Iron Maiden nominated for Golden God award

Iron Maiden and Bullet For My Valentine will go head-to-head in the Best UK Band category at this year's Metal Hammer Golden God Awards.

The bands face competition from Skindred, Architects and Bring Me The Horizon to win the coveted prize, which is voted for by readers of Metal Hammer magazine.

Publisher Chris Ingham revealed he was "thrilled" to honour the rock legends with the nominations, which come in the magazine's 25th year.

He said: "A whole quarter of a century ago, Metal Hammer magazine began and in that time we've worked with some of the biggest and best names in metal and rock music.

"Some of those names will be joining us for the Metal Hammer Golden Gods and, whether they're icons or rising stars, their tireless efforts to stay true to the most loyal fanbase around is a massive achievement and one we are thrilled to honour."

In the Best International Band list, Avenged Sevenfold will take on Dimmu Borgir, Down, Children of Bodom and Stone Sour, while Machine Head, Cancer Bats, Rob Zombie, Skindred and Devildriver are all nominated in the Best Live Band Category.

The awards will be presented on June 13, 2011 at London's IndigO2.

Best International Band:

Avenged Sevenfold

Dimmu Borgir

Stone Sour

Children Of Bodom

Down

Best UK Band sponsored by Roadrunner:

Iron Maiden

Bring Me The Horizon

Skindred

Architects

Bullet For My Valentine

Best Live Band:

Cancer Bats

Devildriver

Rob Zombie

Skindred

Machine Head

Best New Band:

The Defiled

Kvelertak

Tesseract

The Damned Things

Letlive

Best Underground:

Watain

Kylesa

Primordial

The Dead Lay Waiting

Clutch

Best Breakthrough Parkway Drive:

A Day To Remember

Sylosis

Sabaton

Volbeat

Shredder(s) sponsored by Blackstar:

Gus G (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne)

Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge)

Alexi Laiho (Children Of Bodom)

Mark Rizzo (Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulfly, Il Nino)

Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold)

Metal As F**k:

Slayer

Behemoth

Slipknot

Zakk Wylde

Deftones

Event of the Year sponsored by Alchemy:

Rob Zombie's return

Manowar's return

System Of A Down reforming

The Big 4 UK announcement

Beavis And Butthead's resurrection