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Metal Hammer presents Golden Gods

By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 13 June 2017

Those Metal Hammers last night gathered up the hard rock and metal fraternity, still in the midst of their post-Download festival blur, and celebrated all metal-makers’ skills via the magazine’s annual Golden Gods bash.

Noting the tricky year Metal Hammer itself has had, its future looking bleak for a time after parent company TeamRock went into administration in December, the magazine’s Editor Merlin Alderslade remarked: “After a difficult end to last year in which the future of our magazine looked uncertain, we couldn’t have thought of a better way to celebrate our comeback. From the one and only Chris Jericho returning to host our awards for a record-breaking third time, to seeing legends like Tony Iommi, Tom Morello and Chuck D walk out on stage, to honouring the contemporary names who make our scene great, it was the kind of evening that only the Golden Gods can provide”.

Aldersalde continued: “As always, though, the most important thing was the metal community coming together again – and we salute everyone who has supported us in the last year and beyond, be it by coming to the show, buying our magazine or simply spreading the good word of heavy. Horns up!”

Horns up indeed. But winners. You want winners right? That’s what we all got out of bed for. Well, here they are, golden in hue, godlike in character,

Best UK Band: Architects
Best International Band: Avenged Sevenfold
Best Live Band: Mastodon

Best New Band: Venom Prison
Breakthrough Band: Avatar
Best Underground Band: Pallbearer

Best Album: Gojira – Magma
Best Game: Iron Maiden – Legacy Of The Beast
Best Independent Label: Nuclear Blast

Inspiration: Exodus
Icon: The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dimebag Darrell ‘Shredder’: Joel O’Keeffe
Riff Lord: Devin Townsend
Defender Of The Faith: Ben Ward & Sandie Soriano
Spirit Of Hammer: Prophets Of Rage
Golden God: Black Sabbath