It’s that time of year again as one of metal’s most popular streamers Nik Nocturnal dishes out his best of 2025 with his very own awards show.
So how can you check out the 2025 Nocturnal Awards? And who actually got nominated? We’ve got you covered.
Where Can I See the 2025 Nocturnal Awards?
Nik Nocturnal will host the 2025 Nocturnal Awards live at 5PM ET today (Dec. 12) through his Twitch channel (twitch.tv/niknocturnal).
The show will come at you live from Sweetwater HQ as Nik dishes out winners in 20 categories celebrating modern metal and heavy music.
The winners are all fan-voted as the nominees were announced last month and voting continued through Dec. 5.
In addition to a whole lot of awards being handed out, the show will also include over $15,000 in gear giveaways, a full live band performance, some world premiere music and trailer reveals, a number of special guest appearances and there will be a live in-person audience on hand to cheer on and salute the winners. So be sure to tune in to twitch.tv/niknocturnal at 5PM ET to catch the 2025 Nocturnal Awards.
Who Got Nominated for the 2025 Nocturnal Awards?
As we stated, fan voting has now concluded. But some of the musicians, music and metal sites listed below will be taking home some trophies during the broadcast.
READ MORE: Nik Nocturnal Returns 6 Months After Saying Goodbye in New Video
There are 20 categories in total, celebrating everything from individual instrumentalists to songs, videos and albums as well as some of the streamers, labels and metal sites that have kept you in the know and entertained throughout 2025. And even the best animal noise of the year!
Check out the Nocturnal Awards 2025 nominees below and get ready for fun metal things!
Guitarist of the Year
Calle Thomer (Vildhjarta)
Scott Carstairs (Fallujah)
Greg Burgess (Allegaeon)
Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage)
Chris Wiseman (Shadow of Intent / Currents)
Stephen Carpenter (Deftones)
Leo Watremez (Mirar)
Mike Stringer (Spiritbox)
Matt Heafy (Trivium)
Diamond Rowe (Tetrarch)
Robb Flynn (Machine Head)
Konan Hall (Malevolence)
Brody Uttley (Rivers of Nihil)
Dave Davidson (Revocation)
John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
Drummer of the Year
Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)
Leo Mcclain (Psycho-Frame)
Craig Reynolds (Stray From the Path)
Aaron Gillespie (Underoath)
Joe Pelletier (Peelingflesh)
Ali Richardson (Bleed From Within / Sylosis)
Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me)
Daniel Tracy – (Deafheaven)
Frank Zummo (Electric Callboy / Sum 41)
Bryce Butler (Shadow of Intent)
Vocalist of the Year
Phil Bozeman (Whitechapel)
Sam Carter (Architects)
Will Ramos (Lorna Shore)
Ryan Vail (Larcenia Roe / Synestia)
Courtney Laplante (Spiritbox)
Emma Boster (Dying Wish)
Eric Vanlerberghe (I Prevail)
Yasmin Belkhodja (Face Yourself)
Tatiana Shmayluk (Jinjer)
Chino Moreno (Deftones)
Florent Salfati (Landmvrks)
Marc Zelli (Paleface Swiss)
Rory Rodriguez (Dayseeker)
Amy Lee (Evanescence)
Daniel Winter-bates (Bury Tomorrow)
Damonteal Harris (Peelingflesh)
Bassist of the Year
David John Levy (Unprocessed)
Adam Biggs (Rivers of Nihil)
Ryan O’Leary (Fit for a King)
Eugene Abdukhanov (Jinjer)
Steve Di Giorgio (Testament)
Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne)
Dan Briggs (Between the Buried and Me)
Oli Pinard (Cryptopsy)
Jacob Umansky
Jared Warth (Blessthefall)
Masked Musician of the Year
Vessel (Sleep Token)
Ii (Sleep Token)
Iii (Sleep Token)
Iv (Sleep Token)
President (President)
Alpha (Gaerea)
Zachary Ezrin (Imperial Triumphant)
Papa v Perpetua (Ghost)
Cenobia (Cenobia)
Blothar The Berserker (Gwar)
Collab Song of the Year
Peelingflesh x Svdden Death x Nimda x Yvm3 – “Midnight”
Poppy x Amy Lee x Courtney Laplante – “End Of You”
Babymetal x Slaughter To Prevail – “Song 3”
Falling in Reverse x Hardy – “All My Women”
Unprocessed x Fever 333 – “Heads in the Clouds”
Paleface Swiss x Stick To Your Guns – “Instrument Of War”
Synestia x Blake Mullens – “The Mourning Star”
Fit For A King x Chris Motionless – “Witness The End”
Invent Animate x Silent Planet – “Return To One”
Architects x House of Protection – “Braindead”
Angriest Song of the Year
Psycho-frame – “No Revives”
I Prevail – “Violent Nature”
To the Grave – “Sawed Off”
Stray From The Path – “Fuck Them All To Hell”
Despised Icon – “Over My Dead Body”
Speed – “Peace”
Guilt Trip – “Burn”
Pintglass – “Stella Fc”Bodysnatcher – “Blade Between The Teeth”Spite – “New World Killer”
Best Callout of the YearDying Wish – “I Don’t Belong Anywhere” (3:34)
A Day To Remember – “Bad Blood” (2:10)
Ten56. – “I Know Where You Sleep” (0:31)
The Acacia Strain – “A Call Beyond” (1:41)
Kublai Khan Tx – “The Mountain of Corsicana” (3:07)
Pintglass – “Pintglass By Pintglass Off The Album Pintglass” (1:58)
Knosis – “Shinmon” (2:38)
Darko Us – “Mallet Pulse” (2:31)
Kanine – “808” (2:46)
Abbie Falls – “Victim” (1:45)
Bad Omens – “Specter”
The Devil Wears Prada – “For You”
Dayseeker – “Pale Moonlight”
President – “Destroy Me”
The Plot in You – “Silence”
Paleface Swiss – “River Of Sorrows”
Ten56. – “Io”
Stick To Your Guns – “Keep Planting Flowers”
Ov Sulfur – “Wither”
Landmvrks – “Blood Red”
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