“Jimmy was always more concerned about everyone else than he was with himself. He always wanted everyone to have a good time. He didn’t live in a world where you could be sad or bummed out. He didn’t let that part of life exist for him. He always brought out the good in everything and was always laughing and joking and fucking with you. I just feel so lucky that I got to spend time with the dude and know the dude. I think that anybody that got to is a lucky person.”

1. Black Sabbath reunite
The rumors had been swirling for a while, but it seemed like every time things were looking good for a reunion of the original lineup of the original metal band, someone came in to dash the hopes of pretty much every headbanger on the planet. And then it happened: a press conference hosted by Henry Rollins and featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, announcing not only a world tour together in 2012 but also that they have been working on a new album together! Never say die, indeed.

2. The West Memphis Three are freed
In the 18 years since the West Memphis Three—three men who, as metalhead teenagers, were convicted for the allegedly Satanic-ritual murder of three young children—were first arrested, their case has galvanized heavy-music fans the world over. Everyone from the aforementioned Henry Rollins and Metallica to Pearl Jam and Marilyn Manson—who spoke at the 2010 Revolver Golden Gods Awards on their behalf—had gotten behind their cause, but as appeal after appeal was denied despite mounting evidence of their innocence, that cause did not appear very hopeful. Then, this August, the seemingly impossible happened when the WM3 were finally released from prison. Justice, long overdue.

3. Judas Priest play on American Idol, embark on farewell tour
If a Sabbath reunion and WM3 release seemed unlikely going into 2011, then Judas Priest performing on TV’s most popular show and pop music’s biggest forum seemed like just about the closest thing to a sign of the apocalypse that we could imagine. Well, then maybe the end is, in fact, nigh in 2012, because Priest did take the Idol stage this year, rocking with finalist James Durbin in front of the some 30 million viewers who tuned in to see the season finale. Sadly, we know that the end is nigh for Priest themselves, who played the first leg of their farewell tour this year. But at least Rob Halford & Co. are going out with a bang.

4. Dave Mustaine plays Metallica songs onstage with Metallica
The double takes continued this year when Dave Mustaine took the stage with Metallica earlier this month to play five ‘Tallica classics as part of that band’s 30th anniversary. Dave jamming on Diamond Head along with all the other members of the Big 4 was one thing. This, a whole other level of jaw-dropping. Can’t we all just get along? Why, yes, we can.

5. Metallica records album with Lou Reed
If Metallica’s series of 30th-anniversary shows this December was one of the most badass things these tried-and-true metal badasses have ever done, then their collaborative album, Lulu, with art-rock kingpin Lou Reed ranks up there among the most head-scratchingly bizarre moves they’ve ever made. “I am the table.” And we are dumbfounded.

6. Slipknot play first shows since Paul Gray’s death
After the passing of founding bass player and major songwriter Paul Gray in 2010, it was unclear whether Slipknot would pack up the masks and jumpsuits and call it a day or if they would forge ahead. This summer the band–who were the subject of a Revolver special issue this year–returned to the stage and did it in triumphant fashion, paying respect to their fallen bandmate and to their own origins, while looking ahead to the future. Which includes highly anticipated shows in the U.S. next year.

7. Phil Anselmo performs Pantera songs onstage for first time in a decade
His surprise appearance at this September’s Metal Masters Clinic 2 was a heavily guarded secret (which the Revolver staff may have been privy to, if not behind), but when Phil Anselmo stomped onto the stage and banged through absolutely rip-roaring renditions of Pantera’s “A New Level” and “Fucking Hostile” backed by Kerry King, Scott Ian, David Ellefson, Frank Bello, Mike Portnoy, and Charlie Benante, it resounded around the metal world. And only made us mourn more deeply the senseless death of Dimebag Darrell and the fact that a Pantera reunion is utterly impossible. If you weren’t there in September, kick yourself. Now.

8. Evanescence release first album in five years, debut at No. 1
One of the best-selling hard-rock acts of the last decade, Evanescence had all but fallen off the map when they returned with this year’s self-titled album and the relevance of their gothy nu-metal-infused sound was very much in question. Consider that question definitively answered as the record debuted at No. 1 on the charts and the group hit the road to overwhelmingly sold-out shows–not to mention the fact that frontwoman Amy Lee was voted by Revolver readers to be the single Hottest Chick in Hard Rock. Amazing accomplishments all, for a band that clearly had been very much been missed.

