Rammstein won Best Live Band at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards last night (11.06.12).
The German metal group beat off competition from Iron Maiden, Metallica, Skindred and Watain to take home the accolade, while Saxon won Best British Band and US outfit Lamb of God were awarded with the Best International Band prize on the ceremony’s 10th anniversary.
Maiden were presented with the Best Event gong for their ‘Iron Maiden Conquer the UK (Again)’ tour and veteran metal groups Fear Factory and Anthrax won the Icons and Metal as F**k accolades respectively.
Machine Head duo Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel both took home the Riff Lord gong, with Mastodon’s ‘The Hunter’ winning Best Album and Bill Bailey was honoured with the Spirit of Hammer prize.
Best Drummer went to legendary stickman Vinnie Paul – who co-founded Pantera and Damageplan with his late brother Dimebag Darrell, who was shot dead onstage in December 2004.
Metal bands descended on London’s The O2 for the musical event – which was hosted by WWE legend Chris Jericho, who played on the pre-party boat HMS Hammer with his band Fozzy – following last weekend’s Download Festival, which saw Slipknot presented with a Metal Hammer accolade for Best Download Festival Moment.
The ‘Wait and Bleed’ hitmakers won the prize for their headlining slot at the 2009 Download festival, and the gong was presented to the group’s frontman Corey Taylor onstage at the event on the weekend.
Full List of winners of The Metal Hammer Golden Gods In Association With Hobgoblin:
Best Underground Band Watain
Best New Band The Defiled
Dimebag Darrell ‘Shredder’ Devin Townsend
Best UK Band Saxon
Best Live Band Rammstein
Best Event Iron Maiden Conquer The UK (Again)
Best International Band Lamb Of God
Metal As Fu*k Anthrax
Breakthrough Artist Ghost
Spirit Of Hammer Bill Bailey
Best Album Mastodon ‘The Hunter’
Best Drummer Vinnie Paul
Inspiration Roadrunner Records
Icons Fear Factory
Riff Lord Robb Flynn & Phil Demmel Machine Head
The Golden God Joey DeMaio – Manowar
Video Of The Year Trivium ‘In Waves’