2025 Extreme Music Awards Nominees Announced!

ALBANY, NY – The people have spoken: The Extreme Music Awards 2025 (EMAs) nominees have been selected! Once again, this year’s crop boldly represents the vast talents of the heavy music community in the greater Capital/Western Mass. regions.

The panel of judges will now have a hard task ahead of them, to select the best of the best in each category. This year’s event also includes four new categories, spotlighting the best guitarist, bassist, drummer and vocalist in the scene. These categories are absolutely stacked, boasting an incredible group of individual players.

Now less than a month away, organizers of the EMAs are in the final stages of kicking off the biggest heavy music awards show of the year. The winners will be announced live at the awards show, on January 11th at Empire Live in Albany!

Nominees and presenters are listed below. Hyperlinks have been added so you can check out each band/album/video:

2025 NOMINEES

Best Death Metal Band – Presented by Joe Keyser (Skinless)
Invoke Thy Wrath
Intrusive
Tyranize
Concrete

Best Black Metal Band – Presented by Paul Delaney (Black Anvil)
Malefic
Blackbraid
Misery Machine
Vintertodt

Best Doom/Stoner Band – Presented by Joe Altier (Brand New Sin)
Gozer
Jupiter Queen
Carnwennan
Flatwounds

Best Metal/Power Metal Band – Presented by Dave Ellefson (Megadeth)
The Antarctican
Deveria
Allumination
Against the Reign

Best Progressive/Math Metal Band – Presented by Gary Holt (Exodus/Slayer)
Outta My Head
The Phoenix and the Raven
Psychomanteum
Horse Grave

Best Hair/Glam/Sleaze Band – Presented by Brendan Manley (518scene.com)
The Erotics
Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band
Untaymed
Mystery Girl

Best Thrash Metal Band – Presented by Brian Fair (Shadows Fall)
Hate The Adversary
Ice Queen
Faced
Vaexus

Best Grindcore Band – Presented by Gary Aldrich (Dark Tower Tattoos)
Horse Grave
Urine
Vaginal Fungus
D.B. Cooper

Best Metalcore Band – Presented by Matt Byrne (Hatebreed)
Faded Line
Oakheart
Adhara
Deadweight

Best Punk Band – Presented by Danny Diablo/Hoya Roc (Skarhead/Madball/Smoke AD)
VinTri Hill
RBNX
The Hauntings
Gusto

Best Hardcore Band – Presented by Craig Ahead (Sick of it All)
Fromwithin
Violent By Design
Spiritkiller
Cold Kiss

Best Hardcore Beatdown Band – Presented by Ray Mazzola & Mike Valente (Brick by Brick)
Torn Out
Gateway
Confinement 413
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Best Hardcore Punk Band – Presented by Stikman (Fury of Five)
Halo Bite
Murderer’s Row
Wet Specimens
Schenectavoidz

Best Video in 2024 By A Metal Band – Presented by Don Capria (110 Films/producer of Director’s Cut)
The Antarctican – “Stolen Throne”
Jupiter Queen – “Just A Taste”
Deveria – “When Darkness Falls”
Concrete – “Cyber Vermin”

Album of the Year – 2024 – Presented by Mario and Kim Cangemi (Upstate Records)
Outta My Head – Sick Nasty
Malefic – The Second Coming
The Erotics – Destined To Damnation
Invoke Thy Wrath – W O R M S

Lifetime Achievement Award (25+ years in the scene) – Presented by Mike Valente (Brick by Brick) and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall/Category 7)
Mike Trash
Jeff Caro
Darek Polcare
Paul Rukwid

Best New Band (together less than 2 years) – Presented by Art Fredette (RadioRadioX)
Against The Reign
Gateway
Outta My Head
Altar

Best Veteran Band (together 10+ years) – Presented by Fuzz Kebabjian (That Fuzzing Rock Show)
Concrete
Tyranize
The Erotics
Assault on the Living

Best Bassist – Presented by Dave Ellefson (Megadeth)
Justin Stupplebeen – The Phoenix and the Raven
Drew Bartlett – Concrete
Brian Crosby – Oakheart
Derek Polcare – Crimson Mask

Best Guitarist – Presented by Jon Donais (Shadows Fall/Anthrax)
Dillon Schwertner – Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band
Roman Singleton – Deveria
Gary Wood – The Phoenix and the Raven
Jared Weed – Concrete

Best Drummer – Presented by Sal Abruscato (Life of Agony/Type O Negative) and Matt Byrne (Hatebreed)
John Glassbrenner – Concrete, Malefic, more
Walter MONSTA Ryan – Faded Line,