9. Anthrax release first album in eight years
It has been a tumultuous decade for the thrash legends, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and while their trials and tribulations did nearly take the band down, Anthrax endured and reasserted their place among metal’s best with the critically acclaimed Worship Music, not to mention their ass-kicking sets at this year’s Big 4 shows.

10. Avenged Sevenfold dominate the Revolver Golden Gods awards
Absolutely proving their supremacy among their generation of hard-rock and metal bands, and completing their inspiring rise-from-the-ashes story since the death of founding drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, Avenged Sevenfold claimed the 2011 Revolver Golden Gods as their own. They all but swept the fan-voted awards, including the biggest trophy of the night, for Album of the Year, and crushed with their closing set, which featured guest turns by GN’R's Duff McKagan and Pantera’s Vinnie Paul. All hail the heirs apparent.

11. Disturbed go on indefinite hiatus
They are the only rock band to have four consecutive records debut at No. 1, other than Metallica and Dave Matthews Band, so when Disturbed announced, while headlining this summer’s Mayhem Fest, that they would be going on “indefinite hiatus,” fans were understandably shocked. But then, what better time to go out then when you’re on top? Only time will tell if the bandmates are just taking a break or if they’ve broken up—but there’s no arguing that these guys have earned a little rest.

12. Metal goes dubstep
It was this year’s biggest trend in heavy music—the fusion of metal and the electronic-music style known as dubstep—and while, like any trend, it led to some less than stellar music, it also led to our controversial pick for 2011 Album of the Year, Korn’s The Path of Totality. We at Revolver hate it when we see heavy music getting stagnant and conservative—music needs to evolve and cross-pollinate to stay vital—so we’re excited that everyone from Five Finger Death Punch to Asking Alexandria to Periphery are experimenting with dubstep and exploring alternative definitions of “heavy.” And it’s cool knowing that the style’s biggest producer, Skrillex, is a friend of hard rock and metal, having gotten his start fronting screamo band From First to Last and, this year, collaborated on the new Korn record. Let’s see where this new hybrid takes us in 2012.

13. System of a Down play first shows together in five years
In late 2010, System of a Down, one of the last decade’s most unique and innovative metal bands, announced that they would be reuniting to play shows after a five-year hiatus. When the first of those performances finally came to pass, in Canada this May, SOAD proved that they had not missed a beat. Welcome back. And make a new record. You know you want to.

14. Atreyu go on indefinite hiatus
In the 12 years since their formation, SoCal’s Atreyu have morphed from metalcore pioneers to a more straight-up hard-rock outfit, and they’ve graced the cover of Revolver more than a few times along the way. So when, this year, the bandmates broke the news that they would be putting the band on ice, it was a bummer, no question. The consolation is that the members are not exactly sitting on their hand since the decision: Frontman Alex Varkatsaz has a new band in the works with Bleeding Through’s Brendan Schieppati, called I Am War; drummer-vocalist Brandon Saller now fronts Hell or Highwater; and guitarist Travis Miguel has new project Fake Figures.

15. Ministry re-form
Ministry’s breakup never seemed particularly set in stone. After all, their “final” album, 2007′s The Last Sucker, was followed by not one record of covers and remixes but two—not to mention a 2009 live album. Still, it was hard for any fan of the seminal industrial-metal band not to be excited when main man Al Jourgensen announced in August that the group would not only be touring in 2012 but releasing a new, original studio album, fittingly called Relapse. Lead single, “99 Percenters,” hits iTunes on December 23.

16. Life of Agony frontman Keith Caputo transitioning gender to female
It might just be the biggest “WTF” revelation in a year full of “WTF” moments: the news that Life of Agony vocalist Keith Caputo was becoming a woman, Mina. As with Priest’s catalog after Halford came out of the closet, now we hear LOA’s songs just a little differently.

..And finally, Revolver releases 100th issue.
Is it 2011′s biggest story? No. But it might be for us here at Revolver. We’ve been told repeatedly over the years that rock is dead, metal is dead, the music industry is dead, print media are dead. So to make it to 100 issues—100 real, tangible, bathroom-ready printed issues—feels like a real accomplishment. And maybe even more importantly, it feels like a big, fat middle-finger to all the disbelievers, doubters, and haters who didn’t think we would make it. Fuck you. And thank you to all our readers who have stuck with us, whether for all 100 issues, or only for this year’s six. You rule. Happy holidays.

REVOLVER What prompted you to start Hell or Highwater?
BRANDON SALLER It was just different music and, I mean, I’m the kind of person who likes to just sit down and write music and play music and, you know, for not any specific reason or project or thing. And I was writing songs that I was really liking and they just weren’t right for Atreyu. In my head, there was no reason to put those songs to waste, and that journey with them was no reason why I shouldn’t go forth and make something of them.

How did the band arrive at its current lineup?
Initially, I just played with kind of random friends across the board, and when it turned into something that I wanted to tour with and everything, I wanted it to be something kind of real. So I just put together kind of a try-out, and it was really just word of mouth through friends and stuff like that. And in doing so, I found the guys I have now. They’re all such talented individually, in other bands before, and everyone was kind of coming to the end of a project, so it was kind of perfect the way it all fit in together.

How much of the record is songs you wrote yourself prior to the current band, and how much of it is material you guys wrote together?
Well, I mean quite a bit. Once they came on board, it was amazing how much they kind of put in. On the actual album, I wrote nine songs and then the guys, we all wrote three songs together. Once we kind of made the lineup concrete, I really wanted that. I really wanted the other guys to kind of have a moment on the record and really get a chance to write with them as well.

How would you describe the album musically?
I mean, it’s, in essence, an American rock-and-roll record. I don’t think that it sounds like anything specific. It’s a rock-and-roll record, but I feel like it’s just a nice, fresh approach to that, you know. I really wanted the band to sound like a modern take on a classic rock band and even farther back than ’70s, ’80s, even going as far back as like the ’50s, you know what I mean.

What’s the significance of the album title, Begin Again?
I feel like, for all of us, all five of us have kind of dropped everything in our life and really just started over with this band and we’ve put our entire heart and soul and faith in this band because we love it, and it’s kind of testament to the fact that you can do that and you can start over and you can change whenever you want, in your life. It’s never too late to do that. So I feel like the record, for us, was just a fresh start and hence Begin Again.

And it seems like you’re taking a very DIY approach with Hell or Highwater?
Absolutely. You know, all of us have had success in our previous bands and we didn’t want to have to just rely on that. We really wanted the band to be known for us, you know, and really people to fall in love with Hell or Highwater, rather than the things we’ve done in the past.

Do you take listeners’ reactions to this record more personally than anything before?
Obviously, it’s a special record for me because it is something totally new that I did on my own and it’s something that I really built from the ground up. And it’s not that I take it personally, but I think I’m just maybe more proud of this than anything else. Just because it’s like building a house with your own two hands, you know what I mean. You’re going to want to show everyone that house, you’re gonna be proud of that house, because every bit of it was made with your two hands and your blood, sweat, and tears. So I feel like I’m just more excited and proud for this record, I think, than anything else.

How are you enjoying being a frontman?
It’s a lot of fun, man, I mean, I’ve always been as active of a drummer as I can be and it’s a lot of fun just to kind of be in people’s faces now and interact and, you know, get to run around a little bit, have a good time. I feel like I’ve been let out of my cage.

And you’ve collaborated with Avenged Sevenfold’s M. Shadows on the track “Go Alone”?
Yeah, yeah, we’ve been friends for a while. I mean, obviously we’re both from Huntington beach and Atreyu and Avenged toured a lot throughout the years, and we’ve become close the last three or four years. We’d written it together a long, long time ago, so it’s nice to finally have that come out, too, because I think a lot of people will dig it.

With so much of your time going into Hell or Highwater, is Atreyu firmly on the back burner right now?
When we decided to go on a break, the idea was go on a break and when, collectively, the five of us feel that the break is over, then the break is over. There wasn’t any time limit or “Let’s just take two years off” or whatever. It could be a year, it could be five, we don’t really know. Which makes it nice because I don’t like to half-ass anything in my life so I’m glad that I can put all my attention towards this. JASON LE MIERE

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Fest is in full effect, and if you've been to any of the dates already, we hope you've picked up the Official Tour Program at the Revolver booth. If you have, then you know we've included a Word Search at the end of it and are probably looking for the solution, which you will find right here. If you haven't been to Mayhem yet, but you just want a sneak peak at the Word Search so you can get the answers early and impress your friends, then you really, really need help.

“Jimmy was always more concerned about everyone else than he was with himself. He always wanted everyone to have a good time. He didn’t live in a world where you could be sad or bummed out. He didn’t let that part of life exist for him. He always brought out the good in everything and was always laughing and joking and fucking with you. I just feel so lucky that I got to spend time with the dude and know the dude. I think that anybody that got to is a lucky person.”

Avenged Sevenfold; Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan is at far right. Photo by Clay Patrick McBride
Saller photo: Kevin Estrada