Avenged Sevenfold added to Golden Gods lineup

Over the weekend Avenged Sevenfold took home two OC Music Awards, for best metal and best album, and soon enough the Huntington Beach-based band may add several more prizes to its trophy case, as the group is up for five Revolver Golden Gods Awards, to be handed out April 20 at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles.


M. Shadows is competing for best vocalist, Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance are nominated together for best guitarist, momentary anchor Mike Portnoy (on loan from Dream Theater) is in the running for best drummer ... actually, the only awards Avenged isn't up for are ones for which the group is ineligible. (Best metal athlete, for instance.)


Not surprisingly -- and perhaps suggesting it might be a big night for the guys -- it was announced today that A7x will close out the ceremony with a headlining set.


Already slated to perform is the original Alice Cooper Group, in its first L.A. appearance in nearly 40 years, as the soon-to-be-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will be on hand to accept the Golden God Award, given annually to a legendary act that "embodies the spirit of hard rock and metal." (Note: Yes, I'm aware that guitarist Glen Buxton died in 1997, a detail I forgot when initially posting about this show.)Mötley Crüe, meanwhile, will receive the newly renamed Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award. (A full list of nominees follows.)


WWE wrestler and Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho will host the event, due to be televised May 28 on VH1 Classic. Also expected to perform are loaded featuring Duff McKagan (of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver), DevilDriver (leading an all-star tribute to Black Flag), Danish "Elvis metal" outfit Volbeat and rising group Asking Alexandria, which will be joined by Sebastian Bach for a take on Skid Row's "Youth Gone Wild."


More collaborations and performers are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets -- $36 for standing general admission, $96.50 for pit access or VIP balcony seating -- are on sale now.


Epiphone^® Best Guitarist(s)


• John 5 (for his work with Rob Zombie)
• Dan Donegan (Disturbed)
• Gus G. (for his work with Ozzy Osbourne)
• Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold)
• Janick Gers, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
• Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom)


Drum Workshop^® Best Drummer


• Tommy Clufetos (Ozzy Osbourne)
• Abe Cunningham (Deftones)
• Joey Jordison (for his work with Rob Zombie)
• Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour)
• Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
• Mike Portnoy (for his work with Avenged Sevenfold)


Best Vocalist


• Glenn Danzig (Danzig)
• Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
• Chino Moreno (Deftones)
• Ozzy Osbourne (Ozzy Osbourne)
• M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold)
• Corey Taylor (for his work with Stone Sour)


Affliction^® Album of the Year


• Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare
• Black Label Society, Order of the Black
• Deftones, Diamond Eyes
• Ozzy Osbourne, Scream
• Stone Sour, Audio Secrecy
• Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven


Samson/Zoom^® Best Live Band


• Avenged Sevenfold
• Gwar
• Iron Maiden
• Megadeth
• Rammstein
• Sevendust


Most Metal Athlete


• Chris Cole (pro skateboarding)
• Dan Hardy (MMA fighting)
• Toni Lydman (NHL hockey)
• The Miz (WWE wrestling)
• Jeremy Shockey (NFL football)
• Mike Vallely (pro skateboarding)


Best New Band


• Asking Alexandria
• Black Veil Brides
• The Damned Things
• The Pretty Reckless
• Times of Grace
• We Are the Fallen


Eagle Rock^® Comeback of the Year


• Accept
• Faith No More
• Murderdolls
• A Perfect Circle
• Soundgarden
• System of a Down