ANVIL, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, CAULDRON, FUCK THE FACTS and KEN MODE have been nominated in the “Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year” category at this year’s Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards), set to be held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 26 – April 1.

This new category is an award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the Canadian recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position. Eligible albums include metal, metalcore, hardcore, heavy rock, thrash metal, death metal and their respective sub-genres including (but not limited to) nu-metal, power metal, grindcore, extreme metal, industrial metal, viking metal, folk metal, doom metal, gothic metal, speed metal, and sludge metal.

“Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year” nominees:

* ANVIL – Juggernaut of Justice (The End/Sony)
* CAULDRON – Burning Fortune (Earache/eOne)
* FUCK THE FACTS – Die Miserable (Relapse/eOne)
* KEN MODE – Venerable (Profound Lore/Sonic Unyon)
* DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – Deconstruction (HevyDevy/eOne)

Sean Palmerston, who handles media relations for Sonic Unyon, the Hamilton, Ontaro, Canada label whose roster includes the heavy likes of UNTIMELY DEMISE, SACRIFICE and AUGURY, spoke to The Canadian Press about last fall’s announcement that the “Metal/Hard Music” category was being added to the Juno Awards.

“It seems like these musicians are paying their dues, making great records and they definitely deserve at least a little bit of a tip of a hat of an award, just so people can recognize how great they are,” said Palmerston, who began campaigning the academy about a year and a half ago, after struggling to find an appropriate category to submit an album by Quebec metal innovators VOIVOD.

“Hopefully it’ll just make (fans) say, ‘Hey, we have good metal bands in our own backyard.’ … I definitely think it’s going to make people pay attention.”

For more information about Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences (CARAS) and the Juno Awards, go to www.junoawards.ca.