2011 Revolver Golden God Awards Nominees Announced

America's only hard-rock and heavy-metal award show is back for 2011! The third annual Revolver Golden Gods awards show presented by Epiphone will take place Wednesday, April 20th, at Club Nokia in Downtown Los Angeles. The event will be televised on VH1 Classic on May 28th. Tickets go on sale today Thursday, February 24, via Ticketmaster.

This year, hosting duties for the Golden Gods will be handled by WWE pro-wrestler and FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho. The nominees in eight different categories — plus the recipients of this year's prestigious "Golden God Award" sponsored by Bethesda Softworks upcoming video game "Hunted: The Demon's Forge" and the "Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award" — were revealed yesterday at a press conference held at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. Host Chris Jericho was on hand, along with Alice Cooper, Mick Mars, Sebastian Bach, Wendy Dio and pro skateboarder Mike Vallely to announce the nominees.

Fans everywhere can cast their vote to decide who will take home the awards for "Epiphone Best Guitarist," "Drum Workshop Best Drummer," "Best Vocalist," "Affliction Album of the Year," "Samson/Zoom Best Live Band," "Most Metal Athlete," "Best New Band" and "Eagle Rock Comeback of the Year." Voting is open now RevolverMag.com and ends on April 1.

2011 Revolver Golden Gods nominees:

Epiphone Best Guitarist(s)
* John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE)
* Dan Donegan (DISTURBED)
* Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND)
* 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 (ROB ZOMBIE)
* Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR)
* Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN)
* Mike Portnoy (Ex-DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD)

Best Vocalist
* Glenn Danzig (DANZIG)
* Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN)
* Chino Moreno (DEFTONES)
* Ozzy Osbourne (OZZY OSBOURNE)
* M. Shadows (AVENGED SEVENFOLD)
* Corey Taylor (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)
* 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