This yearly horror convention takes place at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, and blends horror with music, allowing fans to meet their favorite horror film stars, directors, writers and bands during the day — and rock out at every night to well-known national bands performing next door at The Palladium.

Check out our photos of some of the bands who performed, including Gwar, The Misfits, DevilDriver, Vampires Everywhere! and Shadows Fall. For the full 2012 lineup, check out Rock & Shock’s website here.

All photos by Jeremy Saffer.

“Long Live Heavy Metal is the fifth chapter in the book of 3 Inches of Blood, and we couldn’t be more pleased and proud of our new onslaught of honest heavy metal,” says guitarist Justin Hagberg.

Vocalist Cam Pipes has similar feelings about the quality and significance of the record. “When a band is releasing a new record, they often speak about it being their most important work or best album to date,” says Pipes. “Regardless of how clichéd either statement may sound, I think we would say both apply to this album. All of us have a special feeling about this one. We’re more committed than ever to the cause of real, honest, no-bullshit heavy metal. No trends, no fucking around!”

3 Inches of Blood will be heading out on the Metal Alliance tour–beginning in March–with DevilDriver, Dying Fetus, the Faceless, Job for a Cowboy, Impending Doom, and Wretched. Dates below.

Metal Alliance Tour dates:

03/15 Austin, TX, SXSW / Scoot Inn
03/16 New Orleans, LA, The Hangar
03/17 St Petersburg, FL, State Theater
03/18 Charlotte, NC, Amos’ Southend
03/20 Baltimore, MD, Sonar
03/21 New York, NY, Gramercy Theater
03/22 Danvers, MA, Palace Ballroom
03/23 Montreal, QC, Le National
03/24 Toronto, ON, Opera House
03/25 Columbus, OH, Alrosa Villa
03/26 Joliet, IL, Mojoe’s
03/27 St Paul, MN, Station-4
03/28 Winnipeg, MB, Garrick Centre
03/29 Regina, SK, Riddell Centre
03/30 Edmonton, AB, Edmonton Events Centre
03/31 Vancouver, BC, Rickshaw Theater
04/01 Seattle, WA, Studio Seven
04/02 Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater
04/05 Oakland, CA, The Pound
04/06 Hollywood, CA, The Music Box
04/07 Tempe, AZ, Marquee Theater
04/09 Denver, CO, The Summit Music Hall
04/10 Omaha, NE, Sokol Auditorium
04/11 Des Moines, IA, 7 Flags Event Center
04/13 Memphis, TN, New Daisy Theater
04/15 Lawrence, KS, Granada Theater
04/16 Tulsa, OK, Cain’s Ballroom
04/19 Dallas, TX, House Of Blues
04/20 Austin, TX, Emo’s East
04/21 Houston, TX,  House Of Blues

DevilDriver released their latest album, Beast, earlier this year, while Dying Fetus are currently in the studio recording a new album, titled Reign Supreme, which is set for release mid-2012.

Metal Alliance Tour dates:

03/15 Austin, TX, SXSW / Scoot Inn
03/16 New Orleans, LA, The Hangar
03/17 St Petersburg, FL, State Theater
03/18 Charlotte, NC, Amos’ Southend
03/20 Baltimore, MD, Sonar
03/21 New York, NY, Gramercy Theater
03/22 Danvers, MA, Palace Ballroom
03/23 Montreal, QC, Le National
03/24 Toronto, ON, Opera House
03/25 Columbus, OH, Alrosa Villa
03/26 Joliet, IL, Mojoe’s
03/27 St Paul, MN, Station-4
03/28 Winnipeg, MB, Garrick Centre
03/29 Regina, SK, Riddell Centre
03/30 Edmonton, AB, Edmonton Events Centre
03/31 Vancouver, BC, Rickshaw Theater
04/01 Seattle, WA, Studio Seven
04/02 Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater
04/05 Oakland, CA, The Pound
04/06 Hollywood, CA, The Music Box
04/07 Tempe, AZ, Marquee Theater
04/09 Denver, CO, The Summit Music Hall
04/10 Omaha, NE, Sokol Auditorium
04/11 Des Moines, IA, 7 Flags Event Center
04/13 Memphis, TN, New Daisy Theater
04/15 Lawrence, KS, Granada Theater
04/16 Tulsa, OK, Cain’s Ballroom
04/19 Dallas, TX, House Of Blues
04/20 Austin, TX, Emo’s East
04/21 Houston, TX,  House Of Blues

UPDATE: Find out the results here!

Fafara also tweeted a picture of himself and Cavalera, which you can view on the left.

Soulfly’s album, which is being recorded in Phoenix, Arizona, with producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris (Chimaira, Hatebreed), is expected to be released early next year.

Deftones’ Chino Moreno

William Shatner

Hellyeah and Pantera’s Vinnie Paul

Rob Zombie and John 5

Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler With Wendy Dio

Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro

Mike Portnoy

Machine Head’s Robb Flynn and Static-X’s Wayne Static

Fear Factory’s Dino Cazares

Judas Priest’s Scott Travis

Brian Posehn

DevilDriver’s Jeff Kendrick

Murderdolls’ Wednesday 13

Whitesnake’s David Coverdale

The show is, of course, being headlined by Avenged Sevenfold and also will feature performances by the original Alice Cooper Group, Duff McKagan’s Loaded, Volbeat, Asking Alexandria (with special guest Sebastian Bach), DevilDriver, Fozzy and more.

Alice Cooper will be receiving the coveted Golden God Award, while Mötley Crüe will be on hand to receive the Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award. Last but not least, check out the full list of nominees for the eight categories that were voted on by you, the fans!

If you want to keep up with the winners but can’t attend the sold-out show, follow Revolver on Twitter or Facebook, where we will be posting updates all night long. The awards show will be televised May 28 on VH1 Classic.

Also, we still have a few of Revolver Golden Gods collector’s posters (pictured left) remaining, so get yours here today!

NOTE: Due to the Lakers playoff game in nearby Staples Center, Golden Gods attendees are advised to show up at least an hour early.