Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slipknot, Pierce The Veil, and Gojira were among the trophy winners at the Epiphone Revolver Music Awards at Webster Hall’s Grand Ballroom on Dec. 13, 2016. Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and SiriusXM’s José Mangin hosted the event, which featured live performances by Megadeth, Anthrax, Zakk Wylde, Lacuna Coil, Stitched Up Heart and an all-star jam as a finale. Slayer’s Dave Lombardo, Slipknot’s Jim Root, Killswitch Engage’s Jesse Leach, Gojira’s Joe Duplantier, Periphery’s Jake Bowen and Matt Halpern, Atreyu’s Brandon Saller and Alex Varkatzas, Amaranthe’s Elize Ryd, the Misfits’ Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz, Meshuggah’s Tomas Haake, Emmure’s Frankie Palmieri, and members of the Dillinger Escape Plan, Atreyu, Life Of Agony, Candiria, Toothgrinder, the Wild, Black Maps, Nonpoint, Cilver, as well as actors Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead and Jessica Pimentel of Orange Is The New Black, and former That Metal Show hosts Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine presented or accepted the fan-voted awards.
A Fallen Heroes All-Star Jam closed the evening. Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey (Butcher Babies), Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), Bumblefoot (Art Of Anarchy), Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), Jeff Waters (Annihilator), Nick Caggiano (Mutoid Man) honored the late Lemmy Kilmister by performing Motorhead’s “Killed by Death.” Leigh Kakaty (Pop Evil) and Mike Protich (Red Sun Rising) joined the ensemble to honor the late Scott Weiland by singing Stone Temple Pilots’ “Plush.” Zakk Wylde performed a solo acoustic version of Black Label Society’s “In This River” as the names of many recently deceased musicians were projected onto a screen behind him. Ace Frehley (ex-Kiss) and Jim Root (Slipknot) joined the house band and closed the evening with “New York Groove” and “Cold Gin.”
The Epiphone Revolver Music Awards honor musicians in hard rock and heavy metal. Revolver began its awards presentations in 2009 as the Revolver Golden God Awards, which until 2014 were held in Los Angeles, California. The awards were suspended in 2015. Tonight’s renamed awards event was held in New York for the first time.
The 2016 Epiphone Revolver Music Awards winners:
Lifetime Achievement Award: Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine
Innovator Award: Anthrax
Album of the Year: Metallica (for Hardwired… To Self Destruct)
Song of the Year: “Square Hammer” by Ghost
Best Vocalist: Of Mice & Men’s Austin Carlile
Dimebag Darrell Best Guitarist: Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro
Best Drummer: Chris Adler (for his performance on Megadeth’s Dystopia)
Paul Gray Best Bassist: Meshuggah’s Dick Lövgren
Best Live Band: Slipknot
Most Dedicated Fans: Pierce The Veil
Best Film and/or Video: “Silvera” by Gojira
Best New Talent: Avatar
Most Metal Athlete: Baron Corbin, WWE
