll be the first to admit they are a humor band, emphasized by Jack Black's comedically emphatic heavy metal vocals. The flute solo in the middle of the band's "The Last In Line" cover almost references Jethro Tull's controversial Best Hard Rock/Metal win over Metallica in 1989, the first time metal was recognized at the ceremony.
Motörhead continued its ever-consistent performance with Aftershock and "Heartbreaker," but it'd be nice to see the Recording Academy reward more progressive...or at least modern...music. Mastodon deserved wins for its previous nominations "Colony of Birchmen" and "Curl of The Burl" so it'd be nice to see third time being the charm.
WHO WILL WIN: "Heartbreaker" by Motörhead
Unfortunately, the Academy will continue to encourage the preservation of the olde, ignoring the efforts of younger acts in the metal scene(and by younger we mean founded after 1995). The last time an act founded after 1985 won the Best Metal Performance Grammy was during 2006 when Slipknot took the trophy. Since then we've seen prizes go to every possible member of the old guard: Metallica, Slayer, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. It's tough to imagine that the Academy suddenly breaking the trend when they haven't given Motörhead the award since 2005. Anthrax is another metal standard-bearer, and although they haven't been rewarded with a Grammy yet, it's tough to see even the Recording Academy giving a Best Metal Performance prize for a cover. We won't be surprised if it happens however.
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