Who should win Best Metal Band of the Year? That's for you to determine by voting in the 6th Annual Loudwire Music Awards! This is surely going to be a tight competition, so let's see who the nominees are!

First, there's Anthrax, who embarked on multiple tours supporting For All Kings, their 11th studio album and one of their finest to date. How about Korn, who returned to their roots on The Serenity of Suffering with foundation-shifting slugfest rhythms?

Also in contention, of course, is the mighty Metallica, who generated more buzz around a new album than any other heavy act in recent memory, mixing up their riffing attack with some flashy traces of melody. If you want melodies, Killswitch Engage have 'em well-stocked on Incarnate, a remarkable return to form with some of their most impactful material in their storied career.

Venturing into new territory, Gojira focused on more concise songs and it yielded a wildly successful album in Magma. The Devin Townsend Project also tested new waters on the tranquil and emotionally intense Transcendence, a record many are calling the best piece of music Devy's ever written.

On the more spastic side, there's the Dillinger Escape Plan who revealed they'd be splitting up after this album cycle, making Dissociate their last studio album and a great one to say goodbye with. Along a similar thread, Meshuggah's propension for pushing boundaries extended the goal posts even further on The Violent Sleep of Reason.

Megadeth had another incredible year, embarking on multiple headlining runs on the back of Dystopia. Another legacy act, Iron Maiden, (the only band here without a new record this year), once again showed their ageless qualities on a stunning world tour onboard their Ed Force One jumbo-jet.

It's going to be tough, but you've got to choose! Vote in the poll below for the Best Metal Band of the Year in the 6th Annual Loudwire Music Awards. Polls will remain open until 10AM ET on Jan. 10 and fans can vote once per hour, so vote as much as you can to make sure whatever band you think is the best wins!

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