{"id":14044,"date":"2014-12-17T01:00:52","date_gmt":"2014-12-17T06:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southeastofheaven.com\/?p=14044"},"modified":"2014-12-17T09:51:26","modified_gmt":"2014-12-17T14:51:26","slug":"content-needed-2014-farty-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/?p=14044","title":{"rendered":"The 3rd Annual Farty Awards: And The Winners\/Losers Are\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Band I Couldn’t Shut My Piehole About in 2014<\/strong>
\n Winner: Jess and the Ancient Ones<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jess and the Ancient Ones was a band that I just couldn\u2019t talk enough about this year. After discovering them earlier this year by accident, both their self titled debut album their Astral Sabbat EP became mainstays in the music box. Just when I thought that things couldn\u2019t get better, they came over to the US as direct support for King Diamond and their mind blowing live set just solidified themselves as one of my new favorite bands.<\/p>\n

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Biggest Shock of 2014:<\/strong>
\n Winner: Death of Dave (Oderus Urungus) Brockie<\/strong>
\n Runner Up: The Oath Splitting Up, Ace Frehley made an album that didn\u2019t suck.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biggest shock this year for me was the sad, sad passing of GWAR front man Dave Brockie. The metal world was dealt a huge blow by this one and as a long time fan of GWAR for over 20 years, this one definitely left a mark. We celebrated his life and GWAR vowed to carry on preserving his legacy and continuing to bring a high caliber performance night after night thanks to the great Blothar stepping in at the mic.<\/p>\n

Runners up for biggest shock of 2014 was the split up of The Oath and the fact that Ace Frehley made a new album of material that didn\u2019t suck and in fact was as good if not better than KISS\u2019 last offering. The Oath\u2019s split up came just shortly after the release of the band\u2019s stellar debut album leaving me with zero opportunity to ever see them live. Lead singer Johanna Sadonis has a new band called Lucifer who will be making their debut in 2015 so keep on the lookout.<\/p>\n

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Worst Metal Album<\/strong>
\n Winner: Crowned by Fire \u2013 Space Music for Cave People<\/strong>
\n Runner Up: Bloody Pussy Guts<\/strong><\/p>\n

I heard some pretty shitty records this year and Crowned By Fire took the cake with Space Music for Cave People. First off, that title just sucks and the album itself was a huge ass platter of subpar mediocre bro metal featuring some of the worst songwriting I have ever heard thrown over cutting room floor Pantera riffs. At least Bloody Pussy Guts was intentionally horrible. Crowned by Fire really must have thought they were doing some special when in reality, they just put out something that will be keeping the water rings off of my coffee table.<\/p>\n

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Best Single of 2014<\/strong>
\n Winner (Tie): Jess & The Ancient Ones \u2013 Castaneda; Brave – Surrounds Me<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jess and the Ancient ones blew my mind by releasing a new single for the song \u201cCastaneda\u201d along with another new track called \u201cAs To Be With Him.\u201d Both of these songs showed significant growth for Jess and the Ancient Ones and it made me so excited to see what lies ahead.<\/p>\n

Coming in neck to neck with Jess and the Ancient Ones was Brave who finally released their first offering of new music since 2008\u2019s Monuments album. Their single for \u201cSurrounds Me\u201d and \u201cThree Ravens\u201d seem to pick up right where Brave left out making it feel like nearly no time has passed since their last release. Much like with Jess and the Ancient Ones, this release got me feeling very excited to see and hear just what lies ahead with the new Brave full length which will (hopefully) be released sometime in 2015.<\/p>\n

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Favorite Metal Label<\/strong>
\n Winner: Rise Above<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rise Above Records (run by former Cathedral main man Lee Dorian) proved to be a lable to be reckoned with in 2014. Rise Above put out albums by some of my favorite new bands such as Saturn, The Oath, and The Admiral Sir Cloudesly Shovell, while also putting out albums by other great acts such as Purson, Gentlemans Pistols, Death Penalty, and Blood Ceremony just to name a few. Rise Above really blew my mind with such an impressive roster of talent and has quickly become my new favorite record label. Now if I can just get them to hook me up with some sweet vinyl or something!<\/p>\n

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Most Disappointing Metal Album<\/strong>
\n Winner: A Sound of Thunder – Lesser Key of Solomon<\/strong>
\n Runner Up: Rival Sons – Great Western Valkyrie<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biggest disappointment for me this year was A Sound of Thunder\u2019s Lesser Key of Solomon. I had such high hopes for this follow up to their stellar Time\u2019s Arrow album but this album just left me kind of scratching my head and being let down. Just to add salt to the wound, I actually donated money to their Kickstarter fund to make this album. The end result was kind of like paying for what you were hoping would be a world class burger and ending up with a Big Mac. This also made me rethink donating to crowdsourcing in the future. You never know what you\u2019re gonna get and you have to be ok with that. From now on I think I\u2019ll just wait till the album\u2019s done and preview it before buying. Fool me once\u2026<\/p>\n

Runner up was Rival Sons with an album that was so forgettable that I couldn\u2019t even tell you what it sounded like. I can tell you what it didn\u2019t sound like. It didn\u2019t sound like any of their previous releases which kick so much fucking ass it\u2019s insane. This album just seemed to lack any real focus or direction and just left me feeling like maybe they need to re-think the formula that they\u2019ve been using to make records because this time it failed them.<\/p>\n

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Band That Should’ve Put an Album out This Year but Didn’t<\/strong>
\n Winner: Draekon<\/strong>
\n Runner up: Holy Grail<\/strong><\/p>\n

I really hoped that at some point this year we would\u2019ve seen the long awaited follow from Indiana proggers Draekon but alas, it just wasn\u2019t to be. The band was in town for the ProgPower Kick Off Show and after having a great interview with them I learned that the album is slated for a 2015 release.<\/p>\n

My fingers will remain crossed for that one as well as a much anticipated new album from Holy Grail. They were another band I was hoping to hear new music from but no bueno. I\u2019m guess 2015 is going to be a pretty fucking kick ass year if these guys are gonna put out new shit. Fingers crossed indeed.<\/p>\n

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The \u201cLike \u2018Em But Don\u2019t Love \u2018Em\u201d Award<\/strong>
\n Winner: Mothership<\/strong>
\n Runner Up: Volume IV<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mothership definitely takes the \u201cLike \u2018Em But Don\u2019t Love \u2018Em\u201d Award for 2014. I really enjoy the band\u2019s live show and their songs but I just don\u2019t feel that cosmic connection that I feel with my favorite bands. The same goes for Volume IV as they are a band that I totally enjoy seeing live but just didn\u2019t feel a strong connection too. Both bands are strong, talented bands that I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open to as they are both very close to making that connection but just falling a hair short of doing so Some bands you can just \u201clike\u201d and ya know what? I\u2019m ok with that.<\/p>\n

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Best Metal Video of 2014<\/strong>
\n Winner: Iron Reagan – Miserable Failure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best video in 2014 was hands down \u201cMiserable Failure\u201d by Iron Reagan. The band took the \u201cflash mob\u201d and turned it into \u201cthrash mob\u201d as they unleashed their hilariously kick ass face melting brand of old school thrash to the screen with one of the most entertaining videos I have seen in years. What I loved so much about this video is that it truly captured everything that Iron Reagan is about to a \u201ct\u201d and I think very well could have opened doors to a whole new slew of fans. This was a well done and well played video without a doubt.<\/p>\n