BEST ALBUMS OF 1998

1. NOCTURNAL RITES "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination" (*****)
2. NIGHTWISH "Oceanborn" (*****)
3. GRAVE DIGGER "Knights Of The Cross" (****1/2)
4. SAVATAGE "The Wake Of Magellan" (****1/2)
5. B. Dickinson "The Chemical Wedding" (****1/2)
6. PRIMAL FEAR s/t (****1/2)
7. RUNNING WILD "The Rivalry" (****)
8. ICED EARTH "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (****)
9. JAG PANZER "Age Of Mastery" (****)
10.ARIA "Generator Of Evil" (****)
11.HELLOWEEN "Better Than Raw" (****)
12.HAMMERFALL "Legacy Of Kings" (****)
13.LABYRINTH "Return To Heaven Denied" (****)
14.BLIND GUARDIAN "Nightfall In Middle Earth" (****)
15.SINNER "Nature Of Evil" (****)
16.SENTENCED "Frozen" (****)
17.MUNDANUS IMPERIUM "The Spectral Spheres Coronation" (****)
18.DEATH "The Sound Of Perseverance" (****)
19.STRATOVARIUS "Destiny" (****)
20.EDGUY "Vain Glory Opera" (***1/2)


BEST LIVE:  STRATOVARIUS "Visions Of Europe" (*****) / RIOT "Shine On" (*****)


1998 BEST SONGS COUNTDOWN

30.SENTENCED "Farewell" 29.MUNDANUS IMPERIUM "Unborn Breaths In Silence" 28.DEATH "Flesh & The Power It Holds" 27.ELEGY "Unorthodox Methods" 26.ANGEL DUST "Border Of Reality" 25.LABYRINTH "Lady Lost In Time" 24.HOLY MOTHER "The Rats Keep Running" 23.VIRGIN STEELE "Mind, Body, Spirit" 22.RHAPSODY "Emerald Sword" 21.HOLLOW "Crusaders" 20.IRON MAIDEN "Futureal" 19.R. Zombie "Dragula" 18.STRATOVARIUS "Destiny" 17.ICED EARTH "The Prophecy" 16.SINNER "Some Truth (Had Better Left Unknown)" 15.PRIMAL FEAR "Nine Lives" 14.HAMMERFALL "At The End Of The Rainbow" 13.JAG PANZER "Iron Eagle" 12.BLIND GUARDIAN "Mirror, Mirror" 11.GRAVE DIGGER "The Curse Of Jacques" 10.GALLERY OF MASKS "Gallery Of Masks" 9. SHADOW GALLERY "War For Sale" 8. SAVATAGE "Paragons Of Innocence" 7. HELLOWEEN "Handful Of Pain" 6. ARIA "Deceit" 5. NIGHTWISH "Stargazers" 4. NOCTURNAL RITES "Lost In Time" 3. EDGUY "Vain Glory Opera" 2. B. Dickinson "Book Of Thel" 1. RUNNING WILD "Fire And Thunder"

1998 AWARDS


BEST DEBUT: HOLLOW

BEST SIDE PROJECT: PRIMAL FEAR

BEST TRADITIONAL / POWER ALBUM: NOCTURNAL RITES "Tales Of Mystery & Imagination"

BEST PROG / POWER-PROG ALBUM: NIGHTWISH Oceanborn

BEST EXTREME ALBUM: DEATH "The Sound Of Perseverance"

BEST THRASH / POWER-THRASH ALBUM: ICED EARTH "Something Wicked This Way Comes"

BEST NON-TRADITIONAL ALBUM: BLIND GUARDIAN "Nightfall In Middle Earth"

BEST CONCEPT ALBUM: SAVATAGE "The Wake Of Magellan"

BEST ALBUM COVER: Markus Mayer (GRAVE DIGGER "Knights Of The Cross")

BEST SURPRISE: NIGHTWISH

HAPPIEST EVENT: HAMMERFALL touring the USA

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: CONCEPTION disbanding

LIFETIME ACCOMPLISHMENT AWARD: SAVATAGE

BEST MALE VOCALS: Anders Zackrisson (NOCTURNAL RITES)

BEST FEMALE VOCALS: Tarja Turunen (NIGHTWISH)

BEST GUITAR: Nils Norberg (NOCTURNAL RITES)

BEST GUITAR DUO: Vladimir Holstinin / Sergei Terentiev (ARIA)

BEST BASS: Jens Becker (GRAVE DIGGER)

BEST KEYBOARDS: Tuomas Holopainen (NIGHTWISH)

BEST DRUMS: Klaus Sperling (PRIMAL FEAR)

BEST LYRICS: Paul O'Neill (SAVATAGE)

BEST RIFF: "Fire And Thunder" (RUNNING WILD)

BEST PRODUCER: Roy Z (Bruce Dickinson